New Club, A decision has been made

medwayjon

medwayjon

Tour Winner
Joined
Aug 22, 2007
Messages
4,594
Location
Chatham, Kent.
www.snodhurstcarsales.co.uk
As many of you who know me on here are aware, I have been very dispondant with my current golf club and have finally decided to move.

I rang the ridge in Maidstone today http://www.theridgegolfclub.co.uk/ , I had toyed with going there before but decided to sound them out today.

I spoke to the main man today, the owner of the whole place and he was genuinely very interested in speaking to me and telling me all about the ridge.

They have good practice facilities with a range and practice greens, all weather tees and fast draining greens avoiding the need for temporaries and a very friendly membership with numerous organised roll-ups throughout the week and at weekends.

He also mentioned that all comps are drawn (thank god) and that there are plenty of comps through the year.

I have played the ridge before and really liked it so all I can say is what am I waiting for?

Apparently they give me the full tour, introduce me to everyone to make me feel at home and then off I go.

Looking forward to my appointment on thursday already and at £915 with NO joining fee, Im onto a winner methinks.
 
What was wrong with Gillingham Jon?
Click to expand...

Right, here we go.

1) The course, on temporaries when completely unneccessary even though when the course is ladies only, they got greens.

2) Competetions, none are drawn, it is the same cliquey 4-balls who play their own local rules in comps that was doing my head in.

3) Taking guests/visitors, The club are in need of cash and have an empty clubhouse, I wanted to book 3 4-balls with breakfast, golf, lunch, drinks, golf, dinner on a saturday and was told "no visitors on saturdays"

4) Run by a few for a few. So many of the gents comps are for example on 2pm wednesday meaning that only the retired or those who dont work days can play. The committee are all retired old duffers, funny how these comps accommodate them and their mates isnt it.

5) Clubhouse, how pathetic that in the summer, the clubhouse closes at 7pm most nights, I have seen the course packed on a summer evening but the thirsty golfers coming in have to go to their local, yet the club moan about people not using the clubhouse!

6) A single has no standing, I like to grab a pencil bag and a half-set and have a quick knock on my own sometimes, however as a single I have to wait forever to tee-off as I have to let 2's or more start before me and play through.

Just the tip of the iceberg there.
 
That was the other problem with Gillingham.......... 7 par 3's and 2 par 4's that could be par 3's realistically.

Thats 1/2 the course.

A bit embarassing for a credible club.

The par 5's should suit me when playing well, long Par 3's though arent my forte.
 
Looks quite pleasant from the few pics on the website.
Card of the course(medal tees) makes it look reasonably easy to me? - three par 5's are all short and only 2 par 4's over 400yds, one only just. A lot of short iron 2nd shots I expect.
Worried you might get bored with this place too Jon if it isn't challenging enough? What is the SSS off the whites, do you know?
What's the deal with Princes - too far away?
 
SSS is 69 I believe from memory Stuart.

I cant see it getting boring for now as plenty of the holes have interesting dog-legs, very well-positioned hazzards and the such to keep you on your toes.

Would love to play princes as my home track but sadly it is a 100-mile round trip which makes it unviable when factoring in travel time as a game after work would be out and even a day-time game would make it a whole day out. Of course then there are the fuel costs and my motors arent exactly frugal on go-go juice either.

The Ridge is a nice friendly place and ticks all but one box I could think of so Im going to take the plunge on thursday.
 
Well it seems to tick the boxes for you so give it a go. You posted some time ago about the problems at Gillingham so making a change this early in the year will give you a chance to get into the comps and probably even the hole & hole comps this year as well.

Just remember though, you will find out before long that there is no such thingas the perfect club !

You'll still find things that irk you and seem to have no reason.

Hope it all works out for you.

Dave
 
Good luck with it.
SSS two below par makes getting cut quite tricky, you'll need to get that short game sharp and score well. ;)

On a general point I have a feeling it's easier to maintain a handicap at difficult courses that have an SSS over par. I suppose that's cos I'm a par-saving scrambler as opposed to a birdie machine (despite the name! )

ps Why are you not at Wembley?
 
Good luck with it.
SSS two below par makes getting cut quite tricky, you'll need to get that short game sharp and score well. ;)

On a general point I have a feeling it's easier to maintain a handicap at difficult courses that have an SSS over par. I suppose that's cos I'm a par-saving scrambler as opposed to a birdie machine (despite the name! )

ps Why are you not at Wembley?
Click to expand...

Watching it on TV, sold my ticket for £££ as I couldnt get a ticket for my best mate for less than £250 and even then we would probably have been miles apart.

Unless you and a mate are season ticket holders sitting next to each other and ordered 2 tickets in the same area quoting eaches membership numbers getting 2 tickets together was nigh-on impossible.

My mate didnt have enough loyalty points for a ticket.

Shame, real shame as the army were having a great get together in harrow before heading down today, that would have been fun but all day on your jack in the ground is no fun.
 
Jon shame you didnt come over to West Malling bit more expensive but we do have 2 courses.
Spoke to someone last week who is moving to West Malling due to problems at ridge said things are not quite right ? but didnt elaborate.
Graham
 
I'm glad you made a decision after our chat yesterday where you seemed in several minds. All the courses you mentioned had potential and pitfalls but this was the one you spoke most passionately abput so I hope it works out. The SSS being under par will make it a decent test. Look forward to another game with you at your new hone soon
 
Jon,

Good for you and I hope you enjoy your choice. From the website, it certainly looks attractive for a relatively new course, good practice facilities, nice clubhouse, and good drainage - pretty important in this neck o' the woods!

You're always welcome for a return match at West Malling, and look forward to hearing how you get on at the Ridge.

D.
 
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