My Blog

Mr Phil  Hirst is a star! He is the leading knee specialist in the North of England maybe beyond, who knows. I was under his scalpel 2 Friday’s ago for a tidy up and snip of a damaged cartilage in my left knee, and hope to be playing next Friday 2 weeks after watching the whole thing on a TV monitor, with his commentary and me asking far too many questions! Fascinating stuff it really was.

I can’t wait to play again after the poor weather too, so all being well Lymm for a trial 9 will be the start of it. My son Tom has just issued a share scheme in an effort to raise funds for his year ahead on the Players tour. Anyone that may be interested in more details please e mail me, in brief the shares are £200 each and it is intended to put 50% of his winnings back into the shareholders pot at the end of his year. He has  a real chance, given the chance of becoming a true winner. Having tasted victory in his 1st year in 09 I think 2010 will be great for him. He is stronger now, more focussed and of course a tad more experienced , I will keep you all informed and point you to his blog to when all is up and running.

Exciting day on Thursday for me when I collect a new Lexus from the showroom, all part of their advertising campaign for 2010 some of which is through us. So my RX450 hybrid will be the toast of my club at the week end..photo to follow!

Short game details very soon, a new brochure on the website too…it’s all happening!

all the best Andrew

Like everyone else I am fed up with the snow now. The novelty has gone and whilst it was great fun, kids off school everybody walking everywhere together etc..enough now please!

After my week end of the humiliation of seeing the mighty Reds defeated by Leeds,  I did take some stick for that from my various pals from ‘tother side of the Penines.

Sandra and I have been working at he office in ‘planning mode’ for 2010, various ideas, events forthcoming. Firstly the VW commercial vehicles schedule as in 09 that encompasses 6 ‘hidden gem’ courses for their golf promotion for this year. The likes of Denham GC, Delamere Forest & Little Aston amongst others.

Next is the event for the RRG Lexus Manchester day at Stockport GC, a date tbc but an exciting new tournament for this year with a new format and hosted by one of the regions most prestigious clubs. Even more exciting  is the idea of being loaned an RX450h, and you will certainly see me coming as its in white! A terrific motor embracing the hybrid technology and low emission and ‘BIK’ tax breaks, I can’t wait to take delivery next week.

This coming Spring I am intending to set up a number of  ’scoring zone’ clinics , designed to help you all with the short game and how to control the distance of the most important clubs in the bag- the wedges. Alongside Cleveland Golf, we are setting ourselves up as AM’s school of better scoring! Portal G&CC and Lymm GC will host most of these events, predominatley during the week, but several at week ends too.

On the very same subject, I have been working alongside Merit Golf , a small Conway based company specialising in artificial playing surfaces. My new proto-type putting green has helped me loads, although it has to be said its ‘work in progress’!  My task is to improve my stats from 80th on tour to top 10! Terry the boss makes winter tees, putting greens, pitching greens and golf nets to suit all, a top guy who really knows his onions .www.meritgolf.co.uk.

After my wisdom tooth removal of today and minor snip of knee cartilage by Mr Hirst on Friday I will be bang in shape for February and some competitive winter golf before the senior tours 1st event in Brunei. Fingers crossed the snow will go and leave us flood free and we can get back into hitting balls at the range, and then doing some short game onto reasonable surfaces.

Lots more to add , but will save some news for next time, cheers

A Very Happy New Year to everyone!

May I, and my staff wish you all the very best for the forthcoming golf season and beyond, and more importantly good health.

2010 will be a great golfing year again no doubt, with luck my friend and golfing hero to many Seve will continue his recovery from brain surgery. Tiger may come back and defy all odds and win a major or two, much of that may depend on how Mrs Woods reacts though. On top of all that we, the royal ‘we’ Europe have 8 players now in the top 13 in the world ranking, now that is astonishing. Not since the golden era of  Seve, Faldo, Lyle, Langer, Olly & Woosie have ‘we’ had such a gathering at the peak of the world of global golf! And…the Ryder Cup this year is in Wales at the Celtic Manor Resort, 2010 course. Monty of course is ‘our’ captain and so anxious to regain the cup that Faldo’s team narrowly lost in 2008.

What a culmination of a golfing year this could prove to be, albeit an early October date is a tad ambitious to avoid poor weather delays.

My 2010 year will again be varied, I really do hope i can keep my place on the BBC Five Live golf team for the Open at St Andrews, my 19th consecutive I am hoping, and then hope very much to be in Wales with them too. Fingers crossed!

Alongside my curtailed Senior Tour schedule, around 6 events in all probability and the various corporate commitments it will again be a busy year. We hopefully will re vamp an event for Lexus/Toyota to create the Hybrid Cup, the existing arrangement for VW Commercial Vehicles will be finalised soon to we hope.

I intend to create a number of  ‘short game ‘ schools too, at a varied number of venues throughout  spring time, Lymm Golf Club, Portal G&CC, Mottram Hall all in Cheshire and most likely The Buckinghamshire GC near Denham. All dates will be published shortly. These will be in conjunction with Cleveland Golf, their demo wedges and Srixon golf balls. An exciting new venture for me, so come and join me to knock shots off your game, enjoy the company of others and sharpen up your game in the ‘scoring zone’! Never mind, new drivers….that’s all for show, wedges and putters and the way to lower your score!

Enough from me I am sure, Man United v Leeds in the cup for me this week end!

cheers, and all the best. AM