In addition to those members in Surrey, Sussex and Kent already on their books, Ready Golf has signed up a host of new clubs in Somerset, Hampshire, Hertfordshire and Essex.

With the pent-up demand following lockdown likely to trigger green fees hikes and more and more waiting lists at clubs, Ready Golf is an increasingly-attractive option for golfers who like to experience playing different golf courses around the country throughout the year for a one-off payment that offers exceptional value.

Thanks to Ready Golf’s current Spring offer, members can play as many golf courses as they like for just £64 per month whilst those golfers wanting to wait for the better weather to return are able to secure a membership spot with a refundable £75 deposit and choose a start date that suits them.

“During lockdown we have worked hard to extend our reach and add to the number of clubs in the Ready Golf family,” comments Tom Bishop, founder of Ready Golf.  “And with the return of golf at the end of the month, we are currently offering a 15% discount and a refundable deposit of £75 given the uncertain pandemic conditions for those who’d prefer to wait for some better playing conditions.

“With the new clubs now on board and several others keen to join, we believe we have a great golf offering for nomadic golfers who like to tee it up at a range of different courses. Whilst our golf courses are currently concentrated in the south east, we are looking to sign up more clubs from other counties in order to attract golfers from all over.”

One of the latest signings is The Bristol Golf Club in Somerset. Established in a 200-year-old former deer park with panoramic views across the Severn Estuary, it is home to two challenging courses suitable for both experienced and novice golfers.  In addition to the main 18 hole layout, there is an outstanding 9 hole, par 3 course whilst a 15-bay floodlit driving range is ideal for those wanting some practice before teeing it up.

Down the road in Hampshire, Sherfield Oaks just outside Basingstoke boasts 36 holes laid out among mature trees. The open design of the par 72 Wellington Course, set on naturally free-draining land, possesses a couple of driveable par 4s inviting the big hitters to grip it and rip it whilst the par 69 Waterloo Course is more intricately designed and requires more demanding course management from the opening par 5.

Another recent sign-up is Mill Green Golf Club just off the A1(M) near Welwyn Garden City, best known as the birthplace of golfing superstar Sir Nick Faldo. Designed by Peter Alliss and Clive Clark in 1994, this par 72, 6,500 yard track meanders through lakes and woodland and provides one of the best all round golfing experiences in Hertfordshire. In addition to the championship course, Mill Green has exceptional practice facilities and an outstanding 9-hole, par 3 course suitable for golfers of all standards.

Further around the M25 to the east lies Warley Park Golf Club with its 27 holes, set out in three loops of nine that can be played in any combination. Its characteristic undulating, tight fairways and pacey greens are bordered by numerous lakes and mature woodland providing a scenic backdrop for golf. The club’s newly-refurbished spike bar and terrace offer a high standard of service in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.

In Surrey, three more clubs have joined founder Ready Golf member, Bletchingley in Redhill; namely Pyrford, Limpsfield Chart and Hampton Court Golf Clubs.

Opened in 1993 and also designed by Alliss and Clark, the picturesque course at Pyrford is set within 23 acres of rolling landscape that features an abundance of lakes in an area of outstanding beauty. Indeed it is its strategically-positioned lakes throughout that give this track its distinctive feel with water ever present and many fairways fringed with bulrushes, reeds and lilies. The course’s extensive drainage systems however ensure that it is playable all year round, even during the wettest months. Easily accessible from the A3/M25 junction, this modern club’s friendly and relaxed clubhouse atmosphere ensures visitors always receive a warm welcome.

Created in 1889 making it one of the oldest clubs in England, Limpsfield Chart is a par 70, 9-hole course with 18 different tees. It retains all of the charm and many of the original features established over 130 years ago while also offering a beautifully-maintained course that has seen significant investment in course improvements over recent months that have added extra challenges as well as interest to this appealing heathland layout.

Another of the latest Surrey signings is Hampton Court Golf Club in Kingston upon Thames near London which offers golfers the unusual opportunity of playing a traditional parkland course located within one of the country’s most famous royal parks. Set in the grounds at Home Park, the 6,500 yard, par 71 design meanders through hundreds of mature trees on free-draining terrain whilst fallow deer roam amongst the flowering grasses bordering the fairways.

Joining Littlestone, West Kent and Broome Park Golf Clubs in Ready Golf’s Kent stable is Redlibbets Golf Club, not too far from Sevenoaks. Designed and built in the 1990s, the course has all the benefits of modern construction methods with USGA specification greens, tees and approaches and a fully-automated irrigation system. The par 72, 6,572 parkland layout boasts mature beech, oak and chestnut trees and offers spectacular views over the Kent countryside.

So for nomadic golfers looking to get back into golf as soon as possible after March 29, Ready Golf offers the ideal package of a low cost online golf club membership that gives easy access to an attractive range of golf courses around the country that can be played as many times as the member wishes once golf is back on the agenda.

Additional attractions for Ready Golf members include;

• offering members an accurate handicap index, in accordance with the new World Handicap System (WHS), which members can use when playing with other members
• ability to bring guests at special rates to any of the member clubs
• linking up with other members on existing bookings and meeting like-minded golfers and potentially, making new friends
• Further down the line, attending social events and members-only competitions

On a practical note, playing statistics for each member will be recorded and displayed online as will each member’s current playing handicap which will be managed by the Ready Golf team.

For more on Ready Golf, please visit www.readygolf.co

The post Ready Golf, The Online Golf Club For Nomadic Golfers, Increases Its Portfolio Of Golf Clubs Offering Members A Wider Choice Of Courses appeared first on Golf North.

Sergio Garcia shakes hands with Shane Lowry after his 4&2 win in the first round of the WGC-Dell Technologies World Match Play Championship at Texas’ Austin Country Club. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

IT was a hugely successful opening day for the stars of the European Tour at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play at Texas’ Austin Country Club.

Francesco Molinari, Sergio Garcia, Tommy Fleetwood and Paul Casey were among the 18 members to register victories, while Tom Lewis halved his match with World No. 3 Brooks Koepka.

There were a plethora of notable stories in round one of the group stage, with Stenson overcoming Phil Mickelson 2&1 in a rerun of one of the greatest final round battles in Open Championship history back in 2016.

Lucas Bjerregaard and Lewis both produced massive upsets as the Dane beat World No. 5 Justin Thomas 3&2, while Hertfordshire’s Lewis – who was playing on the Challenge Tour a mere six months ago – clinched a half point against three-time Major Champion Koepka.

Lewis said: “Every game will be tough this week. I knew that I was going to get a tough draw, being one of the last guys in.

“Brooks is a nice guy, I’ve known him through the European Tour and it was a good day. We weren’t at our best. I handed him the first couple of holes. It’s a bit frustrating but I’m pleased I made that birdie on the last hole.

“I’ve been working on my wedge play the last couple of weeks, and it’s obviously shown through there.

“I pulled it the tiniest bit. I knew that the slope wasn’t really going to kick in. I was pleased to have a putt for the winning hole.”

Moor Park’s Matt Wallace, who also hails from Hertfordshire, also won on his debut, overcoming former Major Champion Keegan Bradley, as did Justin Harding who staged a remarkable comeback to beat Matt Fitzpatrick, having been two down stepping onto the 16th tee.

Ryder Cup legend Sergio Garcia beat the current Race to Dubai leader Shane Lowry 4&2, while Ian Poulter – a former winner of this event – sealed a two-up victory over Kevin Kisner.

Poulter, who went to school in Hertfordshire before becoming a club pro in Bedfordshire, said: It was a fun match. Up, down, up, all square with a couple to go, so it was interesting.

“When you’re two-up with four to play, you hit a great shot in there to about five feet and Kevin had a putt from about 15 or 17 feet.

“You’ve always got to expect him to hole it, which he did. But I wasn’t expecting to miss my five-footer there. So that was a bit of a shame.

“And then I hit driver-driver on 16, which I’d like to play the hole over again. It doesn’t matter now.

The Woburn member added: “It kind of got up on to the green and it just trickled off and obviously he holes out from 70 yards, he goes square, and it’s really game on from a position where I kind of had control of it.

Tiger Woods won his opening group stage match, beating Aaron Wise 3&1, while four-time Major winner Rory McIlroy cruised to a 5&4 triumph over Luke List.

Bjerregaard, who claimed the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews, in October, said: “The last couple holes were a little more stressful than I was hoping. I hit a good drive on 15 and then, it was a pretty simple pitch shot in there that I messed up pretty bad.

“But I played well today, I didn’t make many mistakes. I made that one on 15 and hit a shot in the hazard on three. Other than that I put it in some good spots and drove the ball nicely.

“I didn’t give too much away. And then I made a couple of good putts where JT had hit it closer than me and he missed those.

“So there was a couple of match play moments in there that were pretty key for me there.”
Molinari, a 5&4 winner over Japan’s Satoshi Kodaira, said: “I played really well, made some nice putts at the beginning and throughout the match.

“So I’m really happy the way I played. Obviously, it’s a little bit easier when you start that way, but you still have to play a lot of golf and close the match out.

“So there were a couple of moments where I could have done maybe better, but all in all a very good day. It’s great to start with a win.

“It doesn’t mean a lot unfortunately, with this format. So I need to show up tomorrow and try to play some similar golf to today.”

“And I had a big putt there at 17 to leave myself just under the hole to give myself a right-to-left putt, which was a good one. I holed it, and obviously up and down from the last.”

Stenson, after getting the better of Mickelson again, said: “You could say it maybe wasn’t the most well-played match from either one of us, but there were still some good golf in there.

“I was pretty happy with my performance today. I hit some really nice iron shots and made a couple of important putts, as well.

“Phil is always worth the price of admission. He hit some fabulous short-game shots on three or four holes.

“He’s in some areas where you just can’t get up and down, and he’s Phil Mickelson and he gets it up and down. So that’s always tough to compete against.”

The post Lewis and Wallace flex muscles in WGC Dell World Match Play appeared first on Golf North.