Hello and welcome to this week's newsletter.

 

As you will see from Ginny Eley's press release below, the Walden charity has been giving out its donations to the local community, the main beneficiaries this year being the Captains charity 'Support for sight'. 

It gives me great pleasure to announce that the Walden Charity have also donated money to the Junior section at the golf club in the form of a scholarship. This is in part a way of saying thank you to the club for the support over the years and they would like to see this invested in up and coming talent.

The main recipient of the scholarship award was Louis Martin, who as many of you will know has started at the Lee Westwood Academy in September after being selected last summer. The money will be used to fund winter training, where the academy sends the pupils to Spain.

The other funding was broken up into the following categories:

A futures programme, which this year Josh Izod and Leo Bonser have been selected for one to one and fast track coaching, an U18 award, which Callum Brookes has been given funds towards membership and tournaments to continue his progression through the amateur ranks, and an Academy girls fund which this year Hettie Carter has been chosen, again funds will be put towards membership, coaching and tournaments.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Andrew Fisher and the Walden charity for their backing, their hard work not only with the golf club but within the local community and I know I can speak on behalf of the recipients for the Walden charity's generosity.


 

Our Titleist Trial Event takes place here at Saffron Walden tomorrow (Friday, 25 December). We have had a fantastic response so far, but one FREE trial slot has just opened up at 2:30pm, so if you would like to give the brand new Titleist hardware ranges (including their new 917 Drivers), give us a call in the pro shop, or click here to get in touch.

This will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Click here to find out more about Titleist's stunning hardware ranges


 

Sarah Smith takes on the Pro Am @ Thetford

On Thursday, 17 November, my partner Olly Tuck and I played in the Thetford Pro Am. 

It was certainly a drizzly November's day and even though it wasn't too cold, the hail stones, lightning and wind made the last hole unplayable. We marked up on the 5th green, put the golf clubs away, gave it ten minutes then went back to putt out on the flooded hole. 

With 39 points as a team and a +8 individual score, I think we were both very happy with the scoring & leaving a couple of birdies out there, it may have been even better! We finished with the 4th best team score, only 5 points behind first place.


Less Is More

During 2016 Rob and I have been working hard on my swing ready for a new season starting March 2017.

Click here to watch my original swing.

As you can see from the first video I create a very wide and over rotated swing plane on the back swing and at the top of the swing I have over rotated my shoulders coming off the ball, (being too flexible!)

We have worked over this year on creating more resistance. As the back swing got loose, the path and angle of attack varied producing inconsistent strikes, particularly with the irons. 

Click here to view my current swing.

The hard work has started to pay off, as a result the back swing has become shorter to develop an improved swing path with better strike and connection at impact. This has also shown in some of my tournaments finishing -1 at Kedelston Park and finishing top 10 order of merit for the WPGA ladies.


 

SWGC raises massive £15,000 for Support 4 Sight 

Saffron Walden Golf Club Club Captains, Chris Porter and Jaine Fieldhouse presented a cheque for £15,000 to Support 4 Sight to help them purchase technical equipment to assist partially sighted and blind in the Uttlesford area. 

Paul Atkins from Support 4 Sight accepted the cheque and expressed his grateful thanks to the members and The Walden Charity Committee of Saffron Walden Golf Club. 

Golfers have been raising money for the charity throughout the year. A major contributing event was the popular Pro Am which featured top professional golfers throughout the region supported by club members with generous support from local sponsors. Race nights, charity lunches and golf days have also contributed, with a sponsored "sing along" from the Mens Captain and Past Captain at the Annual Dinner Dance providing the novelty act.