Millbrook Matters

Following the re-opening of the bar and kitchen on Monday, it’s been so nice to get that social element/feel back. I think many of us have realised that whilst we love our golf, the after round postmortem is just as enjoyable as the game itself.

From my perspective, It’s been lovely to have the whole team back together and to see members utilising the marquee and outside area.
We are collecting some more tables and chairs on Sunday that will finish off the garden area and provide a nice space this Summer.

Hole Flyovers
You might have noticed on the website that we now have hole flyovers created using a drone. Ade Walker, one of our long standing members, created these flyovers during the lockdown period for use on the club website. My sincere thanks to Ade for the hours and hours he spent getting these amazing videos ready for use.

David McKears and Stuart Jennings then set about adding the background music and graphics to each video, creating a YouTube channel along the way. Please find a link below to the YouTube channel, please take a look and subscribe while you’re there!
Thanks very much David and Stu for all your work on this.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAbapzK3tbEmhcmvavPsiQw

Club Diary
I have attached the club diary in PDF format again, however all competitions can be viewed on the members V1 app.
Remember that for April and May, all Mid-Week Stablefords and Weekend Stableford/Strokeplay competitions are all day competitions, book a casual tee time and play anytime during the day. Signing in on the day.
From June, we revert back to a sign in list and random draw 7 days in advance of the event. Apart from Mid Week and Friday Stablefords that remain all day competitions.

House Committee
Peter Johnston and his team have been hard at work again, decorating several areas within the clubhouse and erecting another new shed for Kitchen storage.
Huge thanks must go to Pete Johnston, Dave McKears, Mike Aldridge, Andy Avern-Love, Val Freed, John Quinn, Keith Sampson, Tony Hawley, Malcolm Freed, Paul Leckie. Not just for the above mentioned tasks but also those completed during Lockdown.

Course News
With the frosty mornings and busy tee sheet it’s been a real struggle for Duncan and the team to find space on the course for routine cutting. They have somehow managed it and praise for course conditions continues to flood in. We can’t cut grass that is covered in frost so please give the team plenty of time and space if you should run into them while you’re playing.
We have had a series of burst water pipes this week. The genius that originally laid the mains supply for the irrigation system did so under the wooded area down the side of hole 18, meaning the roots from said trees continue to grow through the pipe causing us problems. We are looking into a long term solution for this, basically re-laying of the mains pipe.

Drainage Project
We are still in the planning / costing stages of the drainage project.
Following the site visit, the problem areas on holes 2, 4 and 15 have now been assessed and accurate plans have been drawn up. The surveyor attends on Monday to plot the topography of the area and therefore the flow of water.
Once we have all the information, a full presentation including costs will be presented to the membership.

Pro’s Tip
Please click Read More for Nathan’s latest words of wisdom.
The Srixon Demo day takes place this Wednesday, there are a couple of fitting times available, so please see the guys in the shop to book your slot.

Competition Golf
The mid week stableford (yesterday) kicked off a busy year of competitions on the course.
Our first prize winners of 2021 are:

1st = Mr Keith Sampson – 41
2nd = Mr Paul Noble – 39
3rd = Mr Derek Tilley – 34

At the last Handicaps and Competitions meeting our Chairperson, Helen Masters, stepped down from her role after what we think is 15 years at the helm! Helen undertakes various roles at the club including being our safeguarding officer, a role that has also become more time consuming over the years…
Helen therefore remains a director of the club and our safeguarding officer but quite rightly wishes to devote a bit more time to her own golf!
On behalf of all the members I’d like to thank Helen for her leadership of the Handicaps and Comps Committee over the years.

Andy Avern-Love has taken over from Helen as chair of the committee and we wish him well in his new role.

World Handicapping System
Please find a link below by clicking read more. This will take you through to the England Golf Website and point you in the right direction of their new WHS-EGU App.
You will be asked for your membership number, this is your CDH number and is required to register, CDH numbers can be found within your V1 app.

GENERAL PLAY SCORES (Nominated Rounds as they are now called)
Several members have been asking how they record a general play score for handicap under the system.
You can nominate any round of social golf before play and then return that score for handicapping record purposes. Provided the rules of golf are adhered to, especially holing out, no gimmies!
You can either nominate the round in the pro-shop before play or preferably, download the app mentioned above and input your score straight into the app via the enter score button!
The app uses GPS to ensure golfers are at the course and then also ensures movement around the course before allowing scores to be submitted.
These are the only two options when returning a nominated round (general play as was!)

Because the new WHS uses your best 8 scores from your previous 20 scores to calculate your handicap index, the more scores returned, the more your handicap index will reflect your ability.
The best way to return scores is when playing in competition because the difficulty of the course will be better reflected. (based on number of scores returned that day)

Hopefully this makes sense and answers questions regarding nominated rounds.

By the way….. The bar is OPEN!

We’ve been back in action for 11 days now and it’s starting to feel like normal service is just around the corner.
I hope you’ve enjoyed being back on the course and that your swing is starting to feel something like you remember…

Bar / Kitchen and Pro-Shop
The pro-shop re-opens on Monday morning, meaning you are once again allowed inside the front door! Please check in at the pro-shop counter prior to golf.

Pro Shop Opening Hours are:
07:30 to 18:00 Mid-Week
07:00 to 18:00 Weekends

The Bar Opening Hours are:
11:00 to 21:00 – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday
11:00 to 22:00 – Friday
11:00 to 20:00 – Sunday

The Kitchen Opening Hours are:
Monday to Friday – 10:30 to 17:00
Saturday – 08:30 to 17:00
Sunday – 08:30 to 15:00

The Marquee will be in use as of Monday and I thank both Pete Johnston and Emma for their efforts in turning it into a lovely space, Picture Attached.
As of Monday, please enter the Bar/Restaurant from the spikes bar hatch entrance door, and then exit via the Marquee.


COMPETITION RE-START – PLEASE READ
Our competitions re-start as of Thursday 15th April with the Mid-Week Stableford.
All standard stableford and strokeplay competitions during April and May will be as per last year. Members book a tee time through BRS as if playing social golf and then enter the competition upon arrival at the club via the PSI screen opposite the pro-shop.


All MAJOR championships will operate a sign up list which will open 4 weeks in advance of the competition date, a random draw will then take place 1 week prior to the competition date and start times will be communicated to entrants. Payment for Major Championships will be taken at time of sign up. ENTRY is via the V1 app, HDID or via the pro-shop, NOT BRS.

All standard Saturday and Sunday stableford and stroke play competitions as of June will also become zoned sign up sheets with a random draw 1 week before play.
The sign up list will open 4 weeks in advance of the competition date.
Zones = 07:30 to 08:44 / 08:52 to 09:16 / 09:24 to 11:00
Players choose a time zone and a draw takes place randomising the payers in those zones.
ENTRY is via the V1 app, HDID or via the pro-shop. NOT BRS.

Players can play outside of these times, meaning entry is allowed throughout the day.

All Mid-Week Competitions remain “all day” competitions, simply book a social tee time via BRS and enter via the PSI screen on the day of competition.

The Winter League has been cancelled for 2020/21
The winners from rounds 1 & 2, below, will receive prize money on their shop accounts.

Round 1 – Sunday 25th October

1 – R. Cross / F. Jamieson 46 – £20 Each
2 – S. Woodham / S. Woodham 44 – £15 Each
3 – T. Ward / J. Ward 44 – £12 Each
4 – R. Holden / N. Fisher 44 – £10 Each
5 – A. McKears / A. Leonard 43 – £7.50 Each

Round 2 – Sunday – 13th December

1 – J. Procter / S. Durham 7 – £20 Each
2 – A. McLennan / A. Routh 7 – £15 Each
3 – J. Goddard / B. Holmes 6 – £12 Each
4 – P. Kitching / W. Glenister 6 – £10 Each
5 – D. Hollis / D. Hitchings 5 – £7.50 Each

We will be contacting members next week with details of the 9 hole medal and the match play competitions this year.

PROS TIPS & CLUB FITTING DEMO DAY
Please find a video in the READ MORE link below with this weeks pro tip from Nathan.
Lessons are available from both Andrew and Nathan starting at £25 for 30 minutes.
Contact them via the Pro-Shop…
Please also find details of the upcoming Srixon Demo Day on Wednesday 21st April.

10th TEE
Please do not play from the new 10th tee Until it’s open!!
We have unfortunately found a few divots where players have chosen to ignore the tee markers and hit from the new area.

RECIPROCAL GOLF
All reciprocal golf is on hold at present. Network Cards are suspended until 1st June and clubs in Bedfordshire on the original reciprocal scheme are all making individual decisions based on member course usage as the year progresses.