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:
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:
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
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
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
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
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
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:
Mark Highfield - Secretary
