Dear Member,
Here we are at the beginning of 2023 so I thought that I would set the scene for the coming year. All connected with TPGC are doing their utmost to build a golf club that not only has a reputation for being a great course but also one that members will appreciate off the course. A club that has wonderful facilities where members can bring their families in a safe and sociable environment and one that delivers great value on food and drink.
The Club’s investment on and off the course certainly looks like it is paying off and TPGC’s reputation has grown far and wide. 2023 will see us host the Staffordshire County Championship and a prestigious PGA event. The number of new members joining, advance golf bookings and function bookings taken for 2023 is very encouraging. These revenue streams will be a vital part of TPGC’s income over the coming years, especially when considering our utilities expenditure could rise by up by 300% from April 2023.
Talking of expenditure, the Club is working hard on its 2023/24 budget and will do all it can to keep any increase in subscription to a minimum for the membership. We all have a part to play in the success of the club but none more so than members. Golf has never been a cheap sport and in today’s world that’s never been truer, but we do hope our members at TPGC see exceptionally good value when compared to other clubs. The Club does appreciate the support of its membership and hopes you will continue with us on our journey.
As we move towards the new season in 2023, we couldn’t ask for a better team of staff, on and off the course, and your committee is totally focused on making TPGC a great success. Right now, a new business plan for 2022 – 2025 has been developed alongside the creation of a 3-year course /clubhouse plan. We are hoping to see some changes on and off the course that will be very exciting. However, the Club wishes these to be achievable, soundly budgeted for and not pie in the sky…. Hopefully, our plans will be completed by the end of winter and then shared via another successful Members’ Evening. As a little snippet, the Club engaged a course architect earlier in the year and his hole-by-hole layout is very interesting, some suggestions are very achievable and some, more major undertakings, not so. The club wishes to demonstrate to members and prospective new members that it has a clear achievable vision for the next 3 years.
Fingers crossed 2023 will be another successful year for Trentham Park GC. A number of clubs around the country have reintroduced a joining fee and wouldn’t it be great if this time next year, we had a waiting list or had even introduced a joining fee. This of course will depend on renewals and new members joining TPGC in 2023.
Jon Farmer
General Manager
Dear Member,
It’s early in the year but an excellent time to start to set our standards as we mean to go on.
Everyone has noticed the fantastic work carried out on the course by Jim and his team. However, it’s not always appreciated just how much hard work goes into producing a course to the standard that we were all fortunate enough to enjoy last year, and which we’ve no doubt we will enjoy this year. Apart from the obvious technical skill and physical effort that goes into the job, Jim works within a settled budget and gets the best value for our members when producing the results he has. we know that Jim and the team find it extremely frustrating when they see the many unrepaired pitch marks on our greens, the bunkers where someone has just been too lazy to rake after they’ve played out and newly created divots not replaced on fairways. I know that the majority of our members treat our course with the respect it deserves but to those who don’t we would ask you to step up to the mark and help the team to maintain the high level of presentation they have created.
Off the course there are a number of areas where members can assist our Club. When booking tee times please ensure the correct information is fully inputted. All names of members and guests playing must be fully entered 48 hours prior to play. Slots should have the correct member and (if applicable) guest information. At least one member from each tee time should check their group in at the pro shop. This way the team can deliver the correct course information, assist with trollies, buggies and dress code. I’m afraid too many members head to the first tee without first checking in at the pro shop. If you have invited a guest / visitor, their green fee has to be paid prior to the game. If the game is before the pro shop opens, unless arrangements have been made with the Club, the green fee should be paid the day prior to the game. It would also be a great help if members who know that they will not be turning up for their booked tee time would remove themselves from the tee sheet.
Last summer saw the emergence of a new problem, that of empty bottles being left around the course. Please can we ask you to place any empty bottles you may have, or find, in the waste bins situated around the course. The greens staff endeavour to regularly empty our bins but should the bins be full, please bring any bottles back to the clubhouse. If bottles become broken, they will pose a threat to both members and greens staff.
Towards the end of 2022 there were a growing number of incidents where golfers were hitting balls dangerously into the vicinity of working greens staff. Please always give way to greens staff and wait for them to clear from any potential danger. Careless behaviour when hitting golf balls can have serious consequences for both golfer and members of staff.
Finally. On a good number of occasions over the past 12 months there have been days, afternoons and evenings where some members seem to have been less than vigilant in keeping an eye on their children whilst entertaining themselves and guests in the bar areas. There have been a number of occasions where members’ children have been playing around the practice green and carpark, even climbing and dancing on tables in the lounge, with not a parent in sight. We all want a club where members and their children can enjoy themselves, but that must not be at the expense of other members or our bar staff who, especially the younger staff, might be reluctant to challenge parents about their child’s behaviour. Members’ responsibility for their children is the same as for their guests. It is the member’s or parent’s responsibility to ensure they behave in an acceptable manner.
That all said, and the decks cleared, we wish you a happy and successful golfing year and the thought that together we can make our course even better.
Jon Farmer (General Manager) and the General Committee.