Hello everyone,

What a terrible June we're having. It seems that we're having more rain now than in the Winter. But the consolation of rain and sun is that Garon Park is looking absolutely fantastic and is in brilliant condition - the perfect time to come and play. So forget referendums, England in the Euros and the weather, come and have good time at Garon Park instead. Phone 01702 601701 to book a tee-time.




Chris Grant on Tour

I have played in two tournaments over last week. The London Open was held at West Essex GC, which was in very good condition. On day one I shot three-over-par (-3 back nine) which included a hole-in-one. Day two was also pretty solid scoring, a two-over-par round meant that I finished the 36-hole tournament in 17th place, picking up my first ever pay cheque. Not quite $1.8 million for Dustin Johnson winning the U.S. Open, but it's a start. The Open Qualifying was next and by far the biggest event I have played so far. What a great experience. After a five hour weather delay and nearly 9pm in the evening, I card a five-over-par round which left me tied for 47th place out of 110 in the field. I'm definitely playing again next year!




Pro shop deal of the week

Buy any Nike Golf shirt and receive 15% OFF any Nike Golf trousers or shorts
Buy any Under Armour shirt and receive 15% OFF any UA trousers or shorts

This great deal will run until The Open takes place in mid-July but only whilst stocks last, so hurry on down and kit your wardrobe out for this Summer's golf.

The fairway bunker shot

Fairway bunkers can be a difficult shot to play, but only if you make them so. Let's give you an example:

Your drive finds a bunker some 175 yards from the green and a 5-iron is within reach, but the front lip of the bunker is three foot high

If you think 'I can clear the lip with that 5-iron' change to a 7-iron and make sure you're hitting your next shot on the green rather than still in the bunker. Something even worst happened to PGA Tour player Jeff Maggert when leading the Masters. He hit his ball into a bunker on the third, his shot out of the bunker rebounded off the lip, hit him in the chest incurring a two shot penalty.

N.B. A weekly rule quiz will start next week where the first one back to me with answer wins a lesson.

South #7 - 513 yards (par-5)

The tee shot is key. If you dare to take a line much further left than the marker pole, it's a good carry over the natural pond. Going to the right of the marker can mean running out of fairway, leaving you on the bank with an awkward recovery shot. If your drive is long enough to go past the marker, the green can be in reach. But there is a bunker guarding most of the green front, although you can sneak the ball onto the green between that bunker and the left side one. It demands a lot of accuracy (the gap is only ten yards wide) so the wise choice is laying up short and pitching on. This is where it gets tricky. The green has a severe slope running up its spine and especially when the pin is at the back - the shot is tough. Maybe taking a club less in loft and getting the ball to run up the slope might work? Get it right and putting is easier, not quite right watch out for the three putt.