In the early hours of Sunday 27 September, Bondhay Golf Club was targeted in a deliberate act of vandalism that caused severe damage to seven of the greens on the Devonshire Course. 

It appears that this strategic and targeted attack was intended to take the surfaces out of play for the foreseeable future, with patterned ‘holes’ of varying sizes dug out of the greens with spades or other tools. This is a deliberate and malicious act. To add to the devastation, the turf was then chopped up and thrown around to create further mess and to make it more difficult to conduct effective repairs. They have caused thousands of pounds of damage to the 18 hole course and disrupted the bookings for at least the upcoming days. 

The two greenkeepers already on duty were swiftly joined by members of the team who assessed the damage and got to work immediately in conducting initial surface repairs. This was just the beginning of a process to return the greens to as high a standard as possible, with work continuing daily. 

Damage of this severity undoubtedly will now cause severe disruption to our members and visiting golfers, and to the wider business as a whole. We will do everything in our power to make the recovery as swift as possible, but the impacts could last for a number of weeks. 

We are incredibly grateful for the messages and calls of support from the golf community and beyond since we first reported the incident. Thank you to College Pines Golf Club for sending a member of their team to assist, and to Shirland Golf Club who have kindly offered an extended period of courtesy rounds to our members. Further thanks to all of our members who have offered their support either in words, their time, or through offers of a monetary donation. 

The incident has been referred to the Police who are conducting initial inquiries. We are keeping an open mind as to who is responsible for this mindless act of vandalism. This is without doubt an intentional act done to frustrate and disrupt the day to day business at Bondhay Golf Club. Further security measures will be put in place which includes further CCTV cameras and surveillance equipment and other preventative measures. 

Bondhay Golf Club is a family owned business who welcome members, visitors and members of the public. We hope that our members and visitors will continue to support us as we conduct these repairs. 

We have offered a £1000 reward to anyone who can provide information that will lead to the identification and prosecution of the person or persons responsible for this damage.

ENDS

Welcome to the August & September edition of the Bondhay Newsletter. It’s a lighter-than-usual write-up this time as the fixture and events calendar eases up after a busy few months, many of our teams starting to wrap up their seasons, and many societies focus on playing at their home clubs – plus a lot of people are away enjoying their summer holidays.

There is still loads to get your teeth stuck into over what remains of the summer, with plenty of daylight to get daytime and evening rounds in, a number of coaching events announced (and more to come) and the Range continuing to play host to practice and games. The Pro Shop, as always, have a competition running every day of the week out on the Devonshire Course and will be launching some small summer leagues for certain membership categories, so watch out for that.

It’s great to see that the new patio area has been well-used since it was completed, clearly providing a much more inviting and comfortable space for people. The bar are offering a range of refreshing drinks to help combat the hot weather, including the usual iced coffees, alongside new smoothies and a variety of delicious frappés.

Unless you’ve been living life with your eyes closed, you’ll no doubt have realised that the country is in desperate need of some rain – we’re not quite at desert status here, but we’ve certainly got our fair share of brown grass. The greens have held up well generally speaking, but are starting to feel some stress of late from not receiving the more-acidic rainwater. This is showing to be standard across the industry at the moment, with many courses struggling to keep fairways in action in particular. The Greens team will be working tirelessly to keep everything in as good condition as possible throughout the endless heatwaves, before moving onto the autumn maintenance schedule come September. I hate to say it, but keep doing those rain dances!

Juniors

I’m very excited to say that our Junior membership has increased significantly over recent months as we welcome a number of young golfers to both the Academy and Devonshire Course. It’s great to see more kids and teens either getting into the sport or advancing their game.

Barry and Tom continue to host Junior Coaching every Saturday, sharing their expert guidance on a range of techniques across the game. We are currently exploring further development of our Junior programme and hope to share more in the near future. In the meantime, we’d like to gauge interest in the potential return of a more formal Junior Section, so would be keen to hear from you if you are either a junior golfer that would like to take part, or a parent or member that would be interested in helping to run a Section alongside our Pro Team.

Tom and Reece are hosting two of their popular Junior Summer Camps again this August, both dates having already sold out. We are hoping to add some additional dates, so keep your eyes peeled across socials and the website for those.

Opens & Competitions

Congratulations to all of the winners of our majors over the last couple of months, including N Highfield & J Cheetham who took the Senior Open, S Chester, D Parker, M Lakin, A Carter the All Sections Open, and N Calton who grabbed the top spot at this year’s Alan Hardisty Trophy. Thank you to all who took part in this year’s Captain’s Charity Day on Friday 17 July, where an incredible amount of money was raised for the Tom Henson Charity.

There is plenty to still get your teeth into on the fixtures calendar for the rest of the year with a comp held each and every day. However, there is now only two Opens to see out 2026, with the second and final Senior Open taking place on Wednesday 19 August 2026, and the Bondhay Christmas Open (All Sections Open) on Saturday 05 December 2026, both Betterball Pairs Stableford.

Tee Times

It has come to my attention that we’re having a large amount of members book prime tee times, particularly for a Sunday morning, to then cancel them at very short notice – sometimes only 15 minutes or so before the scheduled tee-off. First and foremost, this is unfair to other members how may want to play on those times, but it also removes the opportunity for the business to sell these tee-times to visitors.

Management and the Pro Shop will be keeping a close eye on this over the coming weeks and months. Repeat ‘offenders’ may have their online booking access removed and will have to book manually via the Pro Shop.

Bunkers & Pitch Marks

I’m fed up of hearing myself talk about bunkers and pitch marks so I’m sure you are, but it cannot be stressed enough how important it is to repair your pitch marks and to rake the bunkers as you go around the course. Not only does it help with overall maintenance of the surfaces for a variety of reasons, but not doing these most basic of tasks is technically changing the playing conditions for others and leaves you open for disqualification in comps. The total time that our greenkeepers have to spend raking bunkers is ever-increasing, which is taking them away from other vital jobs around both courses – please bear this in mind.

Fishing

As I touched on in the previous newsletter, fishing is now back underway down at Bondhay Lake and has been proving an incredibly popular spot already. Set in a beautifully secluded spot on the border of Whitwell Woods, the area is fantastic for a peaceful stint of fishing, with an impressive stock of carp and other breeds to go after.

Function Room

The diary is open for hire of our function room into 2027/28 and any remaining dates this year. Our Devonshire Suite comfortably holds up to 120 for a sit-down meal and 250+ people for a mixed reception, and is ideal for parties, weddings, christenings, end of life celebrations, and everything in between. Members get 20% room hire as standard on any day of the week, so please keep us in mind.

Special Offer - Howdens

The Attercliffe branch of Howdens, who are taking up sponsorship on the course, has kindly put together an exclusive 15% discount off kitchens for Bondhay Members and Visitors, using the code ‘BONDHAY’. Thanks to Depot Manager Nick Calton, who is also a Full Member here at the Club.

New Member Offer - Nick Hodgson Fitness

I’m pleased to announce an exclusive discount of 10% with Nick Hodgson Fitness, who is based out of nearby Wales (the Sheffield one) and offers a range of fitness disciplines, such as Fitness & Strength, Weight Loss & Health Improvement, and 1-to-1 and Group Training. Due to his background and impressive list of qualifications, Nick can work with golfers on specific fitness training based on understanding of the sport, as well as the complex back, flexibility and mobility problems that can come with it.
To enjoy your 10% discount on Nick’s services, just quote your membership number when booking. To find out more, visit nickhodgsonfitness.co.uk or call 07814 848 580.

Josh Clarke - Operations Director

Club Captain's Update

A huge thank you to everyone who took part in the Captain’s Charity Day. The event itself raised an impressive £1,175, and congratulations to all the prize winners. I hope everyone enjoyed a fantastic day of golf and good company.

I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to all members and visiting golfers who have supported the raffles in aid of the Tom Henson Charity. Thanks to your generosity, we have raised a remarkable £3,425. We are hopeful that this amount will be matched through a scheme operated by the bank where our Handicap Secretary, Phil Bonewell, works, potentially doubling the total raised for this worthy cause.

With the fundraising now complete, apart from the charity boxes located in the bars and Pro Shop, I would like to thank everyone once again for their outstanding support. If you find yourself with any loose change, please feel free to drop it into one of the collection boxes.

Congratulations to all the board competition winners so far this year. There are still plenty of competitions to play for, and remember that all board competition winners will qualify for the Champion of Champions event on 19th September.

Captain's Away Day

• Friday 25th September - Retford Golf Club
• Tee times from 10:30am
• Breakfast cob on arrival
• 18 holes of golf
• Pie, chips and peas after play
• Nearest-the-pin prizes
• Prizes for the top five finishers
• Prize for the day’s lowest score
• Cost: £60 per person (includes sweepstake entry)

Places are limited, so please add your name to the list in the Pro Shop if you would like to take part.

Happy Golfing!

Shane Turner - Club Captain

Secretary's Update

As always thank you for entering the weekly competitions. Your support really helps the sections’ fund enabling the Club to compete in several leagues and competitions throughout the season.

The major Board competitions and opportunity to get on the honours boards are in full swing so good luck to all. As always our grand final is “The Champion of Champions”. This will be held on Saturday 19th September. The Trophy presentation will take place on the day for all Board winners with a meal paid for by the committee.

Team Performance

6-18 League: The squad have kept up their fantastic performance throughout the season and grinded out several recent tough away games. Bondhay still sits proudly at the top of Division 2. We have just a few games to go so it’s in our hands to reach Division 1. Good luck to all the players.

Scratch League: Once again the team battled throughout the season but unfortunately didn’t manage to progress out of Division 5. A valiant effort but scratch team golf is tough!

Notts Alliance: The squad went into the last match at Norwood needing to better Oakmere Golf Club on the day and didn’t fail. Team Bondhay once again stepped up and held onto the magnificent Notts Alliance Shield for a fifth consecutive year! Huge thank you to Tom Slattery and Barry Hurt our seasoned pros for their excellent endeavours, and also our brilliant amateur squad members who contributed over the 12 match season. We start again in September and can only dream of a sixth victory!

To conclude, as a club and committee it’s important that we actively manage a list of members who wish to be a future Club Captain. As an ex-Captain, I found it a great honour and privilege to represent Bondhay. If you are interested please have a chat to Barry, Shane or myself for more information.

Mark Highfield - Club Secretary

Now in its third year, the Alan Hardisty Trophy was created in 2023 to honour or longstanding Managing Director, who dedicated 25+ years of his life to taking Bondhay from what was little more than a course cut into a field, to a picturesque and challenging track.

Just short of 100 bright-eyed golfers travelled to the golf club for an 8am-sharp-shotgun-start, testing their hand at the 18 hole Devonshire Course over the course of the morning. Participants gathered in the Clubhouse at the conclusion of their round – or on the patio in the sunshine – ready for well-deserved pint alongside a 'Bondhay Bunker Burger' and a helping of our famous hand-cut chips.

With full bellies and drinks flowing, attention first turned to the raffle hosted by Club Captain Shane Turner, who is raising vital funds for the local Tom Henson Charity. Our current Managing Director, Lisa Hardisty, addressed the participants with some warm-hearted words of thanks for being involved in a day that means a great deal to the family.

Alan was sadly diagnosed with dementia in 2022, forcing an earlier-than-planned retirement and now finds himself living a new life in a care home after a continuing to live on site at Bondhay. The Club remains in the family, with his daughter and grandchildren at the helm, pushing forward with the next chapter of what will always be his legacy. The Trophy is held on the Saturday closest to Alan's birthday each June.

Bondhay's Head PGA Pro, Barry Hurt, delivered the results and prizes to a packed marquee and garden. Without further ado, here are the top ten results and prize winners:

• 1st: N Calton - 42pts
• 2nd: J Waller - 42 pts
• 3rd: P Thompson - 40 pts
• 4th: R Griffiths - 38 pts
• 5th: C Bowler - 37 pts
• 6th: R Copley - 37 pts
• 7th: M Highfield - 36 pts
• 8th: S Turner - 36 pts
• 9th: J Chamberlain - 36 pts
• 10th: G Masters - 36 pts

This year's event boasted another inviting prize table, including a 50" Samsung UHD Smart TV, an electric pizza oven and plenty of golf gear. Our winner, Nick Calton, bagged himself a play and stay package for two at the Fairmond St. Andrews in Scotland, which is home to a luxury hotel and three courses, hosting The Open Championship Final Qualifying, the DP World Tour, and the Men’s Scottish Amateur Championship.

We wish to thank every single member and visitor that took part in the 2026 edition of the competition, and to those who supported the Captain's Charity either by purchasing raffle tickets or making a donation.

For a full list of other upcoming fixtures and events, click here.

Welcome to the Bondhay Newsletter for June and July. I write this introduction as such much needed rain falls from the sky after weeks of hot and dry weather. The weather has been very kind recently and provided plenty of opportunity for golf across our courses and facilities, but it is fair to say that the grass was in need of a good drink.

As always, a big thank to you to all of our renewing members, to those new members who have chosen to make Bondhay their new home of golf, to all of the societies and groups that have joined us, and all of the parties and weddings who have chosen to celebrate with us.

Opens & Comps

The next two months bring about a number of events in the golfing calendar, with the first of our two All Sections Opens coming up on Saturday 13 June, followed by the first Senior Open on Wednesday 17 June. A further All Sections Open takes place on Saturday 4 July.

The Alan Hardisty Trophy returns on Saturday 20 June for its fourth year, as we honour our previous Managing Director of 25+ years who was diagnosed with dementia and had to give up the reigns. For those who aren’t aware, Bondhay is still owned and operated by Alan’s daughter and grandchildren, so we’re incredibly proud to be continuing his legacy, whilst driving the business into the future. We all hope you will be able to join us for another day of golf and challenges, followed by some grub and an exciting prize table.

The ALFRA Trophy rounded off a busy May as 90+ golfers headed off on a shotgun start competing for an excellent prize table kindly put together once again by long standing member Ian Smith. Congratulations go to Richard Arnold for winning the 2026 edition.

Course Etiquette & Upkeep

Standard golf etiquette is increasingly missing from the golfer’s playbook of late, with the volume of un-raked bunkers and un-repaired pitch marks increasing month on month. This isn’t a problem exclusive to Bondhay, but one that Clubs are increasingly battling with and trying to find a way to address.

All golfers that play either our Devonshire Course or Academy Course are expected as standard to rake any bunkers that they enter and to repair any divots and pitch marks that they make. Above anything else, this is common courtesy to other users of the course to ensure the playing surfaces are as much the same for the next player as they are for you.

Raking bunkers and repairing of pitch marks also contributes to an ever-increasing portion of our greenkeeping team’s workday, taking them away from other vital tasks around the course.

In May, we were joined by a number of students on their work experience, a programme which we gladly participate in each summer. Their contributions alongside Ellis and his team contributed to over 400 hours alone being spent on bunkers in a single week – only to find them full of foot prints come the weekend, and requiring another round of attention straight off the bat.
The lack of pitch marks being repaired and bunkers being raked is not exclusive to visiting golfers and societies, it is found just as much on days made up primarily of members. Although a large quantity of golfers play their part, I’d ask that you keep a keen eye that you are doing what you should and prompt others to do so that may fail to pick up a rake or miss the odd pitch mark.
The Pro Shop team have been instructed to increase their prompts to all golfers around this issue and may ask for pitch repair tools to be presented in order to be permitted to play the course.

Every bunker raked, divot filled and pitch mark repaired contributes to better conditions for all, whether that be the found playing field or the gains made in freeing up our team to conduct business on other areas.

Continued Improvements

As always, we continue to invest in all aspects of the courses and clubhouse, most recently the tearing up of the tired patio area and laying of a brand new and extended patio. This has been paired with a new suite of outdoor furniture to ensure that all of our members and visitors can enjoy refreshments and hospitality in comfort whilst taking in views down the 18th. It also drastically improves the overall appearance of the front of the clubhouse and allows us to potentially repurpose the old beer garden area in the future. The gravelled area in front of the patio is a dedicated space for the storage of trolleys and golf bags while frequenting the bar, but please refrain from parking buggies and cars there.

I am increasingly aware that the internal furniture we purchased for the clubhouse bar last year is showing some faults, so I will be addressing this with the supplier and looking for them to make replacements.

Essential upgrades and maintenance was also conducted in the bar and kitchen over the previous month or two, with a new anti-slip floor and handful of appliances being installed across the departments. Other areas of the Clubhouse also require some immediate attention, such as the beer garden door on the bar and the emergency exits on the back of the function room.

Trespassing

We have had a large increase in non-golfers trespassing on the course over recent weeks and months, either for the purpose of collecting lost golf balls or for walking dogs. I am aware that some members have confronted certain individuals and have been met with hostility. We appreciate everyone that plays a part in trying to reduce this, but please ensure you’re not putting yourself in harm’s way and report anything to the Pro Shop or Office team. Despite likely being torn down as quickly as they go up, we will be reinstating signage on the boundaries and looking to increase patrols on the course where required.

Fishing

It’s likely Bondhay’s worst kept secret, but I’m pleased to announce that our picturesque fishing pond “Bondhay Lake” will finally be available to fish again from 20 June 2026. The space is being managed in partnership with Embryo Angling, who also oversee a number of local venues including Harthill Reservoir. Thank you to the Embryo team for their hard work and dedication over the last couple of years. Due to the exclusivity and size of our lake, tickets will be available on a 24 hour basis.
Please note that all bookings are handled directly through the Embryo Angling website at www.embryoangling.org/venue/bondhay-lake. Bookings for fishing cannot be taken on site at Bondhay.

Par 3 Group

Every Wednesday and Sunday, a group of fellow Academy Course members meet to play the 9 hole par 3 course, followed by lunch and coffee in the bar. The group are inviting new participants to join, whether they be members or pay-and-play golfers.

Josh Clarke - Operations Director

Club Captain’s Update

A massive thank you to all members and visiting golfers who have supported the raffles held in aid of The Tom Henson Charity. Thanks to your generosity, we have raised £1,800.00 so far. This includes a generous donation of £350.00 from Ronnie Hunt. Thank you to all those that have donated raffle prizes the charity and I are profoundly grateful for your continued support.
Congratulations to all the board winners so far this year, plenty more to play for.

Here are some key dates to add to your diaries:

• Saturday 20th June – Alan Hardisty Trophy (8am shotgun)
• Saturday 27th June Club Championships round 1
• Sunday 28th June Club Championships round 2
• Friday 17th July – Captain’s Charity Day (1pm shotgun)
• Friday 25th September – Captain’s Away Day (Retford GC)

Unfortunately, the Taskers team got knocked out of the competition away at Lees Hall, the 6-18 team have made a great start to the season, and the Scratch Team continue to grind out results. Feel free to come along and watch any of the teams or if you would like to get involved, please ask in the Pro Shop.

The senior section continues to grow anyone wishing to join check out their board in the corridor for a list of events.

Happy golfing!

Shane Turner - Club Captain

Head Pro’s Update

The 2026 golf season is fully under way with 2 Majors down and just the US open held at the tough Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in June and The British open that’s being played at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in July.

We are now fully stocked with our three leading brands in the market: TaylorMade, Ping and Callaway. We currently have drivers, fairway woods and rescue clubs. We do have demo clubs for you to book in a free fitting with either myself or Tom. We now have TaylorMade, Ping and Odyssey putters in stock so feel free to pop in and try one.

Our golf ball range remains the same with the new addition of Callaway balls.

Our new clothing ranges from Puma Golf, Adidas Golf and Under Armour are now in stock and are already proving incredibly popular. Please enquire if you don’t see your size, it doesn’t take long to order in.

We have just had our Ping demo day which was fully booked and very successful. Keep an eye out for the next demo dayss from TaylorMade and Callaway coming soon.

Myself and Tom are available for lessons throughout the golfing season either on our Trackman Range or on-course tuition. As an extra perk you can now use Pro Shop credit to purchase lessons so feel free to get in touch with us.
We still are offering a free Loft & Lie check along with advice on your grip conditions to help your golf for the 2026 golfing season.

Trackman has been a great addition to your golf club, so look out for weekly and monthly competitions we are running on Trackman through out the season and see if you can beat the scores set by one of the pro-shop team for bragging rights and a special prize. Also I’ve set up a 9 hole stableford competition to play the back 9 at Bondhay along with other courses to so let’s see if you can top the leaderboard.

Thank you to everyone who took part in our Majors Sweep, congratulations to all the prize winners from the Masters and US PGA, we have the US Open and British open coming soon.

The Summer Singles and Doubles Knockouts are now in progress and congratulations to all 1st round winners. Please keep an eye on when your match has to be played by as we have a very busy golfing calendar this season.

Board Events are now in full flow and I can confirm as of today we have 11 different players already qualified for the champion of champion in mid-September.

• Richard Ellin - Past Champion of Champions Winner
• Adam Powell - Captains Drive In
• Andy Richards - Winter Merit
• Simon Edmundson - Capatin’s Putter
• Shane Richards - Eileen Kirby Putter
• Neil Ford - Mary Olive Castle Trophy
• Matt Hague - Captain’s Sunday Cup
• Steve Brooks - Trustseal Trophy
• Tom Hunt - Thompson Trophy
• Richard Arnold - Alfra Trophy
• Andy Hunt - Ellen Martha Bennett Bowl

Midweek Medals and Stablefords need more support. We’re averaging about 15-20 golfers, when we have over 80 different members playing throughout the week. Remember it is a requirement from England Golf and Bondhay to have played at least 6 competitive rounds (with card submissions) to be eligible to enter other clubs Opens and our Board events.

Our Opens seem to be very popular and are filling up nicely. We do have some spaces still so contact the Pro Shop to get booked in to avoid disappointment. Please see dates below.

• Saturday 13th June All Sections B/Ball Pairs Open
• Wednesday 17th June Senior B/Ball Pairs Open (over 55)
• Saturday 4th July All Sections Open (6,6,5,1 Format)
• Wednesday 19th August Senior B/Ball Pairs Open (over 55)
• Saturday 5th December Any Combination Xmas Pairs Open

Upcoming Events

“Golfer Non Golfer’ on the Par 3 - 24th of July

Once again myself, Tom, Clive and Tony would also like to thank every member that has supported the Pro Shop over the last year. Long may it continue and wish every member a successful golfing summer.

Barry Hurt - Head PGA Pro

Secretary’s Update

Firstly thank you to the members who contributed their thoughts and ideas to our recent committee meeting in May. The Captain and myself will be liaising with Bondhay directors to discuss some of points hopefully through to fruition. These points included winter tees, Golf Genius functionality and stump removal. The Committee Meeting minutes are up on the notice board so please have a read if you get chance.

Competition Entry Fee

The £5.00 entry fee for internal club competitions will stay as now. The breakdown is a follows:

• £2.70 prize money
• £1.00 members section
• £1.00 twos club
• £30p pro admin

The £1.00 members contribution go towards: Honours Boards, Trophies, Sheffield Union Fees, Notts Alliance Fees and catering regarding team matches.

Team Performance

6-18 League: A fantastic start to this year’s campaign with the team sitting top of division 2. The squad has played mainly home games to date so a lot of hard work left to keep the momentum going.
Scratch League: A steady start in division 5 with the team holding their own sitting comfortably in mid table after 4 games. Who knows this could be Bondhay’s year!

Notts Alliance: As we approach the final game in the 12 match series the team are sitting in a great position to have one final drive to win the league. The Notts club order of merit will be decided at Norwood so good luck to all involved.

Enjoy the summer golf.

We're delighted to announce the return of fishing at Bondhay with the launch of Bondhay Lake – a peaceful, exclusive carp fishing venue set within the beautiful surroundings of Bondhay Golf Club.

Designed for anglers who appreciate a quieter, more personal fishing experience, Bondhay Lake is available to book exclusively for up to two anglers, making it the perfect choice for a couple of friends looking for a social session or a parent and child wanting quality time together on the bank.

The facility is being managed exclusively in partnership with Embryo Angling, who are custodians of a number of other waters in the area, including nearby Kiveton Waters.

Josh Clarke, Operations Director at Bondhay Golf Club, said:

"Bondhay Lake has been three years in the making, so it's incredibly exciting to be able to bring this project online for fishing enthusiasts to enjoy. The lake is another string to the bow of what we offer at the Club as we push forward with our growth and improvement plans. It is situated in a largely unvisted part of the property, offering an incredibly picturesque and secluded spot to put the lines out and enjoy the peace that it has to offer."

"This project wouldn't have been possible without the hard work and dedication of the Embryo team and volunteers, who have painstakingly tended to the fish stock, the lake and the surrounding areas through the seasons, come rain or shine. The fish have certainly come a long way since they were put in as nippers some years ago."

Bondhay Lake is available to book online now for dates from Saturday 20th June 2026 onwards. Tickets are on a 24 hour basis with up to two anglers permitted at any one time.

A Hidden Gem for Carp Anglers

Despite its intimate size, Bondhay Lake holds a healthy stock of carp reaching 27lb, including some stunning scaly mirrors and beautiful golden commons. With exclusive access to the entire lake, you'll have the freedom to fish at your own pace and enjoy the tranquillity of the venue without interruption.

Whether you're targeting a new personal best, introducing a young angler to the sport, or simply looking for a relaxing escape, Bondhay Lake offers a unique fishing experience in a peaceful setting.

Booking Information

• Price: £50 per 24-hour session
• Session Times: 10:00am – 10:00am
• Lake Exclusive: Up to 2 anglers
• Stock: Carp to 27lb

Bookings for Bondhay Lake cannot be made at the Club and must be made online here: https://www.embryoangling.org/venue/bondhay-lake/

Happy ‘Official Golf Season’ and welcome to the latest edition of the Bondhay Newsletter. April has got off to a great start so far, with both courses and the range seeing good usage and the weather being reasonably kind, although a bit up and down in terms of temperature. The clocks have gone forward, giving us much-welcomed extra daylight and more time for golf.

As this is being written, Rory McIlroy has just secured a consecutive victory at the Masters, so a huge congratulations to him!

The greenkeeping team have made some excellent progress over the off-season, with many updates taking place to improve the course and facilities. One such project was the removal of more trees, and the filling of a handful of bunkers. At the time of writing, the conditions have sat favourably to get the turf down on the bunkers, so that’s been landscaped and hopefully starting to get some roots down. All new turfed areas are Ground Under Repair (GUR) and marked with white paint – please do not play any shots off these areas and take relief no nearer the hole.

Our plans for improvements and renovations across the courses, facilities and clubhouse will continue over this spring and summer. We will report on these as-and-when progress is made, but it is hoped that a near-term win will be a new patio area at the front of the clubhouse to allow for more people to be able to sit outside during the warmer months, and thus increase the seated capacity of the bar and restaurant. This will vastly improve the area, making it more visually appealing and a more welcoming space for members and visitors.

Pro Shop Updates

The Pro Shop team have done a fantastic job in curating an excellent product offering for the new season, bringing new lines from the likes of Adidas, Puma and Callaway, plus the latest from favourites Under Armour, PING and TaylorMade. Whether you’re after a jazzy new shirt, an affordable pair of shoes, or the best selection of golf balls, visit the Pro Shop to browse the Spring offering.

Trackman Range

As of 1st April, the Range’s weekend opening was extended back to 7pm, offering more time to practice in the daylight on Saturdays and Sundays. We’ll keep all opening hours under review over the coming weeks and months (in line with demand) and extend again on certain days if necessary.
Don’t forget to take advantage of our Happy Hour and Loyalty Pack programmes. Happy Hours run every day of the week between certain times, giving you 25% off baskets of balls, whereas the Loyalty Packs are available via YourGolfBooking and give you extra free credit when you add money to your account. There’s also the new Loyalty Cards available in the Pro Shop, which offer a free basket of balls when you collect 8 stamps.

BRS & Booking

As members will know well, BRS is available for you to book your own tee times up to 10 days in advance. Where possible, please ensure you are adding all of your group’s names to the tee times, as this allows us to effectively manage the clubhouse and course based on the number of people expected.

We’re also seeing an up-tick in people adding generic reservations or guests to tee times and then removing them at the very last minute in order to avoid anyone else being added to their time. This is not something actively done by Club staff, so proves rather unnecessary. That being said, the Club is made up of a wide range of people who can offer a lot in terms of networking and friendship, so please consider ‘buddying up’ with other players from time-to-time.

A reminder that you must check-in at the Pro Shop before you head out on the course.

Opens

The 2026 Opens at the Club are fast-approaching, as competitions take place in May, June and July. All members and visitors with a valid handicap are invited to take part. More information and entry can be found at www.bondhaygolfclub.com or in the Pro Shop.

Car Park

We’re increasingly aware of the limited capacity of the car park as weekends continue to get busier, so have started work on trying to maximise the current space, whilst exploring ways to add more parking. One such avenue is the clearing of some spare land off the back of the current car park, which is being landscaped to create a grassed overflow area for use in the busier summer months. This will take a bit of time to come online as it needs to be seeded and allow time to grow, but hopefully shouldn’t be too long. Please be as considerate with your parking in the meantime, with cars as close together as possible (within reason) and not placing vehicles in a way that occupies too many ‘bays’.

Containers

Due to some recent vacancies, we have some space available for storage containers on the land off of the car park. The area is already prepped and ready to take a unit of any size. Contact Mackenzie in the Office on 01909 723608 for more information.

Food Trucks

You may or may not be aware of our sister business, JOMAC Events, which offers a range of food trucks and mobile bars via two converted horseboxes. If you or your business have any requirements for food and beverages at events such as a parties, weddings, corporate days, or even food nights at your local pub, contact me by email on hey@jomacevents.com or reach me via Bondhay channels.

Emergency Contacts

The membership account system now has the facility to add an emergency contact for each member. This is now included on our membership forms, but current members are invited to add an emergency contact if they so wish. You can do this by emailing memberships@bondhaygolfclub.com with their full name, contact number and email address.

Membership Terms & Conditions

I know everyone loves to talk about T&Cs (not), but the Club’s terms of membership are currently being updated to reflect changes in operations such as the offering of direct debit payments and to improve clarity. The new document will be uploaded to the website once complete and communicated to the membership. All current members are bound by the T&Cs and ED&I policy, as is outlined and accepted on sign-up.

To conclude, a huge thank you to every single member who has chosen Bondhay as their home club for another year, or to those who call it home for the first time. Please ensure you’re patronising the bar, Halfway House, Range etc. if you’re able. As the saying goes, “use it or lose it”.

Here’s to warmer weather, longer days and a great season of golf. As always, our door is always open if you have any comments, feedback or suggestions, or you can get in touch via the usual channels.

Josh Clarke - Operations Director

Club Captain's Update

Firstly, congratulations to Andrew Richards on winning the winter merit and the Taskers Team on getting through the first round beating Chesterfield 5-2 (thanks to Ellis and the team for setting the course up as far back on the yellows). Congratulations also to the Vice Captain’s team on victory in the Captain v Vice Captain match – don’t forget your free drink! Unfortunately the Captain’s team had myself in it… Thanks to Barry and the Pro Shop for organising.

White tees are back which means it’s golf season. I’d just like to take this opportunity to wish you all a good season, for the new members check out the dates for the ALFRA Trophy and The Hardisty Trophy these are top events with great prize tables.

Captain's Charity Day is Friday 17th July on 1pm shotgun start. My chosen charity is The Tom Henson Charity which is a local charity supplying defibrillators along with CPR training to local clubs and groups. If anyone has any prizes they would like to donate for the day please see myself or drop them into the Pro Shop, it would be much appreciated. Many thanks already to Ronnie Hunt who had a kitchen clear out and donated 10 bottles of spirits.

Good luck to all teams playing in various competitions this year. If you’re interested in getting involved in a Bondhay team, please ask in the Pro Shop.

That’s it for this edition… Happy golfing!

Shane Turner - Club Captain

Secretary’s Update

The golf season has now begun and it’s great to see the white pots back out across the Devonshire course!

Please take 5 minutes to scan through the 2026 fixture calendar online. We have an abundance of singles and team competitions this year, including many planned board events and great opens throughout the season.

Bondhay Team Activity

Taskers - The Gents over 50’s team have already played their first match taking on a strong Chesterfield side. The format is match play with 7 players in each team. This is a straight knock out competition, so win, or the season has finished! The event is across numerous counties and a great accolade to win. Bondhay completed a successful afternoon with a 5-2 victory.

The Scratch team will begin the season on the 13th May at home against Lees Hall in division 5. The competition is match play with all 4 players representing the club playing off scratch, so always fun to watch. If you fancy enjoying some quality golf please come along, first tee off is 5pm.

The 6-18 league also kicks off within the next month. Club teams consist of 8 players who play as 4 pairs in a match play foursome format. The Bondhay team narrowly missed promotion to division 1 last year so hopefully this season will see another push for the top division.

The Notts Alliance winter/spring league is now in full flow with 8 out of the 13 fixtures completed. This competition is an individual stableford format with a mixture of Pros and Amateurs across 12 different courses. Teams consist of between 4-8 players depending on the month and of course daylight! Bondhay sits in second position out of 22 Nottinghamshire teams just 4 points behind Oakmere, so all to play for in the next few months.

We have a super section playing lots of competitive golf. If you are interested in getting involved have a word with our Pros and they can point you in the right direction.

Mark Highfield - Secretary

Welcome to the Bondhay Newsletter for February and March 2026. After all of this recent wet weather, we’re sure you’re looking forward to spring and summer as much as we are!

During the prolonged inclement weather, it’s not surprising that the Devonshire Course is having a bit of a hard time with plenty of boggy and waterlogged areas. Some damage to the course in unavoidable, but please ensure you are playing your part by repairing pitch marks, replacing divots (where it’s possible to do so) and raking the bunkers that haven’t turned into a duck pond. Trolleys must remain off of tees, greens and their banks, as well as away from areas that have been roped off. The use of fairway mats is encouraged, but not mandatory.

Our thanks go to member Andy Hunt for taking time out his schedule recently to go out on the course to fill and repair hundreds of divots.

The Greenkeeping team have been working hard on course updates and maintenance over the past month or so, removing a handful of bunkers and removing problematic trees on the 17th to open up the area on the righthandside. Once again due to the persistent rainfall, the filled bunkers remain un-turfed as it is currently too wet for us to lay it. After the removal of a substantial amount of trees course-wide last year, they’ll be focusing on smaller areas this year to ensure that trees are felled and stumps removed in good time.

Opens

We have a fantastic range of Open Competitions throughout 2026, starting in May. For a full list of events and entry, visit the Opens page of our website.

Trackman Range

The driving range continues to be busy through the winter with many using it to keep on top of their game while conditions on the grass aren’t great. Our revised Winter Opening Times are still in effect and will be reviewed at the end of February:

• Monday to Tuesday 07:00 - 19:00
• Wednesday to Friday 07:00 - 20:00
• Saturday to Sunday 07:00 - 18:00

Happy Hours have since been introduced, giving you 25% off all sessions/baskets during the following times:

• Monday 10:00 - 13:00
• Tuesday 10:00 - 13:00
• Wednesday 10:00 - 12:00
• Thursday 15:00 - 17:00
• Friday 15:00 - 17:00
• Saturday 16:00 - 18:00
• Sunday 16:00 - 18:00

As always, all sessions come with full use of the Trackman Range software, giving you access to live ball tracking data, world golf courses, games, challenges and more.

An Evening With Ryan Rhodes

Sheffield’s four-time British and European boxing champion will be hosting an initimate evening at Bondhay Golf Club on Saturday 11 April 2026. This is an excellent opportunity to get up close and personal with Ryan Rhodes as he talks about what it took to climb the ladder in boxing and his time now training the next generation of talent. He’ll also dive in to what it was like at the famous Ingle Gym under world-famous coach Brendan Ingle MBE, known for crafting stars such as Johnny Nelson, “Prince” Naseem Hamed, Junior Witter, Kell Brook, and Kid Galahad.

Tickets are available now at www.bondhaygolfclub.co.uk. Standard entry is at an early bird rate of £50 per person until 28th Feb, and includes a pie, chips and peas supper.

Meet & Greet tickets are available and include time with Ryan, drinks reception, signed memorabilia and printed photograph with Ryan. You’ll also get prime table seating in front of the stage for just £99pp.

Members can get 20% off tickets with the code BONDHAY20.

Tickets available here.

Voucher System

As many of your will be familiar, monies won in competitions is placed on a voucher system in the Pro Shop. The voucher system carries as a huge liability against the business that has been building year-on-year. A review has been conducted and the following changes will be made:

As of the 1st February 2026, voucher monies on inactive accounts will only remain on the system for one calendar year. You will need to actively use your voucher system within the last period of 12 months to ensure that your monies remain available. Accounts that have remained inactive for 12 months or longer will be removed from the system. Expired members will have one month from their renewal/expiry date to use any monies.

We will no longer be providing credit in the Shop. You will need to pay for an item in full – either through the usual payment methods, or available vouchers – before removing this item from the Shop. You will also need to pay for an item in full if we have to order this item from our suppliers. Please do not ask for credit as this will be refused.

Clubhouse - Eating and Drinking

We have reviewed the opening hours of our Clubhouse during the winter months. We are in the continued process of refurbishing our clubhouse and updating our drink and food menus. We still have some work to do but I think you can agree that this space is now more comfortable than ever before. Heating has always been a problem at the Club and we’ll be looking to add some more sources of heat in the coming weeks to work alongside the log burner and radiators. As with everything, these refurbishments come at a cost.

The Clubhouse bar and kitchen is barely used by our members and our visitors during the week. This is extremely disappointing. We have therefore taken the decision to reduce our hours of opening during the week other than when we have member groups such as the seniors or societies. These hours will be increased again as we get back into prime golf season.

As a management team, we are going to be taking action to ensure the offering in the bar and from the kitchen is appropriate and effective, as well as providing consistent quality. This is getting increasingly difficult due to the ever-increasing operating costs and rising price of goods, versus the very high percentage of ‘car park golfers’.

Whilst we appreciate that Bondhay is a long course and you have your lives to get back to, even popping in to grab a coffee once a week makes the world of difference in ensuring that you’ve got a clubhouse to use in the future.

Trollies and Buggies

Each morning the Greens team review the condition of the course and make a decision on whether buggies can be used on the fairways or whether they need to remain on the paths. This decision applies to private and Bondhay Buggies and there are no exceptions to the daily rule. The paths allow for the use of the course by players of all capabilities and capacity throughout the year. This rule is in place to protect the course from unnecessary damage; damage that will take months to repair. Please respect this decision and report any members or visitors not abiding by this rule to the Pro Shop or Office.

Sponsorship

Many of our hole sponsorships have now been allocated, but we have a couple remaining if anyone is interested in showcasing their business to thousands of golfers that visit us every year. Placements are also available throughout the clubhouse and on the Trackman Range. You’ll also see the addition of a TV in the Pro Shop corridor displaying adverts and notices, which is available for placement. Contact Josh on marketing@bondhaygolfclub.com to find out more.

Other than that, thank you to everyone for their continued membership and/or custom and we wish you a fantastic 2026.

Lisa, Josh & Mackenzie - Senior Management Team

Course Manager's Update

Not long untill spring now and I can’t wait. Can you please do everything you can to help protect the course especially through the bad weather, this will make recovery quicker when we get into spring Repair pitch marks, replace divots and keep trolleys out of the roped areas, off tees and greens surrounds.

Winter work is still ongoing some bunkers have been shaped up into what will be grass bunkers. Please take relief from these areas untill further notice. G.U.R. As soon as the areas are suitable to work on they will be prepped and turfed.

Bunkers are: 5th green bunker, 8th fairway bunker, 9th fairway bunker, 12th fairway bunker, 2 fairway bunkers on 13th, 17th fairway bunker, Trees have been removed on 17 - all stumps will be ground and areas seeded.

Greens Maintenance will start March 2nd. This could change depending on the weather, if so a we’ll update through the usual channels. Greens will be Hollow cored, top dressed with sand, spiked and seeded. Tees will be spiked seeded and fetilized to fix the wear from winter.

Ellis Wilson - Course Manager

Club Captain’s Update

A massive thank you to all members and visiting golfers who have supported the three raffles held in aid of The Tom Henson Charity. Thanks to your generosity, we have raised £960.00 so far. Both the charity and I are truly grateful for your continued support.

As we look ahead to the 2026 season, here are some key dates to add to your diaries:

• Saturday 4th April – Easter Stableford
• Saturday 30th May – Alfra Trophy
• Saturday 20th June – Alan Hardisty Trophy
• Saturday 27th June Club Championships round 1
• Sunday 28th June Club Championships round 2
• Friday 17th July – Captain’s Charity Day
• Friday 25th September – Captain’s Away Day (Retford GC)

Unfortunately, so far the weather has disrupted a lot of golf being played this year.

The winter merit is coming to the latter stages the winner of which becomes the first name into the Champion of Champions keep an eye on the leader board as I write this Andrew Richards is playing really well and top of the leader board.

Wishing you all a fantastic year of golf and great company.

Shane Tuner - Club Captain

Pro Shop’s Update

The 2026 golf season is nearly upon us and the start of the first golfing major of the season The Masters. This coming year in the Pro Shop, we will be stocking 3 leading brands in the market, TaylorMade, PING and now Callaway. In Stock will be their hardware such as, Drivers, Fairway Woods and Rescue clubs. They will be landing any time soon and we will have demo clubs for you to book in a free fitting with either Myself or Tom.

TaylorMade are launching their new Qi4D Range, Ping are launching their new G440K Range and Callaway launch their new Quantum Range. Also landing soon will be TaylorMade, Ping and Odyssey Putters.

Our golf ball range remains the same with the new edition of Callaway golf balls.
March time sees our new Apparel range from Puma Golf and ADIDAS Golf coming into stock soon. Unfortunately, we couldn’t stock all golfing brands due to so many on the market but don’t let this discard you from making an enquiry as we might be able to accommodate you.
27th of February sees our first of many demo days booked in throughout the golfing season with Ping and places are limited so early booking is recommended.

Myself and Tom are available for lessons throughout the golfing season either on our trackman range or on course tuition, as an extra perk you can now use ProShop credit to purchase lessons so feel free to get in touch with us.

Why not take advantage of our free loft and Lie check along with advice on your grip conditions before the start of the 2026 golfing season.

Trackman has been a great addition to your golf club, so look out for weekly and monthly competitions we are running on trackman through out the season and see if you can beat the scores set by one of the pro-shop team for bragging rights and a special prize, also I’ve set up a 9 hole Stableford competition to play the back 9 at Bondhay along with other courses to so let’s see if you can top the leaderboard.

Thank you to everyone who took part in our Xmas and New Year Raffle and congratulations to all the prize winners, if you didn’t see the live draw then check it out on our Facebook Page.

Entries for the Summer Singles and Doubles Knockouts are now open so enter through the Pro Shop as usual Closing Dates for the last entry is 29th of March.

Next year’s fixtures are finalised with a packed 2026 season ahead and the new format changes to our opens seem to be very popular so we will be running the same again for 2026 with the addition of two senior midweek opens, bookings will be taken in January so don’t delay get your tee time booked.

Dates for your Diary

• Saturday 13th June All Sections B/Ball Pairs Open
• Wednesday 17th June Senior B/Ball Pairs Open (over 55)
• Saturday 4th July All Sections Open (6,6,5,1 Format)
• Wednesday 19th August Senior B/Ball Pairs Open (over 55)
• Saturday 5th December Any Combination Xmas Pairs Open

Upcoming Events

• Golfer Non-Golfer on the Par 3 Dates to TBC
• Summer Pro-shop Raffle with even Bigger Prizes TBA
• Golfing Majors Sweepstake Starting with the Masters

Myself, Tom, Clive and Tony would also like to thank every member that has supported the Pro Shop throughout last year and long may it continue. We wish every member a successful golfing 2026.

Barry Hurt - Head PGA Pro

Secretary’s Update

Preparation is now well under way for the new golf season 2026. The Honours Boards have now been updated so well done to the winners in 2025, I’m sure the competition this year will be even stronger with you all seeking to get your name “immortalised forever on the Honours Boards!”

Once again this year’s affiliation will be with Sheffield Union of Golf. This decision gives the club the opportunity to enter teams in the Scratch League and 6-18 League. Sheffield Union also runs many competitions throughout the season and these can be entered by Bondhay members subject to handicap stipulations. The committee as always will be paying for this affiliation through the members fund.

Another competition which we have entered again this forthcoming season will be the Taskers over 50s knockout tournament across 8 counties. The club has been successful once but definitely a hard one to win!

On a positive note the Notts Alliance team has made a strong start to this year’s winter league. We are currently sitting top of the league but chased closely by some serious competition.
The fixture calendar for 2026 is now live on the web site featuring many internal competitions but also external competitions such as our Bondhay Opens. (Always worth booking early for the Opens to get your preferred tee times, please see the Pro Shop to book).

And finally a big thank you to Club Captain Shane Turner and his wife for their hard work running numerous raffles throughout the winter for their chosen charity.

Mark Highfield - Club Secretary

Welcome to the final edition of the Bondhay newsletter for 2025, as we take a look towards the festive season and into the new year.

The Management Team and Course Manager will be firming up our plans for 2026 as the weeks go on, building on the hard work and investment of the past year. We will be looking to keep making improvements to both courses, practice facilities and clubhouse as we can. As always, please stick with us and be patient — we’re doing so as quickly and effectively as we be possibly can. I remain optimistic and excited to see where 2026 takes us and hope that it proves to be as popular a year for golf as this.

Festive Rates & Booking

Golf and hospitality packages are available to book now over the Christmas and New Year period, for both members and visitors. Members can book for dates between 20th December and 4th January now (no deposits required) and visitors, societies and corporates can do the same (deposit or payment required). Green fees are reduced for all dates in the aforementioned period, offering fantastic value on something to do over the break. To book tee times or packages, members and societies should contact the Pro Shop via the usual channels. Visitors can book using BRS or GolfNow.

The Bar, Pro Shop and Trackman Range will be closing no later than 5pm on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. The Shop will open at the usual 7am and the Bar/Restaurant currently scheduled for 8am openings unless bookings require an earlier start. All facilities will be closed on Christmas Day. Please note that playing of either course is not permitted on Christmas Day.

Trackman Range

The Range has seen really positive amounts of use of the summer and autumn, particularly from local residents and people getting into golf for the first time. This usage naturally reduces as the temperature drops, the rain comes down and the days get shorter, so we’ve had a slight change to the opening times over the winter, coming into effect from Monday 08 December:

• Monday to Tuesday 07:00 - 19:00
• Wednesday to Friday 07:00 - 20:00
• Saturday to Sunday 07:00 - 18:00

A brand new Loyalty Scheme has been launched via our online booking system, offering Range Users the opportunity to get free credit when you top up an account. Tiers start at £25 (+£5 free credit) and go up to £100 (+£40 free credit).

I am currently exploring introducing Trackman Range memberships and Happy Hours, more information of which will be published if it’s something we decide to roll out.
A reminder that all range balls must be paid for and should not be collected from the range grass or chipping area.

Winter Golf

It feels like winter has slapped us in the face over the early stages of the off-season, with incredible amounts of rain mixed in with some frosty mornings. This has meant a swift change from the scorched conditions of the summer to a very wet course in places. Please give some extra consideration when playing on areas of the course particularly susceptible to damage and wear.

The greens team have roped off many areas of the course, particularly on the approach to the greens or high traffic areas, so please do not remove stakes and ropes and take relief where necessary. Trolleys should not be taken into roped areas.

Preferred Lies are in effect across the course and fairway mats are permitted and ecouraged, but not mandatory.

Temporary greens may be brought into play as conditions dictate. Temps are used in the best interest of the course and allow us to work towards ensuring that the greens are as good as can be come the spring. We aim to have full greens in play as much as possible in the off-season. Please ensure any rules of the day are followed, including for buggies.

Please note that opening times for the Shop, Range and Bar may be subject to change during the winter months as we respond to changes in visitor numbers and daylight hours.

As always, please ensure that you a repairing pitch marks and raking bunkers where required. You should not be heading on to the course without a pitch repair tool. We encourage players to carry a divot bag if possible.

Buggies

Despite regular reminders and updates, we are having frequent issues with users of buggies adhering to the daily rules, often causing damage to the surfaces. This is across both members and visitors. Due to another very wet November we have had to enforce ‘paths only’, but regularly find tracks on the fairways and receive reports from other golfers of vehicles all over the fairways. We generally enforce these rules:

• Paths Only - All hired and private buggies and ride-ons must keep to the buggy paths and are not permitted on the fairways or other surfaces at any time.
• 90 Degree Rule - Buggies should use the paths to move around the course, going on the fairways at ninety degrees only to take a shot. After the shot, the vehicle should return to the path.
• No Rules, All Permitted - No restrictions to use on grass surfaces other than greens, tees and fringes.
• No Buggies Permitted - No buggies or ride-ons anywhere in the course. This is very rarely needed.

The course rules for buggies and ride-ons — whether hired from us or private — are reviewed, updated and published every morning and MUST be adhered to. The rule of the day should be verbally given to you in the Pro Shop, plus there are notices on the Shop desk, in each of our buggies, and on the blackboard in the entrance foyer. These are in place for the protection of the playing surfaces and for safety reasons. Our Shop team and Greens team will be instructed to carry out more checks each day. Failure to follow the rule(s) of the day may result in removal from the course and/or revoking of the right to use a personal buggy or ride-on where applicable.

Signage

Finally! After many gruelling months of trying to get this project going, the new hole signage is now all in place – it’s refreshing to have modern signs, not to mention it having the correct measurements! The posts are in place for some directional signage in areas, so the face plates will be rolled out as soon as possible. You may notice the first few sponsors have taken up position, so our thanks goes to ALFRA, JOMAC Events and MBM Electrical. A third party company will be taking on sponsorship sales and management for a number of holes, but we have a few held back for any interested parties.

My intention is to introduce similar totem-style signage to the Academy Course in 2026, as well as review furniture and accessories for both courses.

Further Renovations

We’re continuing to push forward with much needed improvements to the facilities at the Club, most recently installing new radiators to the bar and finally getting the new front doors hung after the original ones were clinging on for dear life. The new doors are custom made oak from a joinery company down the road in Shireoaks, and provide a statement welcome at the front entrance.

It’s fair to say that we occupy a relatively inefficient building, so work is being conducted to make improvements in this area. Some lighting in the building was previously on around the clock, so an electrician was instructed to carry out work to reduce the number of lights through the corridors and Pro Shop, remove those that were on permanently, and install energy efficient LED spotlights. The first phase of this formed part of remedial work following January’s leak damage, but the project was extended further.

Memberships

We had intended to freeze membership prices for 2026. However, increases on fees from the Yorkshire Union and England Golf; another increase of wages scheduled for April after the recent government budget; and the ever-increasing costs of other utilities and supplies, have forced our hand in implementing a minimal rise on some memberships. Certain categories have either been frozen in price, had their subscription reduced or had new tiers added. Key notes are:

The Full 7 Day Membership rate has been frozen for another year

• Associate Membership prices are unchanged
• The price of Junior Memberships have been reduced and the age banding updated, with a new 6-10yrs band introduced
• The cost of Joint Membership has been reduced
• The popular Ladies Pathway has been continued for another year, with all price bands frozen
• Playing restriction reduced from the OAP 7 Day Membership, allowing members of this category to now play from 11am at weekends (previously 12pm)
• I totally appreciate that money is feeling tighter than ever, and many people cannot comfortably pay for their membership up front. That’s why our Pay In 3 scheme was introduced back in 2024 for 7 Day, 5 Day and OAP 7 Day memberships. We’re pleased to be extending this to include all 5 Day, 5 Day OAP, Young Adult and Ladies Pathway categories, as well as Joint and Family memberships. T&Cs and suitability checks apply.

And finally, on behalf of me and my colleagues at Bondhay, we wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Josh Clarke - Operations Director

Course Manager's Update

Hopefully everyone has had a good year and got plenty of golf days in. Spring and Summer was a dry one for a change – good for golf but stressful on the turf, bringing more challenges in trying to keep playing surfaces alive and healthy and the irrigation system fully working.

I think we’ve fixed more pipes, pop ups and pumps than ever before, including removing and reinstalling our bore hole pump which left us without water for the greens and tees for a week. But we got there in the end. I’ve got to admit that the turf wasn’t the only stressing!. Apart from that I think it was a good season for golf.

Autumn and Winter

Being a heavily tree-lined parkland course, leaves are always going to be a problem at this time of year. The team spend hours on hours clearing leaves even though sometimes you might not think so. The course is a big area to clear and very time consuming and they fall quicker than they can be picked up. Also some days its too wet to get machinery around the course so please be patient.

Turf Disease

Disease pressure has been high through most of autumn into winter, and with turf already stressed from the summer into autumn, outbreaks of turf disease are common. Having said that, so far we seem to be doing ok and hopefully we can get through the winter with very little scarring.
I’ve been trialling new products to help combat microdochium but nothing is 100% preventative or curative. Also if spray windows aren’t available we can get caught out.

Winter Work

Along with daily maintenance, and once we’re on top of the leaves, more trees will be felled and stumps ground in certain areas of the course. The 8th fairway bunker will be filled and shaped up and drainage installed. If it’s only filled it will cause the 8th fairway to flood and, in extreme circumstances, the green too.

Ropes and posts are now out around the greens. Can I ask that you don’t remove them and take relief. The roped areas are there to protect the main playing areas around the greens from wear making recovery quicker going into spring.

Rules of the day and buggy rules are displayed in the Pro Shop. Please check before going out on to the course. Please don’t chip on the temporary greens and take relief. We’ve also put out signs on the putting green for this to be putting only. No chipping and pitching. Pitch marks are a big problem still especially this time of year. Please repair them and they will recover quicker than if left, making putting surfaces better for you.

Hopefully the rest of the winter isn’t too harsh and spring will be here before we know it. From the Greenstaff hope you all have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

As always any questions please contact us through the office.

Ellis Wilson - Course Manager

Pro Shop's Update

As the calendar year is drawing close and the official golfing season has concluded, I would like to take this opportunity in congratulating all winners throughout 2025 and wish every member a successful golfing 2026.

Tom, Clive, Tony and I would also like to thank every member that has supported the Pro Shop throughout this year and long may it continue.

This year in the Pro Shop we stocked both TaylorMade and PING hardware such as Drivers, Fairway Woods and Putters. Alongside these products, we will be adding Callaway golf balls, putters and the New Driver for 2026.

We still have a fully stocked Pro Shop, so pop in and see one of us for a fitting or just general enquiries. Unfortunately we couldn’t stock all golfing brands due to so many on the market but don’t let this discard you from making an enquiry as we might be able to accommodate you.

The Christmas Raffle is in full flow now at £5 a Square with lots of prizes to be won including the top prize of a TaylorMade Qi35 Driver.

Myself and Tom are available for lessons throughout the winter on our Trackman Range with lots of special offers to suit every golfer’s needs, so feel free to get in touch with us.

Trackman has been a great addition to your golf club so don’t be afraid to ask one of the Pro Shop team to advise and help with all the data on there – we all have a good knowledge on how it works. Also look out for weekly and monthly competitions we are running on Trackman and see if you can beat the scores set by one of the Pro Shop team for bragging rights and a special prize. I’ve set up a 9 hole Stableford competition to play the back 9 at Bondhay so lets see if you can top the leaderboard.

Next year’s fixtures are finalised with a packed 2026 season ahead and the new format changes to our Opens seamed to be very popular so we will be running the same again for 2026. Bookings will be open from January so don’t delay get your tee time booked.

From Tom, Clive, Tony and I, we wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Barry Hurt - Head PGA Pro

Club Captain's Update

As we approach the festive season, I’d like to take a moment to thank all those who make our golfing year so enjoyable.

To the captains of the Taskers, Notts Alliance, 6–18 League, Scratch Team and the Senior Section organisers your leadership and dedication have been outstanding.

A special thanks to the golfers who organise the mid-week and weekend fiddles, your enthusiasm allows us to just turn up and play.

To all the staff—Pro Shop, Catering, Greens Team, and Management—and to both old and new members: Christmas is the perfect time to pause, reflect, and tee up for the year ahead.

Whether you’re enjoying a crisp winter round or simply putting your feet up at home, I hope this season brings you joy and plenty of birdies in the New Year.

Let’s drive into 2026 with confidence, keep our swings smooth, and remember—it’s not just about the scorecard, it’s about the great company on the course.

Wishing you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Shane Turner - Club Captain

Secretary's Update

Firstly, thank you to all who attended the AGM. This is the members meeting and the aim is to be open and honest giving members the opportunity to ask Directors, Club Captain and Committee any questions relevant to the Club.

The AGM is one vehicle of communication, the others are through the Club Captain Shane Turner, or the final option is to visit the office and speak directly with the Bondhay Directors.

The Committee and Bondhay Director communicated an outline of “what’s happening” in their area and then the members had the floor to ask any questions they felt appropriate.

The Club Committee is represented as follows: Secretary/Treasurer, Handicap Secretary, Club Captain, Vice Club Captain, Senior representative, and Club Professional. Over the 2026 golf season there will be 2 meetings and an AGM. All sections will be invited to the meetings. As always, we are looking for individuals to join the team from the membership. Areas we need representation are Competition Secretary and Junior Section.

Last year we made fundamental decisions to reshape the fixture calendar in respect of Honours Board events, Memorial Tournaments, types of competitions (doubles/team events etc). Also, we instigated one of England Golfs major strategic initiatives promoting a culture of mixed sex competitions. Over the next month we will be building the fixture calendar for next year led by Club Pro and Committee. Final decision re the “fixture calendar 2026” will be agreed with Bondhay Directors.

Captains for 2026

We have agreed the captain’s for the 2026 season:

• Club Captain - Shane Turner
• Vice Club Captain - Chris Bowler
• Senior Captain - Neil Highfield
• Taskers Captain - Mick Yeend
• 6-18 Captains - Greg Masters
• Scratch Team Captain - Andy Hunt
• Notts Alliance Captain - Mark Highfield

Mark Highfield - Secretary

Everyone at Bondhay is incredibly proud to congratulate our Clubhouse Manager, Mackenzie Clarke, on being awarded 'Young Ambassador of the Year' at the 2026 Club Awards!

Bondhay itself was nominated for Golf Club of the Year, Website of the Year, and Social Media Club of the Year, but this personal accolade is a particularly tremendous accolade for a member of the team to pick up.

The ceremony took place at the Athena in Leicester on Wednesday 26 November 2025, bringing together clubs of all kinds together from across the country. The Club Awards applaud UK clubs of all shapes and sizes, from Rugby Clubs and Cricket Clubs to Social Clubs and Community Clubs. All elements of club life are recognised at the Awards, as people and businesses join together to celebrate all that’s great about Clubs across the UK and throw a spotlight on the vital role that clubs play in their communities.

Josh Clarke, Operations Director, said:

"We've been very fortunate to win at the Club Awards before, but for Mackenzie to pick up this personal award is an incredible achievement and a testament to her work and commitment in delivering for our members, wider customer base, and our team, every day. Much of the work that Mackenzie does is unseen and many of our day-to-day operations would simply not go ahead without her putting in the hours. It's a pleasure to have worked alongside her for the last three years – and here's to many more."

Learn more about the Club Awards at https://www.clubawards.co.uk/