Greetings golfers,

Welcome to this week's newsletter with all the latest updates from Laytown & Bettystown Golf Club.

Enjoy the read.

The time is right

It is actually a great time to purchase new irons as you have the winter ahead to get used to them before the next season beds it. We all run out after The Masters in the early year and change our clubs in anticipation of a fast start to the year, but that can be by passed with a good winter season getting used to the new product. This is simply why the likes of TaylorMade, Titleist and PING have launched at this time of the year. Time maybe to drop a few hints for Christmas presents as well.

What makes a good golf product?

he answer is simple, consistency. This is true about both the product that you play with and the swing that you use. We have the TrackMan up and running and in our early product fitting it is so evident how the new product on the market out performs slightly older technology.

Take for example a well hit 7 iron the figure we are looking for is based around control as it has to be classified as a scoring club. The older irons do tend to be lower launching, lower spinning with slower ball speeds resulting in a shot that while it may achieve an overall distance similar to the modern 7 iron it achieves it in a different fashion. The modern iron produces higher spin rates, much faster ball speeds resulting in more air time and softer landings, giving so much more control, especially on the hard fast links that we play.

The new clubs, because of this, can take a while to get used to but what a difference they can make once you get your own game sorted around their performance.

Ask in shop or click here if you are looking for a custom fit or simply if you would like an appraisal of your own game and equipment.

Bright future

It may be the end of September, but the season seems to have had a second wind with the course being as busy as ever and a real influx of overseas golfers coming to play in last few weeks. There has been nothing but praise from our visitors for all aspects of the club, from the course to the clubhouse, bar and restaurant but especially for the friendliness and warm welcome that our members have extended to them.

This is a great sign for the future as Laytown and Bettystown is really starting to get itself on the golfing map again, which is great with the coming Open Championship in Ireland in 2019.

Back at the start of the year the club voted to move to a board of management as part of the progression into the bright future. It may not look like a lot of things have been happening, but behind the scenes Eddie and the board have not stopped. We are only a few weeks away from the finalization of a draft business plan ready for presentation to the members for their adoption. This will be your opportunity to see exactly what has and will be going on and have your say for the clubs roadmap in the coming years. Small things go on noticed but there has been a lot of activity that has crept up on us without notice and this will really move ahead in the coming years.

I suppose the big talking point has been the course, the new layout, the present design, the good points, the bad points, what will change, will anything change, we hear it all in the shop. The design that has been in the clubhouse, if anything has really brought the need for a strategic plan to the forefront and whether or not it is adopted in the near or distant future it has really captured the attention of every member and everyone has their own personal feeling on it. This in itself has been a great exercise and it has not been forgotten about but will be an important part of the document that the members will see in the coming weeks.

Junior and ladies group lessons

Our lessons next week will be solely concentrating on 40-60 yards from the green in our group lessons for the juniors and the ladies. Let’s hope that the weather is a bit better next week, and remember to wrap the kids up warm if they are coming down on Tuesday/Thursday nights as it can get cold quick out on the range.

I would ask that you really explain to the juniors that on the range they need to do exactly what is being asked. I have said before golf is a sport for enjoyment, but it can also be an extremely dangerous sport and accidents can happen in a flash. I would encourage as many parents as possible to attend and I really appreciate those that do already.

We want all the children to learn and improve and really enjoy the lessons and golf, but the most important part is that they remain safe and they understand that while we are there to have fun there is also a very serious side to golf if something goes wrong. It can be so simple to just swing the club without looking, or run out for a ball without looking and an accident happens.