PHOTO FEATURE: Open Play – some beautiful holes

Our Members tell us that ‘Open Play’ is their favourite additional benefit of Crown Golf membership. It gives our members playing access to golf courses at 25 Crown Golf clubs, plus two other Kent golf clubs, up to 10 times a year at no extra charge.

We thought we’d highlight a few of the gems you can play, at Crown Golf clubs in the Open Play network.

The 2nd Hole at Cottesmore GC, Griffin Course

This classic Par Three, just 137 yards off the back tees, is just a short iron drop shot over the water, and in the early morning sunshine there are few more beautiful golf holes in England. If you miss the green, there is a devilish chip back, and despite its brevity, you’re always happy with a par three here.

The 2nd Hole at Pine Ridge GC

Pine Ridge’s 2nd is surely one of the most breathtaking holes on any ‘pay and play’ course in the UK. Arrow-straight with an angled green awaiting you, 404 yards away, you drive through a funnel of soaring pine trees, with a lake and a water hazard crossing the fairway at lay-up distance. This hole would not look out of place at a Major tournament.

The 12th Hole at Merrist Wood GC

A classic short Par Four which will make your knees knock, as you take aim for the green. You’ll have to make the carry over the water, to find the green, so lay up close to the lake and be courageous!

The 18th Hole at Stapleford Abbotts

Golfers love to finish on a Par Five … the only problem here is the lake, snuggling close to the green, which catches any balls which stray left, guaranteeing a slightly glum pint in the clubhouse afterwards. Still, it’s a thrilling final hole.

You can book a tee time for Open Play by calling the club direct. Alternatively, you can view all the Crown Golf courses and their contact details by visiting our Golf Club Finder Page at http://www.crown-golf.co.uk/clubfinder.php.

Open Play is available Monday to Friday anytime and after 2pm on weekends, subject to a 7 day advance booking window, with a maximum of one tee time per booking. Each Club will provide a minimum of two tee times per day designated specifically for Open Play.

Before you book, please be aware of the full set of Open Play Terms & Conditions. You can see them here: http://www.crown-golf.co.uk/openplay.php.

The full list of Crown Golf clubs which accept Open Play bookings is as follows:

Addington Court Golf Centre, Croydon, CR0 9AA, 020 8657 0281

Batchworth Park Golf Club, Rickmansworth, WD3 1JS, 01923 711400

Blue Mountain Golf Centre, Binfield, RG42 4EX, 01344 300200
Cams Hall Estate Golf Club, Fareham, PO16 8UP, 01329 827222

Chesfield Downs Golf Club, Graveley, SG4 7EQ, 01462 482929

Cottesmore Golf & Country Club, Crawley, RH11 9AT, 01293 528256

Eccleston Park Golf Club, Rainhill, L35 4PG, 0151 4930033

Hampton Court Palace Golf Club, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 4AD, 0208 9772423

Merrist Wood Golf Club, Worplesdon, Guildford, GU3 3PB, 01483 238890

Milford Golf Club, Milford, GU8 5HS, 01483 419200

Mill Green Golf Club, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 4TY, 01707 276900

Oak Park Golf, Farnham, GU10 5PB, 01252 850850

Paultons Golf Centre, Romsey, SO51 6AN, 02380 813992

Pine Ridge Golf Club, Frimley, GU16 9NX, 01276 675444

Pyrford Golf Club, Pyrford, GU22 8XR, 01483 723555

Sherfield Oaks Golf Club, Sherfield on Loddon, RG27 0HB, 01256 884100

South Essex Golf Centre, Brentwood, CM13 3LW, 01277 811289

South Winchester Golf Club, Pitt, SO22 5QX, 01962 877800

St. Mellion International Resort, PL12 6SD, 01579 351351
(NB: Open Play is not available on the Nicklaus Signature Course)

Stapleford Abbotts Golf Club, Stapleford Abbotts, RM4 1JU, 01708 381108

Sunbury Golf Centre, Shepperton, TW17 8QA, 01932 771414

The Bristol Golf Club, Almondsbury, BS10 7TP, 01454 620000

The Hertfordshire Golf & Country Club, Broxbourne, EN10 7PY, 01992 466666

Traditions Golf Course, Pyrford, GU22 8UE, 01932 350355

Wickham Park Golf Club, Fareham, PO17 5PJ, 01329 833342

ADDITIONAL OPEN PLAY CLUBS

Broke Hill Golf Club, Sevenoaks, TN14 7HR, 01959 533225

Chelsfield Lakes Golf Club, Orpington, BR6 9BX, 01689 896266

New Golf Insurance deal for 2013

We have a brand-new Crown Golf Members Insurance scheme in 2013, for our club members – which now includes £10,000 Accidental Damage cover, and a big increase to Personal Liability cover.

The popular Golfers Policy from Carrick Neil (underwritten by Royal & Sun Alliance) has replaced our former insurance provider, Golf Care.

As a 5-day or 7-day member of a Crown Golf club, you are now automatically covered by Carrick Neil for:

Worldwide Personal Liability Cover up to £5m

• This is an increase of £3m, from the previous policy’s £2m cover
• This means that Crown Golf members are covered up to £5m when playing golf anywhere in the world
• No excess to pay

Accidental Damage To Third Party Property cover up to £10,000

• This is a brand-new benefit, which was not offered on the previous policy
• No excess to pay
• This covers you for Accidental Damage at your home club and at all other Crown Golf clubs. So, if your golf ball goes astray and causes damage while you are taking advantage of your Open Play membership benefit at one of Crown Golf’s other golf clubs, for example, you are covered up to £10,000 without having to admit liability.

Your new Carrick Neil insurance starts upon the renewal of your membership contract, starting with those renewing on 1st April 2013.

You are invited to pick up your new insurance card from the office when you renew your membership.

WANT MORE COVER?

For a fuller golf insurance policy, Crown Golf club members will get 20% discount on additional cover if they upgrade their Carrick Neil Golfers Policy.

Call them on 0131 225 5777 stating that you are a Crown Golf member.

New Coffee Machines At Every Club

Every day of the year, 1.6 billion cups of coffee are drunk somewhere in the world. Of them, 70 million are drunk in the UK –roughly one per person.

St Mellion .. classic, golden, simple

Members and Visitors to Crown Golf’s 26 clubs, 27 locations and 40 golf courses, plus associated hotels, conference & meetings rooms, functions, weddings and parties, certainly get through a lot of coffee in any given year.

Batchworth Park .. for chocolate lovers

So in 2013, we thought we would up the stakes, by installing terrific new barista-style coffee machines at all of our golf clubs.

The Hertfordshire .. fine art

The result? Coffee at Crown Golf clubs is now more delicious, more healthy, less additives and sweeteners, and more environmentally friendly.

South Essex .. they’ve been on a branding course

The Carimali KICCO 2 Barista machine pictured above is typical of our new coffee machines. It gives you a perfect real coffee, tailored to your taste. Beans used are a traditional Italian-roasted blend of South American Arabica and Robusta beans. The high level of Arabica gives the coffee a nice smooth flavour, while the Robusta provides that rich real coffee kick.

Traditions .. psychedelic

The beans used are also certified by the Rainforest Alliance, which means that they not only protect the rights and wellbeing of workers (Fairtrade), but that they are cultivated in a way which conserves and protects the environment and natural wildlife.

Blue Mountain .. imposing

Guilt-free enjoyment!  Drink great coffee at Crown Golf clubs, and help to save the environment at the same time…

Sherfield Oaks .. Nazca symbols, Chariots Of The Gods…

Why not drop into your local Crown Golf club, and taste it for yourself …?

Oak Park .. the brochure look

And by the way … we asked our clubs to supply quick, camera phone-style photos of their coffee, last weekend. We gave them just 30 minutes to complete the task, and some of the ‘entries’ are shown here. Whose is the best? YOU decide ….

Mill Green … channelling  the Bakewell Tart

…and last but certainly not least, Milford – who were the first to reply to the challenge!

St Mellion Is ‘Best Golf Course In The West’

A major survey of golfers has produced another accolade for St Mellion International Resort’s world-famous Nicklaus Signature Course.

Over 7,000 golfers voted in the 2012 TODAY’S GOLFER TRAVEL AWARDS, sponsored by leading UK golf tour operator YourGolfTravel.com.

The Nicklaus course at St Mellion was voted Best Course – West of England. The awards recognise the best golf courses and resorts in Great Britain, Ireland and continental Europe.

The Nicklaus Signature Course at St Mellion International

Other notable winners included Ryder Cup venues Valderrama in Spain, Celtic Manor in Wales, The Belfry in the Midlands and The K Club in Ireland; Open Championship venue Royal St George’s in Kent; and The Old Course at St Andrews in Scotland.

St Mellion’s Nicklaus Signature Course opened in 1988, and was personally designed by Jack Nicklaus, the most successful golfer in history.

Jack Nicklaus said: “To this day, I don’t think there is another golf course like it in the UK. I am pleased that St Mellion continues to offer a first-class golf experience for its members and guests.”

St Mellion’s Director of Golf David Moon said: “This award is testament not only to Jack Nicklaus’ wonderfully original course design, but also to Course Manager Mike Bush and his skilled team, who keep it in such world-class condition. ‘The Nick’ as it is known locally can be a fearsome test of golf, but we can also clip its claws a little so that it is still very playable for the average golfer.”

The Nicklaus Signature Course celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2013, and St Mellion International Resort is planning a series of events to mark the occasion.

The Resort itself was named Best Large Hotel in the 2011 Cornwall Tourism Awards. It is the flagship venue of Crown Golf, the UK’s largest golf club owner & operator.

March Specials in Crown Golf pro shops

At each of Crown Golf’s 26 golf clubs, there is a golf store where you can upgrade your game with some new golf equipment, as well as replenishing your golf bag with the basics.

Each pro shop has its own offers, but through the month of March 2013 we have some specials which run across every club – so get to a Crown Golf pro shop this month to get these deals!

FREE TaylorMade Stand Bag

In March, buy a set of the New Taylor Made Rocketbladez irons (retail £525) and ANY Taylor Made Hybrid and receive the Taylor Made PureLite Stand Bag (worth £99) FREE!

£25 OFF your next Cleveland Wedge

In March, trade in ANY wedge for a new Cleveland 588 Wedge, and we will give you £25 off. That’s a guarantee no matter what condition your old wedge is in!

Calling all Captains and Past Captains

Are you a Captain or past Captain of any of our members sections – Mens, Ladies, Seniors or Juniors?

Then get a new sweater or shirt to commemorate your year of Captaincy!

Simply choose the Glenmuir sweater or shirt of your choice, and we will give you a great discount. Gents and Ladies club sweaters start from £45, and shirts start from £20.

This includes club crest embroidery, plus a script saying, for example, ‘Captain 2005’.

£100 off Sandals & Beaches Holidays

‘Luxury Included’ is their slogan on www.sandals.co.uk – and the all-inclusive Sandals and Beaches resorts certainly live up to the claim.

Let’s be honest, you don’t find many sights like this in England …

Crown Golf members who enjoy the finer things in life, can now access a new Sandals and Beaches Groups offer, for a golfing experience never to be forgotten

• Specifically, Crown Golf members receive £100 off any Sandals & Beaches Resorts holiday.
• To redeem this discount, you must quote ‘CROWN 100’ when booking.

Call Sandals Sports & Groups Department on 020 7590 0228 or 020 7590 0215 to speak to a member of the team, or email sports@sandals.co.uk.

You can also visit www.sandals.co.uk.

This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer or promo code.

Saint-Emilion Crus Classés Trophy with Chateau Vigiers

Chateau des Vigiers Golf and Country Club (www.vigiers.com) is the spectacular 16th century golfing chateau among the Dordogne vineyards in the south west of France. Crown Golf members receive a 20% discount on standard rates there, plus 10% off any special offer rates.

Located just over an hour east of Bordeaux airport, Chateau des Vigiers is a stunning base both for a golfing holiday and also to explore the beautiful Dordogne valley region, with its thousand chateaux. Flights from Gatwick leave twice daily.

From May 31st to June 2nd, Chateau des Vigiers has created the perfect opportunity for Crown Golf members to go and experience the unique atmosphere there, with the new Saint-Emilion Grands Crus Classés Trophy – a three-day Pro Am event.

You will play 18 holes in the Pro Am, and a further round in an Individual competition, and you also have the opportunity to book a pre-tournament practice round.

Prizes include Saint-Emilion Grands Crus Classés wines, and the chance to win another golf break. Accommodation options are in the magnificent Chateau des Vigiers G&CC itself, and there are a host of other things to tempt you such as wine tasting; golf and welcome gifts; a barbeque and a cocktail dinner.

Full details are below and also on our website here. To enquire further, please contact Cédric Plessis on +33 553 615 078, or email cedric@vigiers.com.