From the GM

Since assuming my role as club manager last August, we have weathered some notably wet conditions, with several months setting records for rainfall. Managing a golf course built on clay amid such challenges has been no small feat. However, I could not be prouder of our green team's resilience. Despite the adversities, they have consistently upheld the course's standards to ensure playability while preserving its overall condition, which I believe is exceptional given the circumstances.

Equally commendable is the ongoing improvement in our food and beverage services. The dedication of our team is reflected through the consistent excellent reviews, spanning from our festive Christmas menus to our delightful Sunday lunches and daily menu. Our head Chef's innovative ideas promise to further elevate our food offering and this is something that as a club we are highly looking forward to.

As we anticipate the start of the upcoming season, the excellent atmosphere preceding the captains' Drive-In event serves as a testament to the support and friendship we have in this club.

Outlined below are some key developments and initiatives that have unfolded over the winter months. Many of these endeavours will be spearheaded by our department heads and fantastic volunteers, as we continue our journey toward developing Vicars Cross Golf Club.

Ladies New to Golf:
A big welcome to all our new lady members. Through the success of our Ladies New to Golf scheme, 8 new ladies have joined as full members and a further 12 have joined as “Associate Members”. A huge success! Our Lady volunteers have provided a warm and supportive environment and I can’t thank them enough. We have another 28 Ladies starting this week on their journey into golf and hopefully they will soon be members of our club.

Swing Room:
Our newly built swing room is now open and available for booking through the new booking system which will go live next week. Whether you are working on your technique or analysing your performance, our swing room provides the perfect space to enhance your game and achieve your goals. Please speak to Martin O Connor or myself for further information or a viewing.

Spike Bar:
Following on from the refurbishment of the new spike bar, I would like to thank all our contractors for their excellent work and for member patience whilst the work was going on. I do hope you all enjoy the new and improved facilities.

New Lighting to Reduce Power consumption:
We have been upgrading our lighting throughout the club, this is to reduce power consumption while also improving the look of the environment as a lot of the lighting is old technology and very dated. This eco-friendly upgrade not only enhances our facilities but also massively reduces our energy consumption and underscores our commitment to sustainability.

Snooker Table Reclothed and Repaired:
Our snooker table has been given a makeover. With fresh cloth and repairs completed, it is ready for countless hours of friendly competition if you can get the captain off it!

Investment into the new rough cutter (Ventrac):
To improve our rough cutting we have exchanged our heavy rough cutter to a lightweight Ventrac. This excellent new mower can also be used for other purposes throughout the year and we are hoping to be able to cut for 12 months to maintain our rough areas.

Recruitment of New Chef:
We are thrilled to welcome our new chef Charlie to Vicars Cross Golf Club! A keen rugby player and golfer I’m sure he will add to our excellent catering team.

New Members Inductions:
For all our new members, we are hosting induction sessions to help them feel right at home at the club. These sessions have been run by me and our Men's Captain, which have proven to be a huge success. We will be starting the Ladies sessions with the Lady Captain later this week. These sessions are designed to allow new members to understand the culture and workings of Vicars Cross Golf Club and meet other new members.

More Social Events:
Martin Betts and both the Men's and Ladies Captains have been putting on an exciting line-up of social events throughout the upcoming year! From themed dinners, quiz nights and to Par three Masters golf days there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Continued Growth of Catering and Events:
Our catering and events team have been working incredibly hard on producing new menus, which reflect your needs and wants. We are committed to exceeding your expectations and providing some of the best food available to suit all occasions whether this is a social event, a special occasion or even your breakfast after a round of golf.

Opening of Putting Green:
We are delighted to announce the opening of our new putting green! This was opened last week by both our captains, and it is great to have it up and running again, in such excellent condition. A big thank you to all the greens team for their hard work and getting it ready for the upcoming season.

With these exciting developments and initiatives, we are confident that Vicars Cross Golf Club will continue to thrive as such a fantastic members club. A club which provides such excellent service to members and their guests both on the course and in the clubhouse through a great team of staff, volunteers and members.

Phil Beard
General Manager