Quirky Rules

There are plenty of rules situations you probably already know how to handle, but what happens if your ball is embedded in an orange? And how should you proceed if your clubhead breaks off-midswing-but you still finish the swing? The USGA and R&A might not have thought of everything when it comes to rules scenarios, but they've certainly given it a try in their 600-plus-page Decisions on the Rules of Golf. Here are our 10 favorites.

1. If your ball comes to rest next to a cactus, you may wrap an arm or leg in a towel to protect yourself from the needles when you play your shot. But you can't cover the cactus with a towel. DECISION 1-2/10

2. You may spit on your clubface before playing a shot to clean it, but not if you're trying to reduce spin to hit a straighter shot. DECISION 4-2/4

3. Even when they're attached to something, spider webs are considered loose impediments. DECISION 23/5.5

4. If your clubhead falls off during the backswing, and you complete the swing but miss the ball, it doesn't count as a stroke. But if your clubhead falls off during the downswing, and you complete the swing but miss the ball, it counts as a stroke. DECISIONS 14/2, 14/3

5. A log is considered a loose impediment, but if legs were added to make a bench, it's an obstruction. Wood also becomes an obstruction if it's "manufactured into a charcoal briquette". DECISION 23/1

6. If your shot ends up in the clubhouse, and the clubhouse is not considered out-of-bounds, you may open a window or door and play your next shot without penalty. DECISION 24-2b/14

7. Although you're not allowed to move loose impediments, such as insects in a hazard, and the boundary of a water hazard extends vertically, it's OK to swat a flying insect before playing from a hazard. DECISION 13-4/16.5

8. You cannot place a water bottle on a green and use it as a level to determine how a putt will break. DECISION 14-3/12.5

9. If a gust of wind moves your ball, you can play it from its new position. But if artificially propelled air moves your ball, you must replace it without penalty. DECISION 18-1/2

Mens Open

There are still spaces available for the Bletchingley Mens Open on Wednesday the 4th of June. The day consists of 36 holes for which there will be both gross and nett prizes. For more information or to enter please call us on 01883 744848 or click here to get in touch.

 Jubilee Pairs

The entry sheet for the Jubilee Pairs is now up on the Competition Board. The format for the Competition is 4BBB Stableford and is open to Full 7 day members.

I have got 1 NIKON rangefinder for sale for only £130, if interested please contact me, or come and see us in the Pro Shop.

Lithium Batteries

Our '£25 OFF' Offer on Lithium Batteries will be ending very soon. So make sure you don't miss out on this great offer by ordering your battery today! Call us on 01883 744848 or click here to get in touch. 

Click here to find out more about this great offer.

So you think you're not good enough to be custom-fit?

There's a perception among club golfers that having your clubs tailored to you is the province of the game's elite. The theory usually trotted out goes something along the lines of: "I'm too inconsistent for custom-fitting to benefit me."

The theory holds as much water as a perched links green. Your swing is a lot more consistent than you think, and technology can prove it. On launch monitors all handicap levels show remarkably similar levels of acceleration, clubhead speed, shaft loading and attack path and angle; whatever you think, your swing has a pattern. That perception of inconsistency is a fallacy, based on the fact a tiny change in the clubface's position at impact can create massive differences in ball flight.

But also, custom-fitting doesn't just refine good shots; it can also tame bad ones. That fact alone makes it relevant to all standards of player. So wherever you are in the game, come and talk to us about custom-fitting: it's a simple process… and it will have a profound impact on your game. Click here to send me your thoughts.