Colchester Golf Club
Weekly News 14th February
Tee Reservations 15th - 24th February
500 Club
The February draw of the 500 Club will take place in the Club House following the Texas Scramble on Sunday 16th February at about 4.00pm. when £700 prize money will be given away to 10 lucky winners.
If you would like a chance to be one of those lucky winners, please contact Pat Kettle on patkettle51@gmail.com for details on how to join the 500 Club.
We've done it again!
The club had its biennial unannounced EHO inspection from Colchester City Council this week and we are pleased to report that we retained our five star health & safety rating!
Lottery
The February draw is taking place at 6.30pm on Thursday 20th. There is still time to enter by bank transfer to 60 06 06 and 57912211 with the reference CGCL followed by your surname by close of play on Sunday 16th February. Don't miss out on this month's draw and £200 rollover!
New Members!
If you have joined recently and not yet picked up your bag tag and member card, please do so from the bar when you are next at the club.
England Golf Personal Liability Insurance
Click here for more information on the insurance provided by England Golf to all affiliated members.
Upcoming Competitions
Knockout Competitions
There is still time to enter the Braiswick, Mens Foursomes or Jubilee Cup knockouts! Entries close online on Friday 20th February. Entrants must ensure they have 12 qualifying scores in the 12 months up to 20th February in order to be eligible.
Turner Scratch Foursomes - Sunday 9th March
This scratch foursomes medal is open to all 7 day male members and junior boys. Played from the purple tees, the current holders are Ed Mason & Oliver Baker. Sign up is open now.
CHAPS Stableford - Sunday 16th March
This an individual stableford competition open to 7 day male members and junior boys. There is no maximum entry handicap but the maximum playing handicap is 28 for men and 18 for boys. Played from the purple tees, Matt Durrell won this in 2024. Sign up opens on Saturday 16th February.
Click here to see the number of qualifying cards you have submitted in the 12 months to 10th February.
Competition Report
(Clive Hebden)
Nigel Sheldrake won the Walk on Stableford last weekend.
Returning 37 points in the fourth edition of this run of Open Stablefords, Sheldrake who plays off a thirteen handicap used his handicap well to hold off a small group chasing him hard.
Sheldrake, who had scored 18 handicap equalling points on the front nine strung a solid back nine holes together and went one better to score nineteen points on the back. Parring the last two holes gave him the extra push that he needed to carry him to the top of the rostrum.
Closest to him was Glenn Clark playing off four handicap who had cause to rue a double bogey on the 6th hole in an otherwise near perfect round.
Angus McKechnie playing off ten and Dan Rees playing off three both returned 35 points to take the minor placings.
The best rounds of the day were made by Glenn Clark and Dan Rees both returning gross 73s which were excellent rounds in the cold, raw conditions.
The best Stableford score on the day but outside the competition was scored by New to Golf Member Sameena Choudhry, playing off a handicap of 49 scoring 43 points.
Quadrangle Match 2025
This annual mixed pairs fixture between Chelmsford, The Warren, Frinton and CGC is being held here on Saturday 3rd May. Six mixed pairs are needed please. The cost is £40.00 per person. There will be tea, coffee and a light lunch on arrival followed by 18 holes with a two course meal and prize giving after. Players must have an active handicap and be aged over 18. The maximum playing handicap for men is 28 and 36 for ladies.
The sheet is now on the noticeboard in the clubhouse.
Hospitality News
Burns Night at Colchester Golf Club was a sold out success, with 75 members enjoying a fantastic evening of Scottish traditions, music, and delicious food. Click here to read more about the night’s celebrations.
Book your table on the noticeboard this weekend or contact our hospitality team on catering@colchestergolfclub.com
Book Club
Tickets are available online for the first event on 20th February and now also for the event on 19th March - details are below.
Don't forget to treat your loved ones to our Mother's Day Carvery on 30th March! Free glass of fizz for mums!
Do you know how to rake a bunker?
You might think yes and move on but there have been regular instances recently of it not being done properly.
This video gives a useful tutorial on the correct way to rake a bunker.
Please remember to leave the rake inside the bunker lying parallel to the direction of the hole when you have finished.
Compound Renovation Work
Work has commenced on the greenkeepers compound, and 200mm of built up muck and material is being removed and will be replaced by Type 1 roadstone, and a 10m2 soakaway is being installed to reduce surface flooding. Please be aware that there will be multiple heavy loads coming and going from site.
Above was the condition of the compound prior to work commencing.
Course News
February has been a cold damp month with plenty of overcast days, a distinct lack of sunshine and an extended period of damp moist atmospheric pressure. This has resulted in the grass plant across the entire golf course sitting wet for prolonged periods and at times has made surfaces feel slippery wet and mucky.
An excess of 18mm of rain in just over a period of 48 hours at the beginning of the week added to the issues and resulted in a significant increase in soil moisture averages everywhere. The decision to restrict access to holes 3,4,5 & 6 came after an assessment resulting in a soil moisture average of 59.2% across the entire golf course with the majority of the readings on the valley holes in excess of 60% with the highest being 80.3%.
Conditions had become slippery, and the volume of moisture was demonstrating the capacity for surface damage and root compaction. At the time of writing this there has been a reduction in soil moisture averages and the surfaces feel much drier, the forecast looks clear for the foreseeable future which is good news.
In general, I feel that the course has coped with the winter conditions relatively well, and the majority of pressure areas are localised heavy trafficked routes to ensure overall protection to the playing surfaces. We have needed to tweak certain post and rope at times as areas become difficult to access, other areas we need to leave as is to ensure that we don’t create unnecessary wear and tear close to areas of play.
Given the limited access to the 4th hole, progress on the tee construction has halted, we hope to continue works early next week.
We have had an opportunity to fully rake and weed bunkers this week, and have begun trimming the edges on a number of them.
White lining and trolley routes have been updated and clearly marked along with NPZ’s, please continue to follow the routes to protect playing surfaces.
Please enjoy your golf
Kind regards
James Rattenbury
The mens' changing room has been cleared of shoes and clothing. They will be kept until the end of February so please claim any items before then.
The minutes of the Essex Golf Union AGM held at Upminster Golf Club on Thursday 30th January 2025 can be found here.
Colchester Golf Club
21 Braiswick
Colchester
CO4 5AU
Tel: 01206 853396
Email: secretary@colchestergolfclub.com
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