My first membership

I have just signed up for my first club membership!  I try and play my local course, Southern Valley, a couple of times a month so I thought I'd see how much the membership was.  I spoke to the guy there and he offered a seven day membership from now till the end of June 2010 for £49.90 a month.  Payment to be made March to June which means I have got a full membership for the equivilant of £9.98 per week!

I can't play for about a week now due to work and other commitments but after that I will be getting up there as much as I can.  I really want to get my handicap down to around the 20 mark this year and so the more I play the closer, hopefully, I will get to this target.

Plenty of golf for me this year!

Congratulations Richard on making the big step and joining a golf club, and it seems a bargain to me.

Now you have become a member you'll certainly see your game improve.

You can play at anytime that suits you and the pro will also do deals on lessons, so take advantage and get him to work with you on your problem areas.

That's what I do now, if I have a problem area during a round of golf and it stays with me I book a lesson and we work it out.

When the weather gets better I'll come over and join you for a round of golf, never played at Southern Valley.

Russ

Cheers Russ,

Due to work I can usually only play at weekends but now I know I can play every week without having to fork out £25 a round.  Even just going for 9 holes if I have a spare couple of hours is an option.

I definately need a bit of help with the short game so I'll have a chat about some lessons with the pro.

As you say we will have to sort a game out when the weather is bit better.  I'll still be over for the PWL a week Sunday though.

I'll take the friendly challenge.  As you say it will give a bit of motivation over the following months.  I'll add you to my buddies so I can keep an eye on what competition I have got.  Best handicap by 1 October 2010 sounds good to me as it could take a bit longer to get sub 20 but you never know.  My club has got a new pro starting next month when our new club house opens so I'll be having a chat with him about some short game lessons - this is the part where I lose an untold amount of shots and it is getting rather annoying.

Cheers Martin.  I'm looking forward to some decent weather, it seems a long time ago that we had a decent spell.  Not that it will stop me from playing, I'm definately not a 'fair weather' golfer, but it is always nice to have a bit of sunshine and no rain!

We'll have to organise a game sometime.  I'm off work next week and have also got a week off from 15 March 2010 which I am planing to use for a lot of practice (the missus is at work all week so I can do what I like).

Matt - If I could get my short game at least half decent I reckon I could save myself up to 10 shots a round.  If I could putt 36 times a round I would be the happiest man alive.  As it is I am always above 40 putts and up to 46 a round.  Having half your shots taken up by putts really can't be a good thing.  I will be practicing though and will see where I get.

John - Well done on getting your membership - and getting your missus somewhere to go while you're on the course.  The only way to get any better is to play regularly and that's why I have joined up.  I played what seemed to be a fair bit last year but I really want to get on and improve in 2010.  I've got a golf weekend booked for mid-April at Manningsheath G.C. and I am aiming to beat by Dad that weekend for the first time - he plays off about 18/19.  I'm hoping I can get one up on him for the first time and seeing that it is part of my stag do I think he should go easy on me!