Firstly, I would like to thank all the members of Sleaford Golf Club for ratifying my captaincy this year. It is my privilege to be your Club Captain at such a wonderful Golf Club. The members are the most important element at Sleaford Golf Club, it is my honour to represent you.

Welcome also to our visitors to Sleaford Golf Club, I hope that you enjoy your time with us. We invite you play and enjoy our tremendous 1905 inland links golf course. You will see that Sleaford Golf Club’s motto is “a pleasure to play”. This is so true, so whether you are a member, visiting golfer, society, or just paying a green fee for the day, we welcome you all.

I would like to congratulate our outgoing Captain Ed Kyme for a fantastic year 2023/24, we are all very proud of his captaincy throughout such a brilliant and successful year.

During Captain Ed’s tenure, the club won many trophies including the double winning feat never accomplished by the Club in its history, that of winning The Bramley Trophy and The Elsham Trophy in the same year. The league teams have been superb. The club is rightly proud of their competitive A & B Teams.

I offer a personal invitation to visitors and prospective members to come and explore Sleaford Golf Club. Enjoy the social golf available and take pleasure in interacting with our staff, members, and guests alike. You will see the history and development over the years. You will be pleased you took the time.

And for this coming year:

To my Vice-Captain Glyn Thorpe, thank you for accepting the offer of supporting me this year. Having recently retired, Glyn is really looking forward to a year as Vice-Captain followed by becoming Club Captain next year. Glyn will lead the club with the great passion and determination that we all know exudes through Glyn.

Our Ladies Captain this year is Gwen Campbell. The Ladies section will flourish with Gwen’s boundless energy and leadership during 2024/25. I am very much looking forward to a great year for Gwen who will be ably supported by her Vice Captain Fiona Pickering.

Our Seniors Captain for 2024/25 is David Jones. The seniors’ section at Sleaford Golf Club is always very active with many club competitions and club matches offering great avenues for golf. The senior section is a friendly and efficiently run hive of golf activity encompassing every ability. Gentleman over fifty-five years of age will automatically become a part of the senior section unless they wish to opt out. Here is wishing Dave every success in the coming year.

Our Juniors Captain for 2024/25 is Finlay Coote, enjoy your year Finlay! The Club has so many new starters to golf under the supervision of our PGA professional Dan Thomas. It really is a thriving Junior academy. Nick Musson is a huge help in this regard being the Juniors organiser, I personally would like to thank Dan and Nick for all their hard work with the Junior golfers and Finlay for taking the Role of Captain of the Juniors this year.

If any parent would like to introduce their children into golf, please visit our Pro Shop at Sleaford Golf Club and speak with Dan or Nick, they will be only too pleased to help, and offer a wonderful start for any young budding golfer.

To our Head Greenkeeper Brian Sharp and his tremendous team of quality greenkeepers who work tirelessly keeping the course in tip top condition, thank you. There is always a project going on to improve the course whether its new bunkers, re-turfing tee boxes or reseeding the fairways. The greens are exceptional all year round. To the credit of the greenkeepers, our green fees throughout the winter months are usually very strong, this is due to the course being based on a light sandy loam. The main greens are excellent throughout the year offering superb quality golf. Let us just hope that the freak weather conditions of last winter are not repeated anytime soon.

The Club House, under the Stewardship of Georgia Griffiths, offers a smile, a drink, and daytime catering after an enjoyable game of golf. But there is much more to the hospitality side offered by Sleaford Golf Club. We have a fantastic function room available for hire. It can seat a maximum of 120 people. We have hosted many events such as Sportsman’s Dinners to weddings, wakes, or birthday parties. Please contact Georgia barmanger@sleafordgolfclub.co.uk to explore our site for your function.

To our manager Nigel Pearce, thank you for all you do for Sleaford Golf Club. Through your many years of experience, the Club is run very well and very efficiently. We are lucky to have such a talented manager. Nigel will be the first to appreciate our Management Committee of elected members, offering Nigel and all his team support and guidance enabling Sleaford Golf Club to flourish and continually improve. There are many projects going on behind the scenes, the improvements are constant. The Club have recently installed solar panels, Climate control within the club house, work has commenced on the excellent Eco Bunker project, and there are many more big projects in progress for the benefit of the club, the membership, and visitors alike.

So finally, I am very much looking forward to meeting you all throughout the year. Sleaford Golf Club is my happy place, and I hope it can be yours too.

Wishing you a wonderfully enjoyable golfing season.

Yours in Golf

Paul Ellis

Club Captain 2024/25