Oswestry Golf Club is very proud of work done to improve the way in which it welcomes and deals with current members, new members and visitors of all ages and backgrounds and how it is involved in getting new people into golf on a wider scale.

In addition golf often get a bad press when environmental issues are publicised, yet many clubs, including Oswestry, do good work in improving their local environment.

In order to keep members abreast of what has been and is being achieved in these and similar areas we have put together this information to show just what goes on bhind the scenes at Oswestry Golf Club.

Please take the time to read these notes and, when appropriate, blow the Club’s trumpet and show others, especially potential new members, that Oswestry is a Club run by its members for the benefit of members and is very much a Club looking to the future for both its current and potential members.

 But what is Golfmark?

• Golfmark (incorporating Clubmark) is the national scheme that identifies and recognises junior and beginner friendly golf facilities.

• Sport England’s Clubmark is a cross sport accreditation for sports clubs with junior sections. National governing bodies, such as the EGU (English Golf Union), EWGA (English Ladies Golf Association) award Clubmark to proven high quality clubs.

• The three key areas within the golf club which are assessed are:

Coaching and Playing

Club Environment (including sports equity and ethics)

Child Protection and Duty of Care

 Oswestry has worked hard to earn Golfmark status and Junior Organiser Judith Thornell adds to work done in the Club by visiting schools to introduce the game to children. Many of those children move on to the Academy sessions held on the practice ground and, in due course, join as Junior members.

We are particularly proud that only recently Oswestry has been nominated by the County Golf Partnership as Shropshire & Herefordshire’s entry for the 2010 National Golfmark Club of the Year. Let us hope for national recognition.

 Whilst much of Golfmark’s emphasis is upon juniors, there is also work done in encouraging new people to golf and most of you will have seen not only the Junior Section coaching and other activities on Friday evenings, pre-membership Junior Academy sessions on Saturdays and Sundays and school holidays, but also ‘Taster’ sessions for Ladies and Men new to the game.

 With the added support of the County Golf Partnership we will be running further Taster sessions and if you know of anyone who would wish to take part in Taster Sessions please contact PGA Professional Jason Davies, Secretary Manager Roger Stamp or Junior Organiser Judith Thornell.

 As with all Clubs Oswestry needs a steady flow of new members to maintain its vitality and if you have a friend or relative, or know of someone who is interested in playing or beginning to play, please introduce them to what we believe is the best club in the area. Golfmark is very much a quality mark and Oswestry is the only Club in its catchment area to have ‘Golfmark High Achiever status.

You may have seen in the golfing press comments about County Golf Partnerships and the work being done by CGP’s to encourage people to ‘Get into Golf’. The initial CGP’s were piloted by the EGU & EWGA a few years ago and such is their success that they are now being rolled out throughout England with 31 of the 34 County Golf Unions/Associations having set up a Partnership. Shropshire & Herefordshire’s own CGP is now well under way and enjoyed a splendid launch day at Shrewsbury Golf Club in April 2009.

The CGP is a partnership of the Men’s County Union. Ladies’ County Association and the County Professional Golfers Association. The objectives of the CGP is to introduce golf as a sport to people throughout the County by providing taster sessions and similar activities and introducing more people to clubs as potential members.

Whilst the CGP, using grant monies directed via Sport England through EGU/EWGA, is in the process of appointing a County Development Officer to help achieve those objectives, volunteers are needed to support that officer. Oswestry’s Peter Turner and Judith Thornell are active members of the CGP Steering Group and if anyone is interested in being a volunteer please contact either of them.

 Oswestry was one of the first Clubs to take advantage of the scheme and STRI Environmental Officer Lee Penrose visited the Club on a number of occasions. He recommended ways in which the Club could improve its ecological environment and at the same time enhance the overall appearance of the course. The work undertaken over a few years was assessed by EGU and STRI and the Club achieved the English golf Environment Award in 2004. Head Green Keeper Gareth Woosnam and his team were delighted to help implement the environmental policy and, as you know, are very proud of how the course is presented. Actions taken to achieve the award included:

• Introducing deeper rough to more areas of the course to provide habitat and ‘highways’ for wildlife. These areas are usually well away from normal play and the sowing of wild flower seeds and planting of bulbs enhance the appearance of the course, especially in spring and summer when there is that special meadow effect as the long grasses and flowers gently wave in the breeze. An added benefit is the greater definition to individual holes.

• Locating bird nesting boxes throughout the course.

• Rather than burning logs from fallen trees, placing these logs in key locations to rot down and provide habitat for insects and small mammals; thus providing food for birds etc.

• Continuing the ‘Tree Programme’ by managing the trees on the course to take out the none natural trees and plant feature trees and hedges which provide improved habitat for wildlife.

The whole of the Environmental Programme is long term and is one of which the Club is proud. Work continues year on year to make further improvements.

 When you next play the course or visit the Club hopefully you will be a little more aware of the work that has been going on behind the scenes for many years, the benefits of which have been evidenced by a gradual improvement in our environment and in providing a Club of which we can all be proud.