Greetings golfers,

Welcome to another exciting edition of our weekly newsletter. This week we look at the reasons as to why so many players are switching to a counterbalanced putter, and highlight a few impressive features of some of the wedges that we have in-store. Enjoy the read.

Pro's news

Hi Folks,

It may be hard to believe, and for us in the shop it has definitely felt like longer, but this week marks a whole year since Gareth officially started as Head Professional at St Nicholas. On August the 1st last year the new sign went up over the door and that South African that left home as a teenager was finally his own boss and that was when all the changes started to happen.

It’s been a lot of hard work for Gareth (and his assistants might I add) in trying to develop the shop into a retail space that the members of St Nicholas deserve as we try to cater for everyone’s needs but going by the very generous feedback by the members I think we are managing to pull that off.

All of us in the shop would just like to give you all a huge thank you for all of your support over this first year. The members are who we are here to provide a service for and without you all we wouldn’t still be here one year on so it is very much appreciated and we look forward to helping you with anything that you need over this next coming year and hopefully many more to come.

Gareth’s away playing in some tournaments this week or he would thank you all himself but all the best to him this week.

Hope you all have a good weeks golfing,

Mark

Coaching news

All about tempo

Last week Gareth and I were away at Deer Park for a game with a couple of members and one of the tips he gave me was to watch my tempo. I’m personally prone, as many of you probably are as well, to swinging the club to fast to try and hit it further but that normally just makes it go further the wrong way.

My next round out I done my best to keep my tempo in check and I had one of my best rounds of the year going, until I crossed back over the road and that’s where the story ends.

If you need any help with your game get in touch and book a lesson with Gareth.

Click here to book.

Competition news

Round up

Congratulations to Jim Kelman who won Saturdays 150th Anniversary Penny with a fantastic nett 67 during what was one of the toughest days this season. John Ashton also managed to come in with the lowest scratch score of 70, amazing scores in those conditions gents.

Sundays Links Centenary Putter was also contested this week and was won by Keith Carruthers who scored an excellent nett 64.

Well played everyone.

Junior news

We need your help

The St Nicholas Junior Open is quickly approaching on Sunday, 10 September and we were looking for some help. If anyone would be willing to sponsor a hole to help the event it would be much appreciated, we are asking for sponsorships of £50 for a hole. Junior Opens have been struggling in recent years but luckily with good support ours was one of the best last year so any help would be fantastic.

If you are interested in sponsoring a hole then please contact us in the shop or pop in and see us.

Ladies news

Annual Open competition

This week saw the ladies annual open competition, The Betty Singleton, being held and as always it was greatly attended with 90 pairs playing.

The competition was close in terms of scoring with the winners raising the trophy by only half a point.

St Nicholas members were also challenging well with the eventual Trophy Winners being Ann Wallace and Liz Stewart (St Nicholas/Glenburn) with a Nett 74. St Nicholas Members also placed in second and third which is a great showing for the club.

The competition also raised funds of around £2500 for charity.

Congratulations to the winners and all the organisers.

Shop news

New arrival

This week at the Betty Singleton we got in a new range of clothing for all the ladies and this week even more items from this new brand has arrived in stock.

The products are of the highest quality fabrics for easy to wear, yet stylish golf clothing.

If you didn’t get to see any of the collection pop in and have a look at what’s on offer.

Rule of the week

Do you know the rules?

Danny’s tee shot is wayward and ends up hitting the roof of the Artisans’ clubhouse which is an immovable obstruction. From the tee they see the ball bounce on the roof and roll down in to the guttering. When they arrive at the clubhouse, Danny can’t find his ball, but both he and Shona are certain that it entered the rooftop guttering. How can Danny proceed?

1. Danny can play another ball from the tee without penalty.
2. Danny must play another ball from the tee under penalty of stroke and distance.
3. Danny can estimate the point where his ball last crossed the outermost limits of the clubhouse and drop a ball, without penalty, within one club-length no nearer the hole, of his nearest point of relief from that point.

Find out what the answer is in next week's newsletter.

Did you get the answer to last week’s rule?

Sheena’s second shot comes to rest on a sprinkler head just short of the green. She takes relief from the immovable obstruction under Rule 24-2, but before dropping her ball, she sweeps away some stones from the area where she is about to drop her ball using her towel. What is the ruling?

1. Sheena is penalised two strokes
2. There is no penalty.
3. There is no penalty, but Sheena must recreate the lie to its original condition before dropping the ball.

Answer: 2.

Except when both the loose impediment and the ball lie in or touch the same hazard, any loose impediment may be removed without penalty. (See Decision 23-1/6)