Captain's Blog
May 2025
My first observation in this BLOG is that we have a great bunch of members when it comes to supporting our club. Bank Holiday Monday saw the Captains' Charity Day in support of Cancer Research UK and it could hardly have gone any better really. Despite the early threat of rain and a chilly wind, more than 100 golfers took part in the pairs competition and some of the scores were amazingly good! Trish (who worked incredibly hard in the lead-up to the big day) and I were delighted with all the offers of help and your willingness to take part in all the money-raising activities on offer. The office staff, too, have been so brilliant in their enthusiastic giving of their assistance and time. We decided to give Champagne as prizes for the nearest-the-pins ('Champagne moments') and I was particularly pleased to be able to give yet another prize to our nonagenarian extraordinaire, Gwen Mulley, for her tee shot on the 7th hole! Enjoy the fizz Gwen! Mention must also be made of the winning pair in the competition proper, Paul and Cara Grant, whose 45 points in the cold, breezy conditions was outstanding.
I've been lucky enough recently to play at both the Dyke Golf Club and Eastbourne Downs. Like many of the downland courses along our part of the south coast, they are blessed with fast running fairways and views across the coastline and English Channel that can take your breath away. But they don't have greens like ours! Which reminds me - although the dry weather has meant that pitch marks are far less obvious than they were a few weeks back, there is still a need for all golfers to attend to that sort of detail as they go. You're still taking divots too....please keep an eye on that.
You will all have had plenty of chances to get out on the course recently. The warmest May 1 since records began eh? I'm not entirely sure whether we should be delighted or concerned about this sort of record breaking weather. Perhaps Sussex golfer's delight in the short term tempered by global citizen's concern about climate change in the longer term? In any case, the course has been a pleasure to play recently and we must continue to be grateful to Jamie and his team for their untiring efforts to keep the course so well. The Sussex Captains, who were here last month, could hardly believe how superbly the course was playing. Another feather in the club's cap.....
Quite a few people have continued to draw my attention to the ongoing problem of slow play. A couple of BLOGS ago I made a few suggestions as to how each individual could, by making some small changes to their routine on the course, speed things up, both for themselves and for those around them. There is one further small adaptation you might be able to make - take the chance to play ready golf whenever the opportunity presents itself. I will happily discuss this with members who might not be sure what is really involved, but a group who agree to play ready golf from the start of their round will always finish earlier than one that doesn't. It's not a race, but you should be sure that your group doesn't fall behind the one in front of you.
And finally.....needless to say, my ball has been drawn inexorably to the 18th greenside bunker ever since it became our charity bunker. 'Twas ever thus - I just hope that all the rest of you whose shots end in there are not 'forgetting' to pay your forfeit! I now carry an extra pound coin in my pocket just in case......
Denis D
I've been lucky enough recently to play at both the Dyke Golf Club and Eastbourne Downs. Like many of the downland courses along our part of the south coast, they are blessed with fast running fairways and views across the coastline and English Channel that can take your breath away. But they don't have greens like ours! Which reminds me - although the dry weather has meant that pitch marks are far less obvious than they were a few weeks back, there is still a need for all golfers to attend to that sort of detail as they go. You're still taking divots too....please keep an eye on that.
You will all have had plenty of chances to get out on the course recently. The warmest May 1 since records began eh? I'm not entirely sure whether we should be delighted or concerned about this sort of record breaking weather. Perhaps Sussex golfer's delight in the short term tempered by global citizen's concern about climate change in the longer term? In any case, the course has been a pleasure to play recently and we must continue to be grateful to Jamie and his team for their untiring efforts to keep the course so well. The Sussex Captains, who were here last month, could hardly believe how superbly the course was playing. Another feather in the club's cap.....
Quite a few people have continued to draw my attention to the ongoing problem of slow play. A couple of BLOGS ago I made a few suggestions as to how each individual could, by making some small changes to their routine on the course, speed things up, both for themselves and for those around them. There is one further small adaptation you might be able to make - take the chance to play ready golf whenever the opportunity presents itself. I will happily discuss this with members who might not be sure what is really involved, but a group who agree to play ready golf from the start of their round will always finish earlier than one that doesn't. It's not a race, but you should be sure that your group doesn't fall behind the one in front of you.
And finally.....needless to say, my ball has been drawn inexorably to the 18th greenside bunker ever since it became our charity bunker. 'Twas ever thus - I just hope that all the rest of you whose shots end in there are not 'forgetting' to pay your forfeit! I now carry an extra pound coin in my pocket just in case......
Denis D