New Members Guidance

Playing Days

We have pre booked tee times on Thursdays around 9:30am and at weekends (either Saturday or Sunday) from 11am during November to March and from 1pm April to October. Go into www.howdidido.com to book yourself into competitions. You will get email reminders via the Google Group.

Handicaps

If you do not have a handicap, you are still welcome to join subject to meeting the criteria of a round in 135 strokes. To obtain a handicap you need to play 3 rounds with someone with a handicap who will sign your card. Hand the cards into the handicap secretary (or place in brown box below the ladies’ noticeboard) and she will allocate you a handicap. Ladies’ handicaps start at 54. Once you have a handicap you can enter competitions.

Competitions

Usually there is a competition on each playing day, the details are given on the fixtures list which can be found on our website www.easthampsteadgolfclub.co.uk. Medals and Stablefords on Thursdays and weekends are separate competitions and members can enter on both days. You do not have to enter the competition – you can simply indicate you want to play a friendly when the Google Group reminder email comes out.

To enter a competition, you must have a valid handicap. Groups playing in the competition will normally go out on the course before non-competitors. If the competition is also a qualifying one for an external competition e.g., Ping, Coronation Foursomes, etc., you need to pay an additional fee and indicate on your card that you are entering the qualifier. You should always pay your green fee (or use your season ticket) in the pro shop before play. Order of play in competitions is notified a couple of days before via a Google Group email. Medal (i.e., strokeplay) competitions always go out in handicap order, lowest first to ease speed of play.

Please arrive for your playing time at least 30 minutes before the first tee time or advise your group’s WIC (woman in charge) if you are going to be late or have a last-minute emergency cancellation.

At the beginning of each month a Google Group email will be sent with an Excel spreadsheet showing how much you owe in competition fees for the previous month. Please pay your fees promptly.

Social Events

Although there are not many official social events organised, we do have weekends away, meals out and informal gatherings, which are all very enjoyable and open to all members.

Lessons

From time to time, group lessons are organised with one of the club professionals at a very reasonable rate. You may of course book individual lessons throughout the year.

External Matches

There are many external matches which the club enters, usually in team format – teams are chosen entirely on merit but because there are matches for different playing levels everyone has the opportunity to participate.

We also advise you of Open competitions at other clubs, which you are encouraged to enter, these are often in a team format.

Berkshire County Ladies Golf Association

As a member of ELGC you are automatically a member of the BCLGA which entitles you to enter county competitions. For more information refer to www.bclga.co.uk.

EGC website

Once you become a member you are able to access the Easthampstead Golf Club website which includes useful information for the ladies’ section and enables you to sign up online. Go to www.easthampsteadgolfclub.co.uk and click on the link at the top right-hand side to register. Once your application is approved, you will then be given access to members’ section of the site.

Details of Club Competitions

Details of all club competitions and the necessary qualifying requirements can be found at www.easthampsteadgolfclub.co.uk under the headings: Ladies/News/Competitions.

Etiquette

The dress code of the Downshire Golf complex should be adhered to, in essence, no jeans or collarless tee shirts, reasonably tidy clothes and golf shoes with soft spikes should be worn.

Mobile phones should not be used on the course except in an emergency.

Please behave courteously whilst on the course and keep up with speed of play – remember to keep up with the group in front, call groups behind through if you are slower than they are. We play ready golf to assist with speed of play.

Rules

If you are new to golf, the rules can appear very daunting and complicated. Please ask other players or in the pro shop if you are not sure about something. When you first start to play you should play with a more experienced player who will happily advise you. As some of the rules of golf have changed from January 1st, 2019, please ensure you are familiar with the new rules if you have had a break from golf in recent years.

ED&I and CC&D policies

You can find our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion as well as our Code of Conduct & Disciplinary policy documents on our website www.easthampsteadgolfclub.co.uk. Please take the time to read them.

Safe Golf

Easthampstead Ladies Golf Club is an accredited SafeGolf club, that is committed to providing an environment in which all members (adults and juniors) can enjoy the game of golf in an inclusive, supportive and safe way. Millie Millar is our Club Welfare Officer and can be contacted on ELGCWelfare@gmail.com Details of our Safeguarding policies can be found on the club website.

And most importantly…. This is fun! Happy golfing!