As from January 1st 2019, the information on our score cards regarding local rules and out of bounds will not conform to the new word terminology or the new rule numbering.

The R&A together with the Lancashire golf union have agreed that clubs can still use existing score cards until reprints are necessary.

For your information, below is a copy of the new wording that will be applied to the next print of score cards. A copy of the new wording is pinned to the notice board.

A summary of the main changes is in this PDF file,  you can download and use it as an aide memoire on the course:-

Rules changes are described in more detail in the Player’s Edition of the Rules of Golf, copies of which are available in the clubhouse and locker rooms. This book is small enough to carry in your golf bag and is much easier to understand than the 2018 rules book. It isn’t a complete rule book, but focuses on the rules most relevent to you as a player.

You can explore the new rules at the R&A Website:-

APPs are available from the Apple APP Store and Google Play, look out for the new version as both the current and 2019 rules are available for download. For more information visit:-

The season finale took place on Friday 9th November with the major prize presentation.

The winners collected their trophies from the Lady Captain (Mrs June Glen) and the Captain (Mr David Dean). Prizes were also presented for the Monthly Medal Winners and those who had Holes in One during the season.

Congratulations to everyone who picked up a prize (there is a list at the end of this post), better luck next year for those of us who weren’t successful this year.

Work on the 7th Bunkers has finished for now. The new turf liner is in place, this will be allowed to knit together over the winter. In early March the turf will be sprayed with weed killer and then refilled with fresh sand. This creates a natural liner to prevent stones rising to the surface. 

As the turf needs to knit together to provide an effective barrier, the bunkers will remain GUR until they have been refilled, as will the newly turfed areas surrounding them.

PLEASE DO NOT PLAY FROM THESE AREAS UNTIL THE WORK IS COMPLETED IN MARCH.

 

Work has now commenced on the 9th Green bunkers. You may have already spotted that the single bunker to the right of the green is being split into two and reshaped.

The new yellow tee on the 12th is ready to be turfed. Some members have asked why this tee has been moved, unfortunaty the tree to the right of the existing tee has very shallow roots and these are beginning to break through to the surface causing damage to the tee. The yellow tee will be ready to play from early in the new season.

The new tee on the 17th has been finished and will also be ready for use early in the new season.

Grass is starting to appear on the new bank at the back of the 16th and in the re-dug ditches. We were very unlucky with the storm that came through just after the work was completed. The heavy rain washed some of the seed away before it had chance to bind the soil. If the storm had occurred a couple of weeks later the grass would have been well established by now.

Whilst we have the reasonably good weather we will continue with the bunker refurbishment plan.

 

First of all a big thank you to everyone who played in the competition or made a donation, so far we have raised over £600,  a fantastic total. If you missed the comp. but would like to make a donation please see one of the organisers, Steve Norman, Mark Schofield or Ian Thompson.

£97 of the total was raised Andy Barlow when he ran a 4 club challenge at one of the Friday chuck-ins – well done Andy.

Thanks also to Eric Galvin, Mark, Steve and Ian for planning and running the day at very short notice, you did a great job guys.

The prizes and drinks on the 7th tee were donated by several people, including Chris Clarke. The proshop helped out too by collecting todays’ entry fee and running a twos comp. If you paid into the twos and got one on the day, it will be added to your account in the usual way.

Nearest the pin on the 3rd – Shaun Heyes

Longest drive on the 7th – Paul Stanton

Nearest the 188yd marker on the 7th – Jimmy Barker

Nearest the pin in 2 on the 10th – Andy Denbigh

Neearet the pin on the 13th – Brian Sanders

Nearest the pin on the 15th – Kevin Halpin WITH A HOLE IN ONE!, congratulations Kev

Nearest the pin on the 17th – Barry Faulkner

Division 1 Runner-up – Jamie Elliott (34 points)

All the winners above can collect their prizes from the clubhouse, see Dave McMullan, he’s there most mornings.

We hope to have another Children in Need charity day next year. If you have any suggestions concerning the format please share them with Steve, Mark or Ian.

After doing very well in the South Lancashire Junior League this year, Gathurst Juniors reached the final, which was played at Ashton-in-Makerfield Golf Club on Sunday 21st October.

They were up against teams with far more experience, and the final was played in dreadful conditions. To their credit, they battled on to the end, but were unsuccessful on this occasion.  Gathurst Golf Club  is proud of the Junior Section’s courage and commitment, with another 12 months experience we believe they will do very well next year.

Left to right:- George Smith, Josh Slater, Bradley Ainscough, Daniel Ainscough, (Captain), Bradley Nelson and Doug Pickering, (Junior Organiser).

Left to right:- Bradley Nelson, George Smith, Josh Slater, Daniel Ainscough (Captain) and Bradley Ainscough.

The new bunker to the right of the 7th green is taking shape nicely and is nearly ready to have the turf lining laid.

I hope you are all enjoying the course, the two new Profihopper machines are really making a difference to the rough and have the added benefit of collecting the leaf fall whilst cutting.

The ditch work around the 16th/17th/18th is now complete and is making a difference to the drainage of the area. The new ditch opened up some existing drains and these are now able to remove water from this area. We have seeded the banks and would remind members that these ditches are lateral water hazards and relief MUST be taken from them until such time as the grass is established. Please do not attempt to play the ball out of them.

The new undulating bank at the back of the 16th Green is also complete and has been graded and seeded. This whole area is Ground Under Repair from which NO PLAY is permitted whilst the seed germinates and the grass becomes established. Once again, please do not attempt to play the ball from this area.

We have commenced work around the 7th green. We are regrading the area around the back of the green to remove the sharp fall-away and allow it to be machine mowed more easily. We will also be working on the two greenside bunkers at the same time. The sand will be removed, the bunker faces renovated, and a turf liner will be laid. The turf liner will be allowed to knit and grow until around March next year when the grass will be killed off and the bunkers refilled with sand. The bunkers will GUR over the winter, once again NO PLAY will be permitted from the bunkers until they have been refilled with sand.

Once the 7th green bunkers are renovated and turf lined the plan is to renovate the 9th, 15th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 17th, and 18th greenside bunkers. This is the preferred order of work, weather permitting. If the ground conditions turn against us then we will finish the hole we are on and move to the 18th.

Now that the season is finished we are building a new 12th yellow tee. We have to do this as the current yellow tee is too close to a tree with shallow roots, this is causing problems with one side of the tee. This tee will be ready for the start of the new season.

We are also building a new tee on the 17th for the start of the new season.

Dan.