WELCOME

As the 2012 Captain, may I welcome you to the La Grande Mare website, and moreover to our golf course and club.
 
Over the last few years we have seen some significant improvements made to both the course and ‘The Club’. I am especially pleased to say that these are on-going and we are looking forward to even more this year. We are pleased to have the continued support of the proprietors.
 
A little bit about our course; those of you that do not know it will be surprised by its hidden severity and if you are not careful how quickly it can turn a good round into a bad one. We like to look at this as being a ‘thinking man's’ course but there are many other descriptions and names. However, I am certain that no matter how you fare you will enjoy and remember your experience.
 
Visitor or member you should consider the main reasons that we play golf can be described in three words – fun, socialising and competition.
 
We are certainly looking forward to having a good competitive year. The calendar is full and I’m sure everyone is ready to hit the fairways, if they can. Our club competitions are all generously sponsored with some fantastic prizes up for grabs, our inter club matches are always fiercely but amicably competitive and our Hampshire Sevens tournament provides us with the chance to indulge in the more serious stuff, as we battle for a place to represent the Channel Islands.
 
The Club lends itself nicely to having that well deserved drink, coffee or a beer, along with a tasty snack or meal and always some friendly golf banter either after a round of golf or simply to chill out and enjoy the surroundings.  
 
Please feel free to drop in and enjoy our great restaurant, the club bar and of course the challenges of the course. Could this be your year to break the course record ? We have been waiting a long time for someone to do it.
  
Chris Walker, Captain
 
 
Well 2012 is off with a swing, quite literally!
 
The Captains’ Drive-In was really well attended and our charities of choice – Les Bourgs Hospice and MUGS will benefit from your very generous contributions. Having ‘auctioned’ off 2 bottles of champagne for ‘tirty tree’ pounds each, the total proceeds will be in excess of £500; thank you so much. An added benefit is that I discovered I haven’t really lost my swing and having stood trembling – quite literally – on the 10th Tee box all 3 shots were very reasonable. This was by no means unique, all Captains past and present did themselves proud.
 
Full details of both the above charities will be posted on the notice board in the club bar.
 
We have had a very wet and windy start to the year but the course has stood up to these adverse conditions well and I look forward to getting back into regular golf.
 
I am lucky to have a very experienced committee to support me this year and know they will work tirelessly to ensure the ladies section runs smoothly and efficiently. The Club Captain, Mr Chris Walker and I have had a number of meetings and we are both focusing strongly on a unified, social club that all members will be proud to be a part of and happy to support.
 
Every year brings new challenges, I hope I can rise to these and do the club and its members proud. A challenge I have set myself is to encourage new members to get their handicap and play in qualifying competitions. We have a core of ladies that play competitions regularly and it would be great to see these numbers rise. The sponsors are very generous and one way of showing our gratitude is to encourage maximum support.
 
Thanks to previous years efforts of Sue Falla and Karen Fooks we now have a thriving Thursday morning ladies membership, most of which now have a handicap – I look forward to taking this section to the next level and will be introducing new competition concepts to maintain their keen interest.
 
Finally I would like to wish you all the best of health, happiness and lots of good golf for 2012 and look forward to seeing you on the course and in the clubhouse.
 
Mandy Hardman
Lady Captain 2012