Orikoru
Tour Winner
Still seems like a bit of a fad. I mean people could already play badminton, squash, table tennis etc. Padel just has a bit of buzz around it for some reason, but it will fade.
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Lucifer MorningStar
Well-known member
There’s a course I’ve played a few times near work that has foot golf holes still. Annoying if you’re playing the course for the first time as the holes are near to the greens and have Pink flags. Guess what colour the actual flags of the greens are! Well they’re meant to be red but have faded over the years so if you’re unsure which one to aim at or slightly colour blind as my pal is you’ll often see people hitting to the wrong flag
Lucifer MorningStar
Well-known member
Worldham which is about 15 minutes from my house has 2 Padel courts and looks like they’re doing work to add 2 more as it’s so bloody popular.
Played there in October store on the first tee all you could hear was the grunting, slapping of a ball and people hollering at each other whilst playing. There were even people queuing to get on the courts, they’re clearly making a fair bit of coin from it as it’s always rammed whereas their range and club house is always empty, and would seemingly be the reason to add 2 extra courts.
Played there in October store on the first tee all you could hear was the grunting, slapping of a ball and people hollering at each other whilst playing. There were even people queuing to get on the courts, they’re clearly making a fair bit of coin from it as it’s always rammed whereas their range and club house is always empty, and would seemingly be the reason to add 2 extra courts.
Bratty
Princess Pouty (Queen of Fish Lips)
Make a hole in one a bit easier!!There’s a course I’ve played a few times near work that has foot golf holes still. Annoying if you’re playing the course for the first time as the holes are near to the greens and have Pink flags. Guess what colour the actual flags of the greens are! Well they’re meant to be red but have faded over the years so if you’re unsure which one to aim at or slightly colour blind as my pal is you’ll often see people hitting to the wrong flag
Springveldt
Well-known member
Paid yesterday to rejoin my old club, £998 which included a £50 bar levy. They also reactivated my old membership card which still had £6.09 on it from when I left so I guess I get a free pint.
Expecting my handicap to go back up once I start losing balls in the trees again.
Expecting my handicap to go back up once I start losing balls in the trees again.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
We’ve spent a load of £££s on our clubhouse lounge/bar/restaurant/function areas over the last two years and it’s been utterly transformative in this respect. Bar and restaurant takings up significantly and currently returning a surplus…
There were many doubters given the amount we were planning to spend (and have spent) but I believe most, if not 100% all, agree that what we have done is way beyond their wildest expectations of what we’d achieve.
chellie
Tour Winner
Wow, that just be a very rare occurrence for golf club catering. Is it open to walk-in's and non members?We’ve spent a load of £££s on our clubhouse lounge/bar/restaurant/function areas over the last two years and it’s been utterly transformative in this respect. Bar and restaurant takings up significantly and currently returning a surplus…
There were many doubters given the amount we were planning to spend (and have spent) but I believe most, if not 100% all, agree that what we have done is way beyond their wildest expectations of what we’d achieve.
r0wly86
Head Pro
I was also very sceptical, as someone really into their racket sports, but think paddle is really going to stay. It's far easier than the other sports, you can pick it up to a standard you can play a decent game within an hour. Whereas tennis you need to get a decent standard before you can even play a game properly. You don't need the fitness of squash, though it does give you a good run around. Badminton was my main racket sport, but found it quite cliquey, there's No Strings badminton which is for beginners, and club games for experienced but not much for intermediate.
Paddle does seem to fit in perfectly where all those other racket sports have problems
Neilds
Assistant Pro
Is it that rare? We made about £40k profit (6 months to Oct 25). We never seem to be that busy during the week, good at weekends but we do have quite a few evening functions for birthdays, etc.
Arthur Wedge
Well-known member
Is that Worldham that’s just outside Alton on the road from Bordon to Alton
Used to be a 9 hole course - remember when it became 18 early 90’s , we had a couple of RAF society games there
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
Not open to 'walk-ins', but is open to be booked by non-members for functions.
Lucifer MorningStar
Well-known member
That’s the one it’s on Cakers Lane. It’s never been a 9 hole course though,. Opened in around 1992 as two separate loops of 9 holes for start points but always apparently been an 18 hole course with nothing existing there beforehand at least not according to the members I know have been there years and according to club website.
Unless you’re thinking of Alton Golf club on the Old Odiham road, that’s still a wonderful little 9 hole course, designed by James Braid way back when, tight fairways, difficult undulations and naughtily small greens. That has 2 sets of tees to make it 18 holes, really nice course to play always in top condition and unbelievably welcoming members.
LincolnShep
Head Pro
It might fade but, as long as the court pays for itself, why not take advantage while it's popular?
It's about £70k to install a floodlit outdoor padel court. Near me they cost £40/hour to rent. If you can rent it out for five hours a day you've covered your capital outlay in less than a year. Given our weather, it might take two or three years but still quick enough to take advantage, even if it's just a fad.
chellie
Tour Winner
Seems to be from what I've read in the past and seen.
Arthur Wedge
Well-known member
It was the one before the bridge on the way into Alton just before the train station went past it when travelling from Bordon
Maybe the first 9 was open first for a while - think it was called West Worldham back then
never played Alton but went past it when going to Odiham which was our parent station
Lucifer MorningStar
Well-known member
Yeah that’s definitely the right course. Perhaps you’re right and you played it whilst they hadn’t yet opened the 2nd nine as like I say all the members I know and club website states it opened in 1992/1993 as an 18hole. Who knows
I now have a good idea of exactly where you worked now you’ve mentioned Odiham was parent unit, odd place if it’s the one I think it is went there once when I was at Odiham and it was going completely Civvy in it’s set up.
Well if you’re ever down that way and fancy trying Alton as it genuinely is a great little test of driving, approach play and short game. Then I’m always up for a round there, it’s a little James Braid Gem with some wonderful people. Plus my house is in Odiham so it’s only a short drive for me
Mandofred
Well-known member
Yeah right.....they said the same thing about disco!! Oh....yeah......never mind.
Arthur Wedge
Well-known member
Yeah that’s definitely the right course. Perhaps you’re right and you played it whilst they hadn’t yet opened the 2nd nine as like I say all the members I know and club website states it opened in 1992/1993 as an 18hole. Who knows
I now have a good idea of exactly where you worked now you’ve mentioned Odiham was parent unit, odd place if it’s the one I think it is went there once when I was at Odiham and it was going completely Civvy in it’s set up.
All of you’re ever down that way and fancy trying Alton as it genuinely is a great little test of driving, approach play and short game. Then I’m always up for a round there, it’s a little James Braid Gem with some wonderful people. Plus my house is in Odiham so it’s only a short drive for me
It was around 93 when I played it , think only twice
Was at the place in Bordon from 91 until 97
Think it went civilian around 2003 ? Was there in 07 on a training course when it was run by Paradigm now it’s Airbus
The NATO one just up the road still there
Whenever playing Blackmoor always see the domes
Lucifer MorningStar
Well-known member
Now you’ve said Airbus it’s definitely the place I was thinking of (RAF Oakhanger), there was still a blue suit presence there in 2022 but it was just 2 people and essentially they were building custodians. They did the full and final hand over of the last building at the end June/July from memory as I had to go there to do something as part of their handover before I moved to where I am now a couple of weeks later.
There’s a couple of NATO spots in that area still, Longmoor, Woolmer Forest and the other one!! There was also the REME in Borden I’m guessing around your time, which has now been converted to some modern housing and the old tank berm and tracks turned into Prince Philip nature reserve(The Hogmoor Inclosure) which is a wonderful place to go for a walk, kids can run around and explore and there’s an amazing park for them with a great coffee shop for the adults.
I’ve never played Blackmoor, it’s on the list of places to get to either this year or next but it does look very nice.
Arthur Wedge
Well-known member
Yep the Seme barracks were massive , no pubs in the town because it was a garrison town
Had to go to Pompey or Guilford as the nearest pub was always rammed with Army
A lot of the old raf quarters are still there in Bordon
Proper hole apart from a decent kebab van and pizza shop
Blackmoor is a brilliant course @richart is a member there
