Surrey CCC visit The Drift

On Friday 20th September we were fortunate enough to have Surrey Country Cricket Club come down and visit us. With over 60 golfers taking part in their annual golf day we had some fabulous weather to help complement the day. Lead by Ex England and Surrey Opener Mark Butcher, the players got underway and straight away showed their ability with (this time) Club and Ball (not bat and ball). We had some low scores and the day was very competitive, although the main point to the event was to have fun and to raise money for their charity.

After the golf they all enjoyed a wonderful meal and gave thanks to all who turned up, to play and support.

Ladies Interclub Championship 2013

Thursday 12th September saw The Drift hold the annual Ladies Interclub Championships. Having started in 2005, the competition is now in its 8th year, growing every time. This year there were 108 ladies, and even with the below par weather the atmosphere was very good and camaraderie between the golfers was in fine form. Many of the players having played at The Drift before were looking to have some low scores, with the main prize being a trophy; which has been donated by The Drifts 2005 captain Chrissy Dunkerley.

After over four hours play and a nice rest we had come to the presentation for best score. The Overall team winners were Pyrford Golf Club, with a point total of 142. Bletchingley GolfClub were the close runners up, also with a score of 142, but loosing on count back. As well as the fabulous trophy the players from the winning team each took home with them, a Longchamp Bag plus a Marks and Spencer’s voucher.

However the main aim of the day was to raise money for the captains charity and to have a good time. the money raised (£440) went to a local charity and after all the feed back we have gathered we can 100% say that the event was a success.

The event organiser would like to thank, the team at The Drift for a great effort on the day, and hope that everyone will come again next year.

PGAiE(S) Assistants & Trainees Championship Sept 5th 2013.

On Thursday 5th of September, The Drift were hosts of the prestigious PGAiE(S) Assistants and Trainees Championship. With the course is fabulous condition and the weather playing its part as well, we had very good and hard fought competition. The eventual winner ‘Joe Winfield’ had a steady first round of 69, to leave him in contention. Winfield the runner-up in 2012 then came out and shot an amazing round of 63, to leave him 14 under par, and a total score of 132, eventually winning by 3 shots.
Winfield’s amazing accomplishment is his first win as a professional, and he picked £800 prize money in doing so.
We wish Joe all the luck in the future and look forward to seeing him back here next year.

Waffrons 2013 League Champions

Here are the victorious team, whom on Saturday 7th September 2013, won the Waffrons League, by beating Leatherhead 4 – 2.
With two games to play The Drift team knew that if they won; they would be champions. After losing the 2012 title on a count back decision, the tension could be felt. It was a nervous start for the first pairing who didn’t play their usual game. However after a tight round The Drift came through winning the first pairing 2up. This settled all the nerves and by the end of the day The Drift knew that they had won the title for the second time in three years.

Flawless Wallis in record 59

Flawless Wallis in record 59

Richard Wallis shoots 59 at par 73 Drift GC to win PGA Southern Open Championship Pro-Am

Winner of three Virgin Atlantic PGA South Order of Merits on the trot and current PGA Play Offs champion Richard Wallis (Walmer & Kingsdown) has notched up yet another massive milestone in his professional career: a round of 59* (changed link to actual scorecard) under full tournament conditions to win the Virgin Atlantic sponsored PGA Southern Open Championship Pro-Am at The Drift GC**, Surrey.

PGAiE(S) PGA Southern Open Championship Pro-Am June 2nd 2013.

His winner’s cheque of £625 pales besides his spectacular achievement, as Wallis carded fourteen-under-par on a par 73 course, a feat which may yet go into the record books as other 59s have been on par 72 courses. His card left the otherwise terrific scores of eight-under-par by Andy Raitt (St. George’s Hill) and Nick Redfern (AIA Group) trailing six shots behind.

Fresh off his first PGA EuroPro Tour win, the Kerry London Championship **** at Burhill, by seven strokes, Wallis hit his customary 40 shots on the range and found top gear from the first tee onwards, opening his account with a birdie.

Splitting the fairways around the tree-bound course, after a couple of pars Wallis started knocking the flags out at the next seven holes, with no putt longer than nine feet and holing the lot, including an eagle putt at the fifth from four feet.

After nine holes Wallis had needed only eight putts and was out in 29, eight-under-par. Another birdie at the 10th was followed by two steady pars and then Wallis went on a birdie, birdie eagle charge through the 13th, 14th and 15th where he drove the green and holed his eagle putt.

Amazingly, he missed a three foot putt for birdie at the 16th, but a steady par up the 17th set up one last opportunity for a birdie four down the 18th. Despite missing his first fairway and bunkering his second, Wallis splashed out to five feet, read the line and made sure of the putt he’d only ever dreamed of for a 59 in an official PGA event.

“I’m absolutely over the moon to shoot this score,” he said, “because I’ve shot low scores before, but never in an official PGA event like this. Usually the game’s great but the putting’s not, or vice versa, but today everything really clicked. The course was in great nick and on the greens you felt any putt could go in.”

With a 10 week old baby daughter fatherhood has taken priority for most of 2013 to date, but now as he explains it’s back to work. “With the BMW PGA Championship start at Wentworth and then the PGA EuroPro Tour event at Burhill, I’ve been working hard on all departments, but my focus and thinking is the same: keep it steady, down the middle, on the green, hole the putts – easy to say, tough to do.”

Wallis is very upbeat about the standard of play in the region. “It’s very exciting at the moment, with Benn Barham in great shape, Andy Raitt back in top form, Michael Lowe on his A game, and Chris Gane is right in there as well. Jamie Harris is always a threat, and there are others coming to the fore.

“I’m playing in nine PGA EuroPro Tour events in 2013,” he said, “but my goal is to get a top three place in the 2013 Virgin Atlantic PGA South Order of Merit*** and try to earn another PGA Play Offs place. So with all the heat from the other players, the Virgin Atlantic PGA South Order of Merit events are the best place to try and raise my own game.”

*http://pgagbi.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/pgagbi13/event/pgagbi13158/contest/3/contestant/811/scorecard.htm
**www.driftgolfclub.com
***http://pgagbi.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/pgagbi13/chapter/south/poy/oom/index.htm
****http://europro.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/europro13/event/europro139/contest/1/leaderboard.htm

Advertising opportunity at The Drift Golf Club

Advertise your business at The Drift Golf Club and get a free golf day.

Click on the poster below and call Ben on 01483 284641 for more information. Email enquiries to benbeagley@driftgolfclub.com

Effective Greens Maintenance at The Drift Golf Club

Across the UK greenkeeping teams will be preparing for their Spring greens maintenance. Below is a brief insight into what takes place. For your reference… ours is planned for week commencing Monday 18th March (weather permitting!)

Click on the image to enlarge

Benefits of proper greens maintenance practices include; improved drainage, thatch removal, increased sand contact in rootzone, air circulation to the roots, reduced compaction and healthy growing conditions. As you would expect, this leads to firmer, faster and healthier putting surfaces which can withstand harsh winters as experienced throughout recent months.

The Drift Golf Club – 9th Hole Greenside ‘Valley of Sin’

Another exciting project at The Drift… drainage to the right hand side of the 9th green will be followed by several tonnes of topsoil to reduce the severity of the slopes and improve overall playability.

Glorious Rhododendrons at The Drift

On a dark December evening I thought it might be nice to remind ourselves of the fantastic colour that Spring 2013 will bring to the golf course…

 

15th tee ditch clearance – winter project

A great start made to this ditch clearance project which forms just part of our winter works programme.

This ditch, overgrown with undesirable scrub, is in the process of a full clear-out which will help drain the bottom part of the 18th fairway.

Great work by the Course maintenance team.