So another golfshake event has been and gone with no banditry on show and a whole load of new golfing alliances have been made. Congratulations to Kevin Hewitt who took the honours with a surprisingly up and down round considering he carded 38 points! 2nd went to Winslow Hayles and 3rd went to Mr Hawkins. Thanks to all the guys who came and stayed on the Sunday, the round was very enjoyable and it was nice not having to get up and drive to the course on the Monday morning!

The course was in great condition and luckily the weather held off for both days (at least until I was in the clubhouse!). It was a very hilly course that gave some great views of the surrounding areas. The longest drive and nearest the pin didn’t happen until the 15th and 16th holes respectively, and by then I think a few of the hills had taken their toll on some of the competitors!
David Marshall won the longest drive with a shot into a strong cross wind, that chased my group up the fairway. Many followed with the story of "I hit it longer but it just missed the fairway". It was a small landing area, and so to hit it that straight and long in the wind was a great shot, although it may not have been indicative of his game that day as his son chipped in with "how the hell did you manage that"!

Nearest the Pin was won by Andrew Low on a very short par 3 which seemed to deceive a lot of people as their balls (mine included) ended up in the dry moat around the green.
Once again, a big thanks to everyone for turning up, I hope you enjoyed the day and I hope to see you all at the next one soon.  As always, please let us know what you thought of the event in the forums,  and what you would like to see at future ones etc. Let us know!


Happy golfing
Luke

Enjoy! and good luck all on Monday

Scorecard Information

Club/Course		De Vere Belton Woods - Lakes Golf Club - LAKES
Competition						Tee	YELLOW	Notes :
Date						Par	72	Weather :
Player A						SSS	71
		Yards	Par	SI	Score	Net	Points			Yards	Par	SI	Score	Net	Points
1		495	5	9				10		337	4	4
2		141	3	17				11		146	3	18
3		434	4	3				12		495	5	2
4		354	4	11				13		393	4	8
5		174	3	13				14		412	4	6
6		369	4	1				15		316	4	14
7		398	4	5				16		355	4	12
8		322	4	15				17		206	3	10
9		548	5	7				18		469	5	16
OUT		3235	36					IN		3129	36
								OUT		3235	36
								TOTAL		6364	72
								HANDICAP
								NET
								POINTS

Course Map 

The first golfshake event of the year took place at Donnington Grove on the 3rd March and let me start by congratulating Richard Winter who becomes the first golfshake winner of the year with a very respectable 36 points. If you want to see the presentations, you can check out Phil’s attempts at holding a camera still here!Anyone interested in the full leaderboard click here. Nearest the pin was Chris Strong, who just nipped inside Phil Eadsforth's effort and the longest drive was won by David Ley who just edged out several people (myself included!) who all claimed to be very close to his marker!

 I’m sure all of you will agree that it was a very testing course, especially with the windy conditions. The course itself was in fantastic shape, but the weather coupled with the undulating nature of the course, meant that everyone enjoyed a challenging day’s golf.

 A special mention goes out to Tim Hawkins who after several tries, finally managed to secure himself a high enough finish to obtain some prizes, he finished tenth, and in doing so pushed out the golfshake editor into 11th, whether or not that a wise move, only time will tell! It was a great turnout on the Monday with 39 golfers starting out, receiving their coffee and bacon rolls as well as their infamous goodie bags, containing energising snacks and a pack of “lucky” golfshake tees!

It was also nice to see some previous golfing strangers arranging games with each other at the end of the event, after enjoying their rounds during the day. I am sure that all of you who stayed over on the Sunday had a great time, with the extra days golf, and also had the added luxury of not having to fight the traffic in the morning to reach the first tee. The next event is the eagerly awaited North v South rematch, which promises to be every bit as good as the Southern Cup and with the added team incentives, it could be even better!

Thanks to everyone who attended, and once again there was no evidence of any banditry on show! A great effort from all the guys who came from as far a field as Nottingham, Lincolnshire and Portsmouth in the rush hour traffic, and it was also good to see a number of new members at the event. A final mention goes to Nigel Firth who won the Value For Money prize, for taking the most shots! He has only recently started playing though, and considering the conditions, thats not a bad effort. Keep up the good work; see you all at the next event!

Luke

Final groups at at 28th Feb 2008

Information for competitors of the 1st golfshake.com event of 2008 

Please note there is a 2 tee start from the 1st and 10th

The first golfshake.com event of 2008 will be the Southern Cup at Donnington Grove in Berkshire.

Details

09:00 - 09:30 -- Registration/arrival

09:15 - 09:45 -- Coffee and bacon rolls

10:00 - 11:00 -- Tee of for upto 60 golfers from both 1st and 10th tees

16:00 - 17:00 -- Presentation, prizes and trophies

Format

Individual stableford competition off full handicaps

Longest drive included 18th

Nearest the pin included 7th

Rules

R&A rules apply
Local course rules apply as detailed on course cards

Competition :

The competition will be over 18 holes and use the stableford scoring method
Full handicaps will be used for stableford scoring
Further information on the stableford system is available here
Count back will be used for any equal results

Handicaps :

Full handicaps will be used, maximum 28 and 36 for Men and Women respectively.
Golfshake.com handicaps will be used where tracked
Alterations for handicaps will be based on a valid handicap certificates provided from members clubs
Where a golfshake.com handicap is not available then a valid handicap certificate or copies of last 3 score cards will be required

Playing partners and scoring :

Players must have their cards marked by another player in the group
The marker must not be known to the player

Honesty and FairPlay :

Golfshake.com will accept the golfshake.com handicap or certificate on the day as a true and valid handicap
Any abnormal scores will be investigated thoroughly
Should golfshake.com consider that a player has not played in accordance to the rules then he/she will be disqualified

Golfshake.com reserve the right to override any rules and decide the outcome of any disputes.

The above rules are subject to change but all competitors will receive advance notification before the competition day.

Course

The Donnington Grove Estate is set in a delightful and secluded position on the outskirts of Newbury and is overlooked by the historic Donnington Castle.
Donnington Grove (Donnington Grove Country Club)

This entertaining layout was designed by the legendary Dave Thomas and encapsulates the surrounding landscape beautifully. The two nines are characteristically very different, as the front nine is set on the higher ground, making for a more undulating challenge. The back nine is more traditional parkland, using trees and water hazards to test all golfers. It has also held two EuroPro Tour events, making this one of the rising stars in the region.

Accommodation

Set in 550 acres of secluded parkland with the River Lambourn running through it, this charming hotel is overlooked by the historic Donnington Castle. It provides beautifully decorated rooms, all of which provide a cosy and comfortable stay, ideal for a short break. Guests can dine in The Cloudy Restaurant, where you can enjoy the excellent à la carte menu. The grounds of the hotel boast a stunning Japanese Temple and walled gardens to help you unwind, as well as offering a plethora of leisure activities, such as clay pigeon shooting, archery and quad biking.
Golf Courses

The first golfshake.com event of 2008 will be the Southern Cup at Donnington Grove in Berkshire. The event is open to all golfshake.com members and we look forward to meeting the members of the site.

The golf competition only is £35 per person but we are delighted to be able to offer an overnight package in conjunction with our travel partner golfbreaks.com. For only £99 per person play the course on Sunday, stay over for dinner and then spend the night in the splendor of the 18th century mansion and get up for the Monday competition with 5 minutes traveling!

Cost

£35.00pp for golf competition only

£99.00pp for Sunday golf, dinner bed and breakfast and 18 hole organised competition on the Monday.

** For further information on the overnight accommodation, single supplements or non golfers then please email events@golfshake.com **

Payment information

Details to follow, competition deposit will be required to confirm your place and accommodation payment will be required in full.

Details

09:00 - 09:30 -- Registration/arrival

09:15 - 09:45 -- Coffee and bacon rolls

10:00 - 11:00 -- Tee of for upto 60 golfers

16:00 - 17:00 -- Presentation, prizes and trophies

Format

Individual stableford competition off full handicaps

Longest drive included TBC

Nearest the pin included TBC

Rules

R&A rules apply
Local course rules apply as detailed on course cards

Competition :

The competition will be over 18 holes and use the stableford scoring method
Full handicaps will be used for stableford scoring
Further information on the stableford system is available here
Count back will be used for any equal results

Handicaps :

Full handicaps will be used, maximum 28 and 36 for Men and Women respectively.
Golfshake.com handicaps will be used where tracked
Alterations for handicaps will be based on a valid handicap certificates provided from members clubs
Where a golfshake.com handicap is not available then a valid handicap certificate or copies of last 3 score cards will be required

Playing partners and scoring :

Players must have their cards marked by another player in the group
The marker must not be known to the player

Honesty and FairPlay :

Golfshake.com will accept the golfshake.com handicap or certificate on the day as a true and valid handicap
Any abnormal scores will be investigated thoroughly
Should golfshake.com consider that a player has not played in accordance to the rules then he/she will be disqualified

Golfshake.com reserve the right to override any rules and decide the outcome of any disputes.

The above rules are subject to change but all competitors will receive advance notification before the competition day.

Course

The Donnington Grove Estate is set in a delightful and secluded position on the outskirts of Newbury and is overlooked by the historic Donnington Castle.
Donnington Grove (Donnington Grove Country Club)

This entertaining layout was designed by the legendary Dave Thomas and encapsulates the surrounding landscape beautifully. The two nines are characteristically very different, as the front nine is set on the higher ground, making for a more undulating challenge. The back nine is more traditional parkland, using trees and water hazards to test all golfers. It has also held two EuroPro Tour events, making this one of the rising stars in the region.

Accommodation

Set in 550 acres of secluded parkland with the River Lambourn running through it, this charming hotel is overlooked by the historic Donnington Castle. It provides beautifully decorated rooms, all of which provide a cosy and comfortable stay, ideal for a short break. Guests can dine in The Cloudy Restaurant, where you can enjoy the excellent à la carte menu. The grounds of the hotel boast a stunning Japanese Temple and walled gardens to help you unwind, as well as offering a plethora of leisure activities, such as clay pigeon shooting, archery and quad biking.
Golf Courses

We are pleased to announce the 2008 North vs South team competition after the success of last year's event.

The event will take place on the Monday 14th April in Grantham at the Devere Belton Woods which is centrally located and within 5 minutes of the A1.

We are also delighted to offer an overnight package in conjunction with our travel partner golfbreaks.com for those wishing to travel up on the Sunday and take advantage of getting some practice on the course with the added bonus of watching the US Masters final day on the Sunday evening. 

The event will be a combined team event in a Ryder Cup style with each group competing in a 2 team fourball matchplay against 2 competitors from the other side.  Further information will be posted at a later date.

Last year's event was thoroughly enjoyable and a great days golf for the teams from the North and South, we look forward to this year's event and meeting some new golfshake.com members. 

More information below, entry can be made via the event links from the 'groups & events' section.

North vs South 2008 Competition Information 

The eagerly awaited North vs South golfshake.com team matchplay competition will take place on the 14th April 2008 at the Devere Belton Woods in Grantham on the Lakes course. The event is open to all golfshake.com members.

The golf competition only is £35 per person but we are delighted to be able to offer an overnight package in conjunction with our travel partner golfbreaks.com. For only £99 per person play the Woodside or Lakes course on Sunday, stay over for dinner and then spend the night in the 4* hotel and leisure complex and get up for the Monday competition with 5 minutes traveling!

Cost

£35.00pp for golf competition only

£99.00pp for Sunday golf, dinner bed and breakfast and 18 hole organised competition on the Monday.

Fourball matchplay competition off 3/4 handicaps between teams from the North and the South.

A four-ball (Rules 30 and 31) is also played between two teams of two players each, but every player plays his own ball and for each team, the lower score on each hole is counted. Four-balls can be played as match play or stroke play.

Individual stableford competition off 3/4 handicaps, further info TBC

Longest drive included TBC

Nearest the pin included TBC

Additional information

Team colors of Red for the North and Blue for the South.

South Team Captain : TBC
North Team Captain : TBC
 

Course

Host of the PGA European Seniors Tour 1995-1998 and current holders of the Midland PGA Championships, Belton Woods is a golfer's paradise. It is also now recognised as one of the only PGA approved championship golfing venues in the East Midlands.

Lakes (De Vere Belton Woods)

The superb 6,831 yard championship Lakes Course has been beautifully sculptured and shaped with plenty of water making for many a testing approach shot. With so many prominent water features, the golfer has to think on every shot played. The course also boasts the par-5 9th, one of the longest holes in the country at 609 yards.

Woodside (De Vere Belton Woods)

The second course is the Woodside which is another challenging championship track measuring 6,623 yards. It is probably more forgiving to the higher handicapper and features gently undulating fairways and natural hazards.

Location

Belton, nr Grantham, Lincolnshire (2 miles north of Grantham). 1 hour from East Midlands Airport, 20 mins Grantham Train Station.

Accommodation

Belton Woods is the complete resort for health, golf, sport and leisure. Set in 475 acres of rolling Lincolnshire countryside the 4* hotel provides guests with an excellent level of service and comfort. Two restaurants offer a choice of dining experiences from the fine cuisine in the "Rosette Award" winning Manor Restaurant that has breathtaking views over the golf courses, to the more informal atmosphere of the Stantons Brasserie restaurant. For those just looking for a light snack and a refreshing drink between rounds there is always the Tappas Cafe Bar! Guests are welcome to make use of the superb Leisure Club which includes a large indoor pool, sauna, jacuzzi, sunbeds, gym and a crèche and play area for the children. A complete range of health and beauty treatments is also available and additional outdoor activities include tennis, quad biking and archery. Furthermore Lincolnshire is a county rich in history, period architecture and showpiece villages. Attractions such as the magnificent Belton House is only a short walk away and Belvoir Castle and Lincoln Cathedral, the third largest in England, are close by.

We've linked up with the nice people from Golfbreaks.com and Hilton Avisford Park to give you the chance to win a fabulous three day golf break for four people to their 4* Hotel and Country club in West Sussex.

The prize
Two nights bed and breakfast with dinner, and two rounds of golf for four people.

The location
Arundel, West Sussex.

The hotel

The recently refurbished Hilton Avisford Park Hotel was once the home of Sir George Montagu and a Roman Catholic preparatory school for boys before its transformation to its current status began in 1975. Situated just three miles from the historic town of Arundel, the 4* hotel is ideally placed to explore the surrounding area and its attractions including Goodwood Races, Arundel Castle and Chichester Cathedral.

The hotel retains many charming features from its varied history including the names of the former head boys preserved in original oak panelling in its fine dining restaurant. The Livingwell health club offers a fully air-conditioned gymnasium, indoor and outdoor heated swimming pools, sauna, steam room, solarium and health and beauty salon. What's more, its location in the heart of the South Downs provides the perfect setting for clay pigeon shooting, flying and driving experiences.

The golf

This cracking, beautifully conditioned little course is set in 89 acres of peaceful Sussex countryside. The open, parkland layout is played through a valley and features many mature trees and hazards including some strategically placed bunkers as well as a few small wildlife streams and ponds. The key to good scoring is to play the tricky par 3s well and with only one par 5, there is a premium on accuracy over length.

To enter, login and complete the form http://www.golfshake.com/survey/compnov07.php and you and three lucky friends could be on their way. Don't forget to tell all your friends to enter as well... just remind them to invite you if they win!

Terms and Conditions
1.The prize is for 4 people and includes 2 nights dinner, B&B and 2 rounds of golf.
2. The prize is subject to availability and is valid Sunday – Thursday until 31 October 2008. It is not valid weekends, bank holidays, the festive season or Goodwood Festival (10- 13 July and 18 – 21 Sep 08)
3, The prize includes a standard 3 course meal in the Cedar Restaurant. Any supplements taken will be charged.
4. Extra such as travel, drinks and spa treatments are not included in the prize.
5. Standard Golfbreaks.com terms and conditions apply; please visit www.golfbreaks.com for full details.
6. No cash alternative can be offered.
7. The prize is for 4 people based on 2 people per room.
8. The winner will be drawn on 28th Feb 2008 with details published on the site.

This months update provides some exciting news on some new features and updates to the score tracking system which we hope you will find useful and help to enhance your game. I've already discovered that my par 3 scores and putting is letting me down and could save me 7 shots per round!

The new analysis and dashboard is available from the score tracker section.

Stats dashboard

The new stats dashboard now gives you an overview of your overall game including; total numbers for score type ie birdies etc, golf handicap information and recent analysis.

It also provides a snapshot of your recent performance including score, putts, advacned stats, recent rounds as well as information on your points and putting peformance.

Career Stats

The career stats allows you to see a full history of your scoring peformance which is broken down into last rounds and recent rounds. Further more this can be extened to see a month by month comparison or even a comparison of your performance over the last 3 years.

As well as scores and averages the career stats also includes putting information. Further information will be added very soon to include the additional advanced stats you may track.

New indepth buddy analysis

Within the analysis section the career stats has been extended even further to compare your analysis with that of your golf buddies. Once again further updates will be added very soon to help you get into your game even more, including the ability to compare your stats with handicap ranges etc

New graphical analysis

We've also taken the time to start to update and enhance the graphical reporting that is available on the golfshake.com website.

The score analysis will show you a full score overview and comparison to par as well as your recent round scores and comparison of scores to your golf handicap. As with all reporting on the site there is a filer mechanism to allow you to select with rounds are analysed in the reports.

Want to go one step further ? The advanced score analysis will show you a score distribution to highlight your frequent scoring range. On top of that your par 3, 4 and 5 scoring averages are compared to that of handicap ranges to highlight areas for improvement.

New graphical putting analysis

We've also added in some new graphical analysis for putting. Again using the filter system to select rounds the putting analysis will show you your recent putting performance.

Furthermore you can also see an overview of your putting performance including number of 1 putts, 2 putts etc, putting averages per round compared with handicap ranges and 3 putt percentages again compared with handicap ranges. Finally there is distribution chart to help identify your frequent putting scores.

Additional updates (round selector)

The round selector's now also been updated to include an additional overview report so you can quickly see recent rounds and information on score, nett, points, hole averages, fir's, gir's and putting stats.

Not that I don't have much to do but I hope you find these new features and analysis useful and look out for further updates very soon relating to further golf analysis and the online golf handicap certificate.