WOODSOME HALL are continually striving to improve their already excellent facilities, and have recently appointed long-time member and scratch golfer Chris Dyson as their course manager.

Formerly the greens chairman, Dyson has a new wide-ranging brief, which involves him meeting, greeting and arranging visiting parties, generally managing the budget and overseeing all new major products at the Fenay Lane club.

“Over the last two winters we have totally renovated over 60 bunkers and replaced all of them with new sand,” said Dyson.

“All the work has been done in-house and it’s been a great team effort from all the ground staff at the club, who have shown their strong support and desire to see the club get to where we want to be.

“A tremendous amount of work has gone into improving the greens and tees, which was a project involving myself, our club professional John Eyre, current captain James Haigh and our immediate past captain Graham Cox, the latter who really triggered it and made it happen.

“And we already have two more projects in the pipeline, one of which is a drainage project, which we are aiming to start on next winter.

“In addition, we are aiming to develop a short game area of excellence, which will be totally unique to this area. Supported by the Rabbits Section, it is an idea which stems from the Leadbeater Academy in America and will cover anything from chip shots to full pitches and bunker shots.”

The new improved developments at the club, incorporating the re-positioning of the bunkers, have seen the standard scratch increase from 69 to 71 after EGU officials visited Woodsome and inspected the course.

“The EGU are usually chasing the ‘extra yards’ but we are a great example of what can be achieved by hard work and increasing the difficulty of the course,” continued Dyson.

“I have had fantastic support from the club and my thanks to them for the way they have supported me and shown the vision to allow me to get on with things.”

Secretary Tracey Mee is also delighted at the way the club are continuing to move forward both on and off the course.

“Thanks to the generosity of one of our members, the driving bays are now covered, and with John Eyre’s new putting facility, the weather is no longer a problem.

“With regards to the new indoor putting centre, the club wanted to support John and his revenue streams, and with other improvements, we are hoping to attract new members to the club.”