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Piltdown Golf Club

3rd October 2025 Newsletter

 

 

 

 

It's all my fault........

I flew back from Costa Navarino yesterday, and apparently you have had lovely, dry weather in my absence. Well it rained on me in Greece, and it looks like I have brought it back with me! Sorry.

Thanks to Céline who has held the fort whilst I was away. With Hazel on Maternity leave it's a big job for one person to run the office. I tried to log in each day for half an hour or so to keep on top of emails, but even with that, it's amazing how much has built up in a week.

A big weekend of Men's Competitions this weekend, with the Myers Salvers qualifier tomorrow, and then the Southon Salver on Sunday - and don't forget we have Derek Elphick's team in the Pitcher semi-final on Sunday. Good luck chaps.

Before too long, we will start to think about Christmas (sorry!!). We will have all our usual events, and for those of you wanting an affordable New Year's Eve party - we are holding a four-course dinner and disco evening. More details coming next week, but save the date now.

Over to Céline for the rest of the news as I try to catch up. 

 

 

Coming up soon... 

25th October - Casino night

Our glamorous Casino Night is back! An evening of fun, food, and a touch of Vegas! Starting at 7pm for 7:30pm, it's guaranteed to be an exciting night at the tables with cocktails available to buy, plus a delicious selection of finger food, cheese and desserts. Tickets are £35 per person.

Book here

 

 

Men’s Ryder Cup Roll-Up

Saturday 27th September

Piltdown Golf Club played host to its very own Ryder Cup-themed roll-up on Saturday 27th September, when 48 of our male members – both long-standing regulars and newer faces – took to the fairways in a matchplay contest inspired by golf’s most iconic team competition.

Split into two teams of 24, the Europeans were led by Derek Elphick, while the USA side was captained by Guy Baxter. True to the Ryder Cup spirit, the day was filled with camaraderie, competitive fire, and plenty of friendly banter, with each pairing battling hard for their team colours.

   
   

In keeping with the drama of the recent Ryder Cup at Bethpage, albeit with somewhat tougher rough, this match was fiercely contested from start to finish, with neither side ever able to pull too far ahead. As the final matches reached their closing holes, the result was still on a knife edge.

When all the matches were tallied, Team Europe edged out a narrow but memorable victory, claiming the honours by 7–5. A fitting reflection of the spirited play on both sides, the day provided excitement, tension, and plenty of laughs along the way. 

Many thanks to all those who supported the event.

Derek.

 
     
         
 

Ladies' Vice-Captain v Ladies' Captain

It’s hard to believe that Carol and Robin’s captaincy year is already drawing to a close! As is tradition, the ladies’ section marked the handover in style with a friendly match followed by a celebratory lunch.

This time it was the Ladies’ Vice-Captain’s team who came out on top, and spirits were high as everyone gathered in the bar for a delicious lunch and some heartfelt words from Annie.

Carol, you’ve been a fantastic captain: leading with warmth, energy, and good humour throughout the year. Now it’s time to put your feet up, enjoy a well-earned rest, and have a fabulous week in Spain!

   
 

 

Tee time booking

We’ve had a few recent incidents where members have added themselves to existing tee bookings without first contacting the players who made the original reservation. As a reminder, club policy is that you must always check with the group before joining their tee time. Please ensure you have their agreement before adding yourself to an existing booking. Thanks! 

 

 

Road closure on 21st October

UK Power Networks will be maintaining power cables on Golf Club Lane that day, which means that all traffic will be diverted. They will be providing access to all properties and the work should only take one day. So maybe leave a little bit earlier than usual to make sure you don't miss your tee time!

 

 
Course update

Matt is on holiday this week, so this week's update is courtesy of Chris, his second in command.

On Monday and Tuesday, we successfully completed our overseeding programme with bent grass on the greens. This process involved creating small dimples across the surfaces using sarel rollers, evenly distributing bent grass seed, and then applying a light topdressing followed by brushing. Although the dressing was minimal, it played a crucial role, together with the small holes, in creating the optimal environment for successful germination. This work was completed with minimal disruption to play and the quality of the putting surfaces. We appreciate the patience of anyone whose practice was affected during this time, particularly Harvey's! If his next score isn’t great, then we all know who is to blame! 

Growth across the course is now accelerating, resulting in increased mowing activity. The fairways, which are being cut back into the old semi-rough areas, are beginning to take shape and present a much sharper definition.

Work on the heather management programme has also continued and will remain a consistent focus. Although progress is steady and methodical, we are committed to this important aspect of course presentation and ecology.

In addition, Nick has made significant progress with solid tining on the fairways this week. At the start of next week, the focus will shift to overseeding with the Vredo machine, which is used on the back of the tractor to plant ryegrass into the fairways.

Many thanks,
Chris Ahier

 

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