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Beaconsfield Golf Club

Beaconsfield Golf Club
Seer Green, Beaconsfield
Bucks, HP9 2UR

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01494 676545

From the Captain

Having just completed an 8-day spell during which I played 6 rounds of golf, at Beaconsfield, Sherwood Forest, Hollinwell along with Walton Heath Old and New courses, I'm happy to be back at work for a well-earned rest. Hollinwell, an Open qualifying course, is still surprisingly unknown, but remains one of my all-time favourite UK inland courses and well worth a visit.  

The major July disappointment was the cancellation of The Club Championship on 6th July, due to heavy rain. By the time it was called off, the greens were mostly filled with puddles and the event has been re-scheduled for Saturday 24th August. This disappointment didn't stop some hardy members consoling themselves all day in the bar gearing up for the England Euros quarter final victory.

The Summer Sizzler

The weather was kinder for this event and it was a joy to play in with team mates Sue Goodliffe, along with Simon and Jenny Mouncer. It was great fun, although disappointingly there was little "˜mansplaining' to enjoy between Simon & Jenny "¦.they were far too mature and grown up for that sort of entertainment! Congratulation to the winners, Pete & Dawn Muir, Sue Schmidt and Steve Morrison.

Ashridge Away Day

This was an opportunity to thank fellow Board members and various team Captains for all their efforts throughout the year. Ashridge, as ever was a joy to play, although I blame my poor performance, on the greens which were rather slower than we are used to at Beaconsfield. This didn't seem to impact Tim Cray, who just pipped Sue Goodliffe & Rob Beck to win the event with 37 points.

Hole in One

Congratulations to Phil Moody on a fine hole out on the 11th hole recently. This is actually one of our most difficult par 3's, so it's doubly impressive that this is Phil's second hole in one on this hole.

The Cream rises to the top - Victory at Nairn

Huge congratulations to James Simpson, who recently came through 2 medal rounds and 5 KO rounds to win the 105th Nairn Open Amateur Tournament, competing for the Claverhouse Cup. A fine 4&3 victory in the final saw another Beaconsfield Golf Club member winning on their travels.  

Member Behaviour

Finally, there has sadly been too many instances recently where the behaviour of several members' has fallen below that expected at Beaconsfield Golf Club. Such examples, just in the last 2 weeks include

  • A member bumping into the car of another member in the car park, damaging it, but then driving off without leaving a note for the driver (we have the CCTV coverage)
  • Several members parking on the yellow cross hatching at the end of the car park, preventing cars from turning there to exit the car park.
  • Two members ignoring the instructions in place to protect the new path whilst it was laid and either climbing over the fence or moving it for ease of access.

Can I please ask that members have due respect for their fellow members, follow club directions and think carefully before acting in a way that comes across as "˜entitled' 

Michael Lawson

Captain's Charity for 2023/2024


From the Ladies Captain

The Susans were on form in the Nancy Mitchell Bogy Competition on Thursday 18th. Susan Strawson had a hole in one on the 5th and Sue Mears had another on the 11th, so congratulations to them both.

Once again on one of our big occasions of the year, we had a beautiful warm, sunny day for the Ladies Invitation Day, which was a great success thanks to the hard work of Lynda Cornwell and Sally James for organising the day. Also thanks to all the ladies who provided delicious homemade cakes and savouries for the half way houses, and to all those who helped serve these. The winners were Yoshi Funaki, with guest, Yasmin Sarin from Lambourne, and Beth Gilmour who stepped in at the last minute with guest Mika Walsh from Wexham Park.

Ella Butteriss is through to the final of the Champion of Champions which will be played at Harleyford on 24th August, we are all keeping our fingers crossed for Ella and wish her good luck.

Also doing well in the County Knock Out Competitions are Alison Baker who is through to the semi-final of the Challenge Cup, and Ruth Lambert who is through to the semi-final of the Rose bowl. Good luck to them both.

Bucks Shield

Last but not least, thanks to all those involved in the Bucks Shield Squad. Carole Weir and Sue Mears, along with professional Tom, have run training sessions and practice rounds with the entire squad of around 50 ladies. Unfortunately, the team lost against Woburn this week, but not without putting up a strong fight. Well done to all those who played, caddied and supported the team. The training will continue, and we will be ready to take on the challenge again next year.

The BGC weekend ladies had a match at home against Moor Park on 21/7. This is one of two reciprocal arrangements each year. On this occasion Moor Park won against our side. It was a very enjoyable occasion and all mentioned how fabulous the course is. Thanks to all who support these events.

Sue Goodliffe

Ladies' Captain's Charity for 2023/2024

Rick Bell

Rick Bell, who died on 21st June, was our club steward between 1986 and 2000.  During that period, he and his wife Barbara lived in the flat in the Clubhouse and made a major contribution to the wellbeing of the Club.        

Born in central London in January 1937, Rick served his two years National Service in The Scots Guards which, no doubt, went some way to explain his manifest self-confidence, upright carriage and imposing appearance.  He then joined the Metropolitan Police, based principally at Chelsea Police Station.  Whilst in the police force he became one of the three officers responsible for the management of the Police Social Club at Imber Court and, for five years after leaving the Met, he and Barbara were licensees of a public house in Sussex before coming to Beaconsfield.

During his time as club steward, as well as managing the bar, Rick attended and made a considerable contribution to meetings of the Social Committee.  He was in charge of the majority of events in the Clubhouse, from organising the Captain's Dinner (where he acted as toastmaster and master of ceremonies) to being Father Christmas at the Children's Christmas Party - assisted by his elf in the person of head greenkeeper Bill Paterson. 

His stature, demeanour, a remarkable ability to remember names and to judge precisely the line to be drawn between members and staff demonstrated, time and again, that he was a man of considerable talents who was greatly liked and respected.  The affection in which he was held was demonstrated with great clarity by tributes paid by many members at the event held in November 2000 to mark the retirement of Rick and Barbara. 

May he rest in peace.

Roger Connor

Project Du Pré

There are no significant updates from last month except that we continue to make progress with the Planning Application which is due to be submitted during early August. The Project Delivery team are currently focussed on the more detailed aspects of the infrastructure plans and costings such as the wiring, boilers, structural engineering, lift and kitchen etc which will take a little time to complete.

Richard Cottrell

Chairman of the House Committee


News From The Junior And Younger Members

So, summer has arrived - hmm!

The juniors, like all sections of the club, are enjoying competitions, fun events, trophies and matches throughout late June and into July.

The first trophy of the year, the Wilton Shield, was contested on 30th June. The medal format saw 17 entrants, with Senan Conway having a day to remember coming in with a net 62! Congratulations Senan, what a score. Christian Cotter and Rory Milne also put great scores together with a net 69 and 71 respectively.

The Thomas Trophy took place on Sunday 14th July. The juniors enjoyed this stableford trophy and of the 11 juniors competing, Johnny Goss came out on top with an impressive 43 points, with Laurence Butcher and Emily Gilmour coming into 2nd and 3rd places with 38 and 37 points.

Over a weekend of rain, golf was not happening! A junior stableford was unfortunately cancelled along with the Club Championship. Thankfully the weather improved and a team of 5 juniors and 1 reserve travelled to Burnham Beeches to battle it out in another Chiltern League match. Nathan Baggett, Pearse Conway, Laurence Butcher, Senan Conway, Thenuka Rajapaksha and Alex Zhang represented Beaconsfield Golf Club. Having not played Burnham Beeches before the team earned a well deserved half overall. Well done everyone!

And so the juniors move on to the Regan Trophy in late July. Named after Dianne Regan, who worked tirelessly to make the junior membership the great group that it is today, it will be a special day for us all. Good luck juniors!!

Lastly, the Luke Donald Salver is fast approaching. If anyone feels they can help ball spotting the junior committee would really appreciate your time. Please contcat the ofice to find available times.

Helen Morris

Junior Committee Member



Course Update and Rainfall 

The summer course maintenance is finished, with renovations done on the tees, fairways, approaches and greens. Various methods were used to remove organic matter to create firmer and faster playing surfaces. Aeration was also carried out to promote deeper rooting and better water penetration. A total of 150 tonnes of sand has been applied to restore levels and fill the aeration holes. Over the next 5-7 days, the surfaces will be heavily watered at night to wash the sand into the scarification lines and aeration holes and fertilizer will be applied to speed up the recovery. The cutting will be consistent, remaining at full summer frequency to refine the surfaces. Once the sand has completely blended into the surfaces and is no longer visible, all cutting units will be sharpened. 

Lee March

Head Greenkeeper

(Click on the image to view in full screen)


Chris' Corner

Dear Member,

I hope you are enjoying the weather (Finally)

We are delighted to announce that we have another Taylormade Fitting Day! It is running from 11am - 3:30pm on Tuesday 13th August, this gives you the chance to upgrade your equipment to the latest and best Taylormade products! Stuart, our fitter will supply an extensive fitting process to find the best clubs for you! Taylormade have also announced their new P770 Iron, which has been a popular iron over the past few years, which will be available to try on the day!

Something different is coming to BGC in late August! We have teamed up with Golfclubs4cash and organised a Trade in Event! Golfclubs4cash accepts a wide range of trade-ins, such as brands up to 25 years old - in addition to just golf clubs, they accept top brand bags too! The money that you get offered will be put onto your pro shop account, to use for upgrades to your equipment! Any quote you receive you are not obligated to accept. GC4C say that the average golfer has £120 worth of unwanted equipment, so clear out the sheds and garages! The event will be held on the 23rd August from 11am  - 2pm.

Our Taylormade Stripe golf balls have received plenty of interest in the shop. We are happy to announce that we are offering a 4 for 3 Dozen Taylormade Stripe Golf balls for just £114. This is a limited time offer and is while stocks last. Swing by the shop to have a look!

Now is the chance to get your game in gear for the mid season comps! Visit the link below to book some time in with one of us! 

Lesson Booking | The Golf Team | Welcome to Beaconsfield Pro Shop (foremostgolf.com)

Happy golfing!


Chris, Adam and Tom


Tom's Top Tips



Social Committee News

Despite the weather forecast delivered from the met office earlier in the week, the sun shone, and 67 people representing all areas of our membership turned out for the Summer Sizzler. This year we added a hog roast which was enjoyed by not only the golfers but with friends and family joining later in the afternoon to the sounds of a steel band which was enjoyed well into the evening.  

A big thank you James who manned the halfway hut to keep everyone's fluids up to the required levels which again proved to be a bit hit.  

A big thank you as well to Chris and his team for roasting the hog and managing the food and portion control!  

Some fantastic scores, and ordinarily mid 80's would keep you interested, but sadly this year nowhere near needing a winners speech.  

The winners with 91 points were; Dawn Muir / Peter Muir / Sue Schmidt / Steve Morrison

Runners Up with 90 points were; Iain Duncan / Jackie Duncan / Graham Puttergill / Catherine Cotter

Nearest the pin on 5th hole was; Anna Robinson

Nearest the pin on 7th hole was; Richard Cottrell

Straightest drive on the 13th was Ralph Findlay (actually on the line and a long walk from the tee!)  

Congratulations to all the winners and a big thank you from the BGC Social committee to all those who supported the day and evening.  

Next up from BGC Social Committee;

25 October 2024 - A Gourmet tasting evening with a flight of wines and tasting notes.

16 November 2024 - Night Golf - 6-hole Texas scramble competition followed by supper.

30 November 2024 - Turkey Trot  

Do let us know if you have any other ideas as we are very much up for facilitating and supporting the members and club for future social events.  

Social Committee


Clubhouse News

I hope everyone has noticed how the bricks around the terrace and the wall to the Pro shop have suddenly "˜aged' and blend in so much better with the overall building as a result.

Also, I am sure you will agree that the new path finishes the terrace area well and gives the Club "˜an approach to the clubhouse we can all be proud of' (one member's quote).  

Also, I am sure you will agree that the new path finishes the terrace area well and gives the Club "˜an approach to the clubhouse we can all be proud of' (one member's quote).

Looking ahead, the House Team will soon be launching a bi-monthly newsletter to keep members informed about what's happening with all Catering and Social activities. Look out for it.

Richard Cottrell

Chairman of the House Committee


Golf, Competitions and Handicaps Update

Handicap Eligibility for Competitions

I thought we should reiterate the rationale behind the qualification criteria for eligibility to enter competitions as a number of Members have asked about this recently.

In order to be eligible to win a competition (you can still enter but cannot win it) you need to have on WHS 6 scores in the last 12months of which 3 must be at Beaconsfield.  The other 3 can be at other clubs, from external competitions, and from General Play (GP) scores.  

This is based on a recommendation from England Golf and has been adopted by the majority of clubs

The rationale is that it ensures that handicaps are accurate and a true reflection of your standard at the time - something I'm sure we all would want as I'm sure we have all come up against someone at some stage (aka "˜Bandits') whose handicap wasn't accurate.

The GC&H Committee have discussed this many times and on each occasion, it was felt that the "˜3 at Beaconsfield' element is very reasonable in a 12month period.

General Play Scores

Regarding "˜General Play' scores, many members are doing these but it should be emphasised that you must register for a GP card before you start.  I'd also note that it's not practical nor fair on your fellow players and other players behind you to do these in 4BBB games rather than picking up when you are "˜out' of that hole. 

David Booker

Chairman of G,C&H Committee


In The Golf Bag..... Relief from Immovable Obstructions

I've done quite a bit of refereeing over the last couple of months and one of the things that seems to cause lots of problems is taking relief from immovable obstructions such as paths and sprinklers.

Definition of Immovable Obstructions

You get free relief from any immovable obstructions that are ON the course.

These include sprinkler heads, ball washers, distance markers and artificially surfaced paths.

Any paths that are just worn areas of ground are NOT immovable obstructions, but if stones or gravel have been laid, for example to fill a depression, then this area is covered.

Places where plastic mesh has been laid under the turf are included as are any artificial edges to paths.

Boundary fences that define out of bounds are NOT immovable obstructions and you do not get free relief.

When do you get Free Relief

You get free relief from an immovable obstruction if it affects the lie of your ball or if it physically interferes with your area of intended stance or area of intended swing.

You do not get free relief if something else prevents you playing or if you take an abnormal stance or swing, for example you cannot just decide to play left handed (assuming you normally play right handed) to get relief from a path, however if your only viable stroke would be left handed due to a tree, then you would be justified in taking free relief for your left handed shot.

How To Take Relief

I would strongly recommend NOT lifting the ball before you work out where you will be dropping - it may be a worse spot so it may be better just to play the ball as it lies.  If you lift the ball and then decide not to take relief, you get a one shot penalty for lifting the ball and have to replace it where it was.

Firstly, find the nearest place of complete relief (NPOCR), not nearer the hole, where your stance and swing is not affected by the immovable obstruction.  Use the club that you intend to play and take your stance and simulate your swing to find this location.  Remember that you must take COMPLETE relief, so you cannot be standing on the path.  It is the NEAREST point, so this might be in long grass, in a bush, or on the "˜wrong' side of the path.

It is a good idea to put a tee peg in to mark the NPOCR.  Drop a ball in a relief area one club length from the NPOCR, no nearer the hole than the NPOCR and such that your stroke and stance will not be affected by the immovable obstruction after the drop.  Remember that a "˜club length' is ALWAYS your longest club (except putter) so will normally be a driver.

You do not need to measure, so I would suggest that, unless you are planning to drop at the extremity of the club length or are playing in a prestigious event, you save time by not measuring.  Once the ball has been dropped, if it is doubtful that the ball is still within the one club length, then you should measure.

You are allowed to clean the ball or even use a different ball.  You are also allowed to move any loose impediments (such as leaves, twigs, stones) in the relief area before dropping, but you cannot move anything growing or repair a divot.

Once the ball is dropped and has come to rest in the relief area, it is in play and you cannot redrop if it is in a bad lie.

If the ball rolls out of the relief area, then you redrop, and if it rolls out of the relief area a second time, then you replace the ball where it hit the ground on the second drop.   

Janet Beal


Dedication to the Seniors Section

Huge congratulations and thanks to John Norton who stands down from Senior Golf having served  8 years as Chairman and Secretary of Senior Golf and 8 years more recently of running the Friday roll-up and being the architect behind the last Friday of the month stableford qualifier.

Thank you for your service!

If you fancy getting involved in any aspect of Senior Golf please contact Alan Ruxton 

Trophy Roll Of Honour


Click here to see all the Winners for the Trophy Competitions







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