The answer to our quick teaser last week: Whistling Straits has over 1,000 bunkers, how many do we have at Hockley? 

55 bunkers at Hockley and not one correct answer was sent in. Take a count next time you are playing.


 

Once again the summer holidays have passed by and the memories of a long hot summer have gone with it. I'm hoping that as normal once all the children are back at school we can begin to enjoy a long and warm Autumn. Up until the last 4 weeks the year had been exceptionally dry with only around 50% of average rainfall, but just a few days of rain is always enough to return Hockley to its verdant green look and present us with the challenge of keeping up with the excessive grass growth that mild temperatures and rainfall produce. 

To add to our challenges I'm sad to say that Rob will be leaving us in the middle of September. He has made some major contributions to the improvement of Hockley over the last 2 and a half years and he'll be sadly missed. It's also a shame to see him leaving the industry and take his wide range of skills and talents with him; retaining talent in greenkeeping is one of the industries big challenges. We are on the search for a replacement and if you know of someone who you think would fit into our ambitious team please feel free to point them in my direction.

It's this time of year I begin to plan how we will go about our winter work program, the final worklist will be published soon, but our program of removing untidy paths and replacing with grass continues and we will undertake some sooner rather than later. This may allow us to seed these areas which has better long-term results and significant cost savings. We intend to start with the path from the 2nd tee to the 2nd fairway which will also enable us to reduce the amount of long grass on the carry during the summer months.

I hope you've enjoyed having greens undisrupted through August - this is the best and most efficient time to renovate greens as recovery is exceptionally quick. Please remember the current surfaces when we do our renovation work in October as recovery through that period can be slower if the weather isn't friendly. 

As usual I'll keep the blog updated, if you want a better understanding of what we do please keep an eye on it by clicking here.

Glenn Kirby


 

NEW IN 

TaylorMade Daddy Long Legs 2.0 putter 

With a new tour-chosen colour scheme for enhanced alignment and confidence, it is the most stable head TaylorMade has ever designed giving golfers better distance control on off-center hits. The forgiving head combines with counterbalance weighting for repeatable results. The 395 gram head helps counterbalance the putter to help swing the head smoothly and on path. A PureRoll Surlyn insert promotes soft-yet-solid feel and a smooth roll straight of the face. Available in 34 - 36 inch length, come and try one on the putting green. 

      

With this dreadful summer weather we are having perhaps I should be taking deliveries of waterproofs! I do believe the Bank holiday weekend should be dry, fingers crossed.


 

New Forest Pro Am Winners 

In the past I have been very fortunate to win some tournaments around the world, however at the New Forest GC last Friday it was perhaps one of my most enjoyable victories. I was just one part of the winning quartet which included Howard Gleadow, Mike Eames and our 'STAR' man Alan Blatchford. It really was a team effort and our winning score of 23 under par was quite remarkable with the average age of the talent on show, well over 50, well slightly. I hope my team will join me again next year to defend our title? I am informed that all the team will be available to sign autographs at the weekend! 

A note received from Howard: 

'As always it was a pleasure to play with Gary and his putting on the back nine was so good I will never rubbish his putting skills again, and whilst it was a genuine team effort, Alan was the outstanding player with Gary close behind' 

The professional event was won by the home professional Chris Tyrell on 6 under par, I was 2 under and Jack 1 under, the old fella beat him again.

  

 

How To Stop Topping Your Shots

True story: A teaching pro was trying to get one of his students to stop hitting shots where the club made contact with the top half of the ball. This golfer either topped or chunked just about every shot during the lesson. Out of frustration, the teacher went into his office, got a big heavy coat stand and brought it out to the range. He put it behind the golfer and took the back of the golfer's shirt and looped it over one of the hooks. He then asked him to make some slow swings. Then he put a golf ball down and told the golfer to hit it. 

With only an abbreviated swing while hanging from a coat rack, the golfer rocketed one off the face. The second ball was even better. This continued for about five more shots until, as you might have guessed, the golfer tried to swing harder and left half his shirt still clinging to the hook.

What the pro and his coat rack were successful in doing was getting the golfer to maintain the posture he created at address throughout the swing-this is key to avoiding tops and chunks.

Golfers who have weak or stiff muscles on the back side of their legs (hamstrings) or issues with their butt and hip muscles will struggle to maintain their address posture when they swing. Another problem stems from poor muscular function in the mid-back region-especially the oblique's, which provide a good bit of the power needed to properly rotate the trunk back and through during the golf swing.

Even if you are physically fit enough to handle the task, exercises that focus on the hamstrings, hips, glutes and mid-back are never a bad idea for next week I will show you exercises that will strengthen these areas.


 

Our juniors finished runners up in the junior triangle which is quite remarkable, as on several occasions we were unable to put out a full team. 

A reminder the last FREE junior coaching session is this Thursday at 10am. 


 

The Ladies unfortunately lost the Hornsey Cup against Royal Winchester Golf Club on Sunday.


 

Rowlands Castle went down 4.5 to 1.5 to Hockley Seniors on 18th May at Hockley. Struggle as they might Captain and Vice-Captain failed to make even a half, BUT two days later.....

CRACKERJACK! - Following a 4.5 to 1.5 win at STONEHAM in May, "Team Hockley" went on to a further win 5.5 to 0.5 at home on 20th August. In 12 matches home and away, Stoneham didn't achieve a win. Our spirits weren't even dampened by the persistent drizzle NOT forecasted by the BBC who it is believed are cutting their contract with the Met' Office! Bowled over, Captain Graham tried a cricket analogy; 'Ashes to Ashes', but happily thought better of it! 

TWO MORE SENIORS WANTED - to join Vice-Captain Geoff Charnley and Dave Davies (2) for a Texas Scramble at Hayling Island on Wednesday, 14 October. 

£30 per player inc. ham, egg, chips light lunch. 

Proceeds to their Captain's charity (click here to find out more) Please contact Geoff if you are interested before 9th September latest. 

Many thanks,

Geoff Charnley


  

A very small entry into the medal on Sunday due to the early morning rain and several tee reservations. 

The competition was processed as one division and the winner was again junior Callum Mackenzie-Chambers with a nett 69, beating Sam Piper on a countback. 


Match News 

On a very hot Saturday the annual Winchester Triangular was contested over the 3 courses and I am sorry to say we did not retain our title. 

The winners were: 

Royal Winchester - 875 points 
South Winchester - 869 points 
Hockley - 845 points 

An enjoyable Hog Roast was had by all back at Hockley and our thanks go to Adrian Nicol and the vice captains of Royal and South for co-ordinating the event. Special thanks to Doug Peacock for giving up his time to do the starting.

It was a good weekend for Royal Winchester as their men won the Bowker Cup, but our men did win the Bowker Salver.

Knockout News

When you reach the final, decide on your date and let Paul Brown know as he will arrange a referee for the match.


 

Saturday, 29 & Sunday, 30 August - Men's Long Course Stableford played from the white tees and enter on the day in the Pro shop. 

Sunday, 30 August - Mixed match v Hayling, please note the tee is reserved from 1.45 - 3pm. 

Tuesday, 1 September - The Seniors Open. The course is CLOSED until 1.30pm, there will be no early morning play as this is a 2 tee start. 

Saturday, 12 September - FootJoy shoe fitting 11am - 3pm. Book your 15 minute slot with the Pro team now. 

Click here to find out more about FootJoy's shoe range, or click here to get in touch to request your fitting.

Sunday, 13 September - The Sonny Sharpe Trophy, a 36 hole event and entry can now be made on the psi in the changing room. Please note a start sheet will be produced for this event. Click here for more information. 

Sunday, 27 September - The Champion of Champions and 18 hole stableford will take place, this is a shotgun start at 8.45am and a draw will be made for starting holes before the event. A 2 course meal is included and the presentation of the trophies won during the year will also take place.

This invitation goes to all winners of stableford's, medals, scrambles, trophy competitions and knockouts. Please sign up in the foyer and if you are unsure if you have qualified please ask a member of the pro team.