TSGer Paul Houghton and his case against Brentwood Borough Council for discrimination on account of him not being allowed to use his buggy at Hartswood Golf Club have now been taken on by top lawyer Chris Fry…

The BBC interviewed Paul on 3rd September 2018 and all the major news organisations have picked up on the story we first highlighted in 2016…

Dec 2016 – Discrimination-in-Golf…

Paul joined The Social Golfer in 2014 and has been an active and welcomed member ever since.

In 2017, The Social Golfer sponsored Paul and fellow disabled golfer Roger Hurcombe, helping them to fund their competitive golf.

Here’s what the BBC wrote about Paul Houghton’s case….

———————————————————————-

Golfer Paul Houghton who is disabled and who uses a prosthetic leg is suing a local council for refusing to let him play on its course using a buggy.

Paul Houghton’s right leg was amputated in 2000 after he was affected by a lethal tissue-eating bacteria.

Mr Houghton learned to walk again – and golf became an important part of life but he still also uses crutches and a wheelchair.

He claims Brentwood Council in Essex discriminated against him but the council is defending the legal action.

Paul is lucky to be alive.

In November 2000, while working as a roofer, he knelt in contaminated water and contracted the deadly flesh-eating bug necrotizing fasciitis. It consumes muscle and body tissue at a rate of 0.75in (2cm) an hour.

“The surgeon told me he had to operate immediately,” Paul told the BBC.

“He said that he had no choice but to continue cutting until he was certain he had removed all the infected tissue.

“I had just two hours to prepare myself for an operation that at best I would survive with a leg missing, but at worst I would not survive at all.”

His right leg was amputated above the knee, and he received the last rites in hospital.

In all he had five operations, some for skin grafts because his amputation was very rushed and the perfect stump could not be formed.

Paul could not continue to work as a roofer and his business was wound up.

Paul Houghton – Disabled Golfer – Represented England…

He requalified and now works for Chelmsford Council as its access officer in building control.

He learned to walk with a prosthetic limb and switches between it, wheelchairs and crutches.

However, overuse of the crutches causes shoulder injuries, while the prosthetic leg can cause pressure sores that are difficult to cure.

Paul has represented England at disability golf 13 times, with a handicap of 14, and has played on courses across Europe.

Because of his disability, he needs a buggy in order to play an 18-hole course.

In August 2016, Paul had booked to play a round with a friend at Hartswood Golf Course in Essex.

It is owned and operated by Brentwood Council.

On his way to the first tee, he claims he was told he would not be allowed on to the course without a letter from his doctor justifying the medical need for a buggy.

If he obtained such a letter he was told he would be given a certificate allowing him to use his buggy.

Paul Houghton – Disabled Golfer – What he said…

“I was gobsmacked“ he told the BBC.

“I’ve played over 100 courses around England, I’ve played all around the world and I’ve not been treated in this way before.”

Paul says he explained that he had his own insurance, a European Disabled Golf Association card, and a medical exemption, but the club insisted that he needed a letter from a doctor to justify the use of a buggy.

“It sends the message that disabled people aren’t welcome, that we are not part of society, not included, but are segregated and can’t join in a sport that’s accessible to everybody, because we need to use other equipment to play the game,” Paul says.

In his legal claim, Paul argues that by refusing to allow him to use a buggy without a doctor’s letter, the council discriminated against him because of his inability to walk around the golf course.

In effect, he claims the council was applying a policy that indirectly discriminates against all disabled people who need a buggy to play golf.

Brentwood Council denies any discrimination and is defending the legal action.

The council said it was “committed to ensuring safe access for everyone to all its facilities” and would issue a full statement when legal action had concluded.

Paul Houghton – Disabled Golfer – Lawyer’s view…

Paul Houghton’s solicitor, Chris Fry from the firm Fry Law, said: “This case is more than just about making a service more accessible; it’s a reminder of the importance of the benefits which sport brings to social inclusion, together with physical and mental health.”

“This is especially important for people with a range of disabilities, and not least mobility impairments.”

“A simple adjustment in this case will benefit Paul, and thousands of others in a multitude of ways.”

In its “Buggy Use Policy”, England Golf, the governing body of amateur golf, says it “wishes to encourage the participation in golf of all players regardless of disabilities”.

This, it says, is in accordance with its obligations under the Equality Act.

Cae Menai-Davis, co-founder of the Golf Trust, a charity that works with disabled groups to make golf more inclusive, commented: “Golf is a sport for everyone.”

“Making it difficult for a disabled golfer to use a buggy isn’t just bad policy, it is bad business.”

“There is a huge untapped group of people with learning and physical disabilities that want to play the game and will benefit hugely from it.”

xx

xx

xx

xx

xx

xx

xx

Just some of the new outlets that have covered Paul Houghton in the last 24 hours…

The BBC

The Times

The Sun

The Telegraph

The Independent

The Week

The Daily Mail

The Metro

Epping Guardian

Once again, The Social Golfer online golf club and golf community gathered from all over the UK and with some players flying in from Africa for the 8^th The Social Golfer OPEN 2018 (sponsored by Golf News and Golf Escapes).

First held in 2010, this year’s event was held at North Downs Golf Club in South London…

The Social Golfer OPEN Championship…

Despite the driest British Summer in 60 years, the heavens decided that it was 29^th July that the dry spell was to end.

And didn’t we know about it!

However, this didn’t stop 64 golfers battling 30mph winds, squalling rain and, at times only 200 yards visibility.

The event is a great opportunity for TSG members to mingle and ‘be social’ with many of 5k strong UK members (10k+ worldwide) and compete for the much coveted Halliwell Cup donated by Stroke Survivor and British Inclusive Golf Ambassador, Ian Halliwell.

Furthermore, £5 from every entry fee was donated to British Inclusive Golf.

Golf News was very proud to be the Official Media Partner of the day, as the event included a number of golfing challenges and tests.

The Social Golfer OPEN Championship – The Day…

The day’s events comprised, an Individual 18-hole Stableford Competition (Men & Ladies).

A much enjoyed ‘Yellow Ball’ team event, run concurrently with the Straightest Drive and 2 x Nearest Pins.

The Golf News Guest Trophy, Charity Auction and Raffle also on offer.

This year, the event also hosted an indoor ‘Nearest Pin’ competition on North Downs golf simulator, with the winner receiving 2 nights half board at the Isla Canela Golf Hotel in Spain courtesy of Golf Escapes.

The Social Golfer OPEN Championship –  The Winners…

This year’s Men’s winner was Peter Hammond (Hampshire) with 37 Pts and the Women’s winner was Anna Guss (West London & Poland) with 29 Pts. Full results as follows:

Men’s Trophy (Halliwell Cup) …

1st – Peter Hammond – 37 Pts (Won on countback)

2nd – Roger Hurcombe – 37 Pts (British Inclusive Golf)

3rd – Speedy Miller – 34 Pts

xx

Women’s Trophy…

1st – Anna Guss – 29 Pts (Won on countback)

2nd – Judy Lilley – 29 Pts

xx

xx

Golf News Guest Trophy…

1st – Jay Penfold (British Inclusive Golf)

xx

xx

xx

Other winners included…

• NP (3rd hole) – Michael Hanley
• NP(9th Hole) – Paul Langford
• NP in 2(11th hole) – Ian Smith
• Straightest Drive(18th hole) – Judy Lilley
• Nearest to the Sim Pin(sponsored by Golf Escapes) winning a 2-day golfing trip to Spain – Tony Moss
• Yellow Ball Team Winners– Ian Halliwell, Roger Hurcombe, Gary Wilson, Mark Reeves
• Trevor Sandford Trophy – Chip in Birdie – Steve Hunt
• Outstanding Contribution to TSG Award– Brigitte Lockwood

The Social Golfer OPEN Championship – The Charity…

As with all good golf society days, there is often a secondary purpose.

This year’s championship was no exception.

The Social Golfer have always been big advocates in supporting disability golf and this year the members raised over £1200 for British Inclusive Golf.

These monies will go towards helping young kids with autism and other mental and physical disabilities through the game of golf.

 The Social Golfer OPEN Championship – What they said…

Speaking to Golf News after the event here’s what some of the attendees said about the day…

“On behalf of British Inclusive Golf, may I thank you and The Social Golfer community at the TSG 2018 Open, for the warm welcome we received and of course the considerable financial support through the funds raised on our behalf.”

“We are totally overwhelmed by the level of support! All our guys had a marvellous time despite the inclement weather and many new friendships were forged.”  Ian Halliwell – Chairman – British Inclusive Golf

Ian Mullins, Event Director of The Social Golfer OPEN said “Being a golf day organiser can have its trials and tribulations but every year the atmosphere at our events just gets better and better. A big thanks to everyone at Golf News, Golf Escapes and Golf Deals Group for putting up over £1k’s worth of prizes. “

“We hope to grow the event even further in the next 12 months in the hope we can broaden the appeal of the day beyond just our members and guests but include more golfers from all over the world!”

xx

xx

xx

xx

xx

xx

xx

xx

xx

By Ian Mullins

Read about TSG OPEN 2017 Championship – Click Here

One of Essex golf’s most popular figures, Matt Stables, has returned to South Essex Golf Club as Golf Development Professional with a positive message to all golfers – and a promise to improve their game.

Friend and member of The Social Golfer, Matt is an Advanced PGA Professional and has returned this summer after six years away from the club to develop a brand-new series of activities, aimed at growing the game and attracting golfers of all ages to the 27-hole golf complex….

Matt Stables returns to South Essex Golf Club…

“To me, golf is the best sport in the world, and for millions of people pure happiness is a day at the golf club with friends” said Matt Stables. “So I’m back here to engage local people not only with South Essex but also with this amazing sport.”

And if your golf game is getting you down, Stables has this for you…

“I’ll help you shoot four shots lower in the next 12 months”

He promises as he heads into the summer with new initiatives already established such as a Practice Club where both members and visiting golfers mingle with the common goal of shooting lower scores.

He has also started new Junior Classes at the weekends starting with Tiny Tots from four years of age and is also hosting new coaching programmes for female golfers and seniors at South Essex Golf Club.

To back up his new coaching plans, one of Stables’ first acts on his return to South Essex was to dramatically improve the Driving Range at the golf centre.

His range-refurbishment programme has already seen the introduction of all-new golf balls, hitting mats and lighting to the golf centre’s covered 14-bay range, with new range targets and fairway shaping on the outfield.

The 42-year-old pro feels like he is back at home – he was the Head Professional at South Essex Golf Club from 2009 to 2012 and has been welcomed back warmly by many of the club’s regulars.

“South Essex Golf Club is known as a great place for visitors” he said

“However, we’re actually also a great place to be a member. 27 holes playable all year round, a good range, and a great atmosphere in the clubhouse – it’s always buzzing here, which is one of the reasons I’m back in this new role.”

Stables’ methods have made seismic changes to people’s golfing skills.

“There’s no limit to how well you can play this game ” he said.

“I have a pupil who cut a massive 32 shots off his golf game this year! I just gave him a personalised plan of action, and it really paid off.”

“If you want it badly enough, I can get you there.”

Stables has also coached other professional golfers, and also elite amateurs, but although it is seen mainly as a competitive sport he stresses that the emotional benefits of golf are also very important.

“At a golf club like South Essex you make friends, you get fitter, you discover new things about yourself, and you set and achieve new goals – whatever your age”

“Playing golf is an intense emotional experience, and you feel truly alive out there on the course. That’s why we all love it so much. I’m back at South Essex to channel that passion and energy, into better performance. My goal here is to help you enjoy your golf more than ever!”

Contact Matt at 01277 811289

For more information, visit the TSG club Partners Page –  Crown Golf

By Andy Hiseman

Dear TSGers,

As email providers become more and more vigilant when it comes to cracking down on email spam, and with the incoming GDPR law/directive on personal data, many online business and platforms are suffering at the hands of the scammers.

However, to maintain our email reputation, it will help us hugely, if you could take the time to add us to your email ‘Contacts list’.

The more of us that do this, the better our email reputation with the big providers will be and this will prevent emails being blocked or TSG notifications failing to come through to you…..

Thanking you in advance!

Gmail

Add a Sender to Google Contacts…

When you receive an email from someone who is not currently one of your Contacts, you can open a contact screen for the person from within an email.

To enter an email’s sender as a contact in your Gmail Contacts:

1. Open a message from the sender you want to save as a contact in your Gmail address book.
2. Hover your cursor over the sender’s name at the top of the email or click the sender’s avatar image to open an information screen.
3. Click Contact Info on the information screen.
4. Click the + button on the Google Contacts screen that opens.
5. Enter the sender’s name and any contact information you have for the person. You don’t have to fill out all the fields. You can always add information later. Older versions of Gmail entered some of the sender’s information automatically, but the current version doesn’t.
6. Click Save to save the new contact or wait while Google automatically saves the contact.

Sending emails in the future is simple because Gmail pulls the information from the contact card when you begin to enter the name or email address.

Access the Contact in Gmail 

When you are ready to expand or edit the information you have for your contact:

1. Open Contacts in Gmail. From the mail screen, click Gmail near the top left corner of the screen and select Contacts from the drop-down menu that appears.
2. Start typing the contact’s name or email address in the search field. Auto-completion will select the contact. If Gmail does not suggest the contact you are looking for, click the correct entry in the search results and press Enter.

1. Make all desired changes or additions to the contact’s sheet. Click More at the bottom of the contact screen to see additional fields.
2. Click Save.

About Google Contacts

When you enter a sender into Google Contacts, the information is synced across all your mobile devices and operating systems, so the contact is available to you wherever you go and whatever device you use, as long as you activate the setting that allows Contacts to sync on each of your mobile devices.

After you have a group of entries, you can organize, review and merge them. With Google Contacts you can create personal mailing lists to quickly send messages to groups of people without having to enter all their email addresses.

Yahoo

How to Set up Automatic Address Book Assignment

Follow these steps to make Yahoo! Mail create a new address book entry for each new email recipient:

1. Click the Help menu at the top right of Yahoo! Mail (the one that looks like a gear).
2. Click Settings.
3. Open the Writing email tab.
4. Make sure the option called Automatically add new recipients to Contacts is selected.
5. Click Save.

You can also add any email’s sender and recipients to your Yahoo! Mail contacts fast.

How to Edit or Delete Yahoo! Mail Contacts

All of the automatically assigned Yahoo! Mail contacts will appear in your Contacts list. This is the exact same place your contacts go when you add them manually; Yahoo! Mail does not separate these two types of contacts.

You can make changes to your address book like this:

1. With your mail open, choose the Contacts icon at the top left of the page, next to Mail.
2. Click the contact you want to edit.
3. Click Delete from the top menu to remove the contact, or Edit Details to make changes to it.
4. Edit any details you want to change, like the name of the contact or the birthday, website or phone number lines, etc.

1. Click Save.

The Yahoo! Mail “Actions” Menu

If you return to Step 1 in the previous section, you can see that there’s an Actions menu when you’re looking at your address book. This menu provides some additional things you can do with your contacts.

For example, you can sort the entire address book by first or last name to make it easier to quickly sift through the list.

You can also sort the contacts by their email address or in reverse.

This is the same area you must access to import contacts from other websites like Facebook, Google, Outlook.com, other email accounts or through a CSV or VCF file. You can also export the contacts from this screen.

The Actions menu in your Yahoo! Mail account is also responsible for letting you remove duplicate contacts, print all of your contacts and even restore your address book from an automatic backup.

Outlook/Live/Hotmail

Quickly Add a Sender to Your Outlook.com Contacts

Follow these steps to add a sender to your People contacts from Outlook Mail:

• Open a message from the sender you want to add.
• Click on their name in the From or the Cc lines of the message. The sender’s contact information will be displayed in a frame to the right.
• Click the More actions menu button next to the sender’s name.
• Click Add to contacts from the menu. The Add contact window will open. The sender’s name and email address will be pre-populated in these fields, and you can add and change information in the other available fields, such as first name, last name, and notes. Use the Other section to add nicknames, birthdays, the name of their significant other, personal Web pages and anniversary.
• Click Save at the top of the page when you’re finished to save the contact information.

Your new contact can now be found in your People app under Your contacts.

Accessing Your Saved Contacts in the People App

Outlook.com has numerous apps available to help you manage your emails, contacts, calendars, task lists and more.

You can find apps, including the People app where your contacts are stored, in the App Launcher.

Click the App Launcher button in top menu button in the upper left corner of the Outlook.com page (it looks a bit like a Rubik’s Cube). Click the People tile to open the app where you will find all of your contacts.

In the People app, you can sort the contacts in your address book, including by first name, last name, company, recently added and other criteria.

There are shortcuts to quickly access your contacts when using Outlook.com:

• Find them with a search using the search field at the top of the left side frame. In the Mail app, the field is labeled Search Mail and People (in the People app it is simply Search People).
• When composing an email, start typing their name in the To field. As you do, suggestions from senders and your contacts will be displayed—if your intended contact is shown, click the name to add it as a recipient. Otherwise, click Search People to extend your contact search.

i-Cloud

Adding People to Address Book

There are a few ways to add entries to your address book, including via an address book on your desktop (such as Address Book on the Mac or Outlook on the PC) and then sync them to your iPhone or entering them directly on the phone.

You can also transfer existing contacts from one iPhone to another.

To add them through the Phone app:

1. Tap the Phone app to launch it
2. Tap the Contacts icon at the bottom of the screen
3. Tap on the + icon at the top right corner of the screen. This brings up a new blank contact
4. Tap each field you want to add information to. When you do, the keyboard appears from the bottom of the screen. Generally speaking, the fields are self-explanatory. Here are details for a few that may not be:
   • Phone—When you tap Add Phone, you can not only be able to add a phone number but can also indicate whether the number is a cell phone, office, home, etc. This is helpful for contacts for who you have multiple numbers
   • Email—As with phone numbers, you can also store multiple email address for each contact
   • Date—Tap the Add Date field to add the date of your anniversary or another important date with your significant other
   • Related name—If the contact is related to someone else in your address book (for instance, they are your sister or your best friend’s cousin), tap this field, tap the type of relation, and then select another name from your address book. You can add multiple relationships
   • Social profile—To include your contact’s Twitter name, Facebook account, or details from a number of other social media sites, fill out this section. This can make contacting and sharing via social media easier.
5. You can add a photo to a person’s contact so that it appears whenever you call them or they call you. For more detailed instructions on your options for how to do this, check out the next page of this article.
6. You can assign ringtones and text tones to that person’s communications so you know when they’re calling or texting. More on that in the section below.
7. When you’re done creating the contact, tap the Done button in the top-right corner to save the new contact.

You’ll see the new contact added to your address book and categorized by last name.

AOL

How to add contacts in AOL Mail

When logged in to your AOL account, you can easily access your address book of contacts at any time by finding the section labeled “Contacts” in the left sidebar.

When you have added people to your AOL contacts, though, they will appear here, with whatever information you have provided for them: name, email address, AIM screen name, phone number, etc.

To add a new contact in AOL Mail, click on the button near the top of the address book that looks like a little person with a “+” sign.

In the “New Contact” form, you can add any and all information that you have about the person you want to save to your AOL address book.

This will usually include at least their first name and email address, which would be the bare minimum for keeping track of who everybody is. If you have a nickname for them, or want to add a note to help you remember (e.g. how you met), that can go in the “Nickname” field.

To add them on AIM chat as well, if you know their screen name, you can enter it in the “AIM” field. And so on and so forth…

As an example, I’ll add my mom as a contact. First, I’ll enter “Mom” as her first name (no last name necessary, of course). And in the “Email 1” field, I’ve typed in the email address I use to communicate with her.

When I have added all the information I want to add, I will finish the process by clicking on the “Add Contact” button at the bottom of the form.

You will now see the new contact you have added as it will appear whenever you access it from your address book. (The picture was set by default, but you can add one of your own if you prefer).

Now, if you return to your AOL Mail address book by clicking on the “Contacts” link in the left menu just like before, you can see that your newly added contact appears there. Once you have added more contacts, they will also be shown here as a list.

You can then access any one of them to send email, edit information, etc. by clicking on them in the list view.

If you are still not receiving your emails after making these changes, please email us at theteam@thesocialgolfer.com and we will try to help

Regards

Ian & The TSG Development Team

The Online Golf Club & Golf Society, The Social Golfer have confirmed that Crown Golf will be its official site sponsor for a third year running….

Crown Golf (the UK’s leading Golf Club Operator) and The Social Golfer (TSG) have built an effective and commercial partnership over the last few years which has resulted in driving over £10K of Green Fees to the group in 2017!

Crown Golf & The Social Golfer – The new deal…

This year’s agreement sees an addition to their effective partnership, with 2018 seeing ALL TSG PRO account holders receiving a FREE round of golf at Crown Courses (T&C’s apply) as part of their annual £29.98 membership fee*.

Furthermore, Crown Golf will also replace The Altonwood Group as the Official Sponsor of the TSG MatchPlay Championship that runs throughout the summer months, with the final held at Pine Ridge Golf Club.

Crown Golf & The Social Golfer – Shared History…

The two brands first partnered in 2016 and as a result, Crown Golf saw over 350 rounds booked at Crown Courses by TSGers (their members) that year.

The renewed partnership will include sponsorship of Blogs, Emails, Newsletter Promotions, Advertising and reciprocal Social Media promotions and website linking.

In the last 12 months, The Social Golfer team continue to provide its unique platform for its members, with over 1000 events being organised via the site with more than 5K+ rounds played on the site.

In addition, the site network now holds over 5K Course reviews generated by its members. The online golf community also has over 5K registered users in the UK and 10k+ worldwide.

The agreement negotiated between Crown Golf Group Director of Sales & Marketing, Nikki Blacker and TSG Managing Director, Ian Mullins and will run throughout 2018.

Commenting on the deal, Blacker said “We have thoroughly enjoyed developing this partnership with The Social Golfer over the last few years and its rewarding to see the agreement working on both a commercial and branding perspective.”

Crown Golf & The Social Golfer – What they said…

“Ian has created a unique platform for nomadic golfers and we couldn’t be happier to renew our sponsorship. We can only see this partnership growing and their network continuing to provide us with a great platform on which to engage with this audience.”

Mullins went on to say “We were delighted that Nikki and her team has committed to working with us for another year. It’s also incredibly refreshing to work with a group that both understand what we are trying to create with our platform and one that is fun to work with.”

“We believe this renewed sponsorship will provide our members the opportunity to sample some of the great courses Crown has to offer and at some fantastic rates!”

*Increase from £24.99 to £29.98 on 1st April 2018

For more information, please contact: theteam@thesocialgolfer.com

TheSocialGolfer.com, the online golf club and social golf network website, held its fifth Social Golfer MatchPlay Championship Final (Sponsored by The Altonwood Group) at the prestigious Addington Golf Club, on Sunday 24^th September 2017…

The Social Golfer MatchPlay Championship 2017 – The Matches & Winners…

The TSG MatchPlay Championship ran similarly to an FA Cup style knockout with participants arranging each round of matches at a course of their choice, with The Altonwood Group offering preferential green fees.

These venues including Westerham GC, Woldingham GC and Surrey National GC throughout the summer for TSG members.

The finalists Andy Attard (Kent) and Chris Knight (Surrey) both worked their way through a field of 64 to secure their place at The Addington, having played six matches across the year.

In addition, the two losing Semi-finalists Judy Lilley (Kent) and Ollie McCormack (London) competed in the third-place play-off.

The final began with Attard (21 Handicap) going 3 up after four holes, meaning novice MatchPlayer Knight (26 Handicap) had a mountain to climb to get the game back. After a valiant effort, Knight managed to remain within two holes of Attard until the stunning Par 3, 13^th but alas it was all in vain and Attard took the 2017 title on the 14^th green.

Third place trophy went to fellow Kent TSGer and current TSG OPEN Ladies Champion – Judy Lilley.

The Social Golfer MatchPlay Championship – What they said…

Attard, commenting on his win said “Many thanks to The Social Golfer for all the time and energy they put into organising this competition. Chris and I had a great final played in true ‘TSG spirit’ here at The Addington today and I am thrilled to be the new champion. Not sure I would have believed you if you had told me I’d be holding the trophy in March… so, maybe I can play golf after all!

Ian Mullins, owner of TheSocialGolfer.com said “As the TSG membership has grown this has become one of our most popular competitions. Big thank you to sponsors The Altonwood Group, lovely course and a worthy champion, what more could we want. Already looking forward to March, when it all starts again!”

Other Winners in 2017 include:

TSG Masters 2017

TSG Par 3 Championship 2017

TSG OPEN Championship 2017

By Ian Mullins

The online golf club The Social Golfer (TSG) has been growing steadily since its official launch back in 2010 and much of that is down to the continued support we have from our lady golfers.

However, as a pro-active promoter of women’s golf, we asked long term TSG member Ruth Brand for her comments regarding her TSG experience since joining our community.

N.B. These are Ruth’s words, not ours….!!

The Social Golfer Website Review – Why TSG?

As a keen (obsessed) golfer and having arrived back in the UK from living overseas for 12 years, I was looking to find a local golf club, which wasn’t very expensive.

As with most things these days, the first place to start was with my computer.

On my internet travels, I came across The Social Golfer.

I went onto their site and read what they were all about and it was perfect (or so it seemed), and I had found what I was looking for.

I signed up there and then and paid my £25 annual membership fee.

Essentially, TSG is no different to any other golf club.

Its front door just happens to be on my PC/iPad rather than a traditional ‘bricks and mortar’ club.

It’s a golf club for golfers of all levels; members post a game/tee time in their area and, if spaces are available, you join the game by clicking on the link invitation.

If any changes are made to the game or if more people join up then you are advised by email so you are always kept informed.

After returning from the game, you then enter your scorecard and keep a handicap – brilliant!

The Social Golfer Website Review – Is it safe and female friendly?

Now, I will mention here that I am a lady of a certain age and the very thought of meeting a bunch of totally new people was a tad daunting but I bit the bullet and put my name down for my very first game at Lingfield Park in Surrey.

I arrived on a dreary Saturday morning not really quite knowing what to expect but it was very straightforward and it was where I first met Ian – the chief honcho of TSG!

Jump forward six years and I have played many courses I would never have played, met people I definitely wouldn’t have met and it is one of the best decisions I have EVER made by joining!!

The Social Golfer Website Review – Is it overly competitive or cliquey?

One of the best parts about using this website is the ‘official’ TSG competitions that Ian arranges throughout the year.

These are entered straight into my diary and family holidays have to be arranged around them!

They are fabulous days where you meet up with old friends and make new ones and there is a very relaxed and welcoming atmosphere, especially for new members

This year’s event was sponsored by Golf News and Golf Escapes and there were prizes also to be won and titles to win or retain.

However, most of the TSG events I join are no more than a friendly game of golf with other members and the best bit, there are no petty politics to be found or heard anywhere.

I will also just put it out there, that I have on many occasions been the only lady golfer playing but not once have I felt uncomfortable – we are just there to play golf.

The Social Golfer Website Review – In summary…

It really is a club for like-minded, relaxed and fun golfers, who enjoy the flexibility of playing at lots of different clubs and generally, at discounted rates.

I also know Ian is very active at encouraging more women to take up the game, so everyone is welcomed, whether you’re an experienced player or just starting out.

So for any ladies out there reading this, I urge you to go and have a look at the site, sign up and come and meet lots of lovely new people and experience golf as it should be – a truly social day out!!!

By Ruth Brand

The online golf club TheSocialGolfer.com (TSG) has confirmed it will be the ‘official sponsor’ of disabled golfer and TSG member Paul Houghton, as he aims for European glory in 2017!

Having got to know many disabled golfers since its launch, The Social Golfer have made it a priority to promote equality and understanding among golfers of all levels, gender and disability and the team feel this could be the first of many associations with disabled golfers.

In previous years the community has raised over £3k for disabled golfers at their ‘Major’ events.

However, despite this very humble effort to raise the profile of disability sports in the UK, there is still a huge job to do in changing attitudes and thesocialgolfer.com want to be at the heart of this initiative.

Paul Houghton – Disabled Golfer….

Houghton lost his leg suddenly sixteen years ago in a work accident whereby his leg was amputated above the knee.

However, being the gritty character that he is, Paul decided to take up golf.

He bought himself some clubs, an Electrokart (one-seater buggy) some lessons and joined his local nine hole course.

He later joined the Disabled Golf Association and has now represented his country 12 times, playing of a respectable handicap of 16.

He is also a member of the EDGA (European Disabled Golf Association).

Paul Houghton – Disabled Golfer – The Sponsorship…

As part of their sponsorship, TSG will be hosting a blog with Paul’s experiences on the tour on the website and his progress will also be promoted in their monthly newsletter sent to 5K+ golfers worldwide every month.

In addition, the TSG team will be also distributing this content through their social media channels and beyond.

In July 2017, the Social Golfer donated all the monies raised at the TSG OPEN to Paul Houghton and long term TSGer and fellow disabled golfer, Roger Hurcombe.

Paul Houghton – Disabled Golfer

Paul Houghton – Disabled Golfer – What they Said…

Commenting on the sponsorship, Houghton said “I couldn’t have been more excited about playing in my first Spanish Open in February 2017 and to have an official sponsor has given me the support and encouragement to do as well as I can”

“I have also just returned from St Andrews, where I competed in the Scottish Disabled Open, where I finished in the middle of the field of 35 golfers from 17 countries.”

“Since joining the TSG community in 2014, I have been shocked at the welcome and inclusion I have been afforded by its members. I will be doing my best for both disabled golf and TSGers everywhere.”

“A big thank you to everyone at TSG who have helped to highlight our cause. I so hope I can do them proud!” 

Ian Mullins. TSG Managing Director added “Paul is one of the nicest guys you could meet so anything we could do to help him in his desire to play golf on the European stage is both exciting and humbling. Can’t wait to read his first blog posting from behind the tournament ropes and in the locker room!”

Since its launch in 2010, the site has firmly established itself as one of the most useful golfing websites in the South East and the UK with over 1000 evnet5s being organised through the site in 2016. The online golf community currently has over 5,000 registered users in the UK and 10,000+ worldwide.

The online golf club and social networking community TheSocialGolfer.com (TSG) has announced that Golf News, the UK’s No.1 Golf Newspaper, will be the official sponsor of this year’s flagship event, The TSG OPEN 2017 at Farleigh Golf Club on 30^th July.

Golf News named official sponsor of The Social Golfer – The Event…

Now in its 7^th year, the event is sold out with 70+ golfers from around London and the Home Counties and with some from as far afield as Botswana attending!

The event is a good “social” opportunity for TSG members to mingle with many of 5k strong UK’s members, with all competing for the now, much coveted Halliwell Cup (donated to the site by Stroke Survivor and British Inclusive Golf Ambassador, Ian Halliwell).

Furthermore, £5 from every entry fee donated to disabled golf charities. Golf News will also support the day with donations to the prize table.

As Official Media Partner of the day, Golf News will provide media coverage of the event via the Newspaper and it’s social media channels. Meanwhile, The Social Golfer will share core Golf News content in its monthly newsletters across the summer.

The day will consist of an Individual 18 hole Stableford Competition (Men & Ladies), a ‘Yellow Ball’ team event, Straightest Drive, 2 x Nearest Pins, The Golf News Guest Trophy, Charity Auction and Raffle. This year, the event will also host an indoor ‘Nearest Pin’ (hosted by Golf Escapes) competition on Farleigh Golf Club’s state of the art golf simulator – adding yet another dimension to the day.

Golf News is the UK’s leading Golf Newspaper boasting over 300,000 monthly readers and Golf News is the UK’s most widely-read free golf publication, and is being read by more UK golfers than ever before, following a significant increase in its distribution channels over the last 12 months.

The Social Golfer boasts 9.5k+ members worldwide and was short-listed to be an Official England Golf Partner in 2014, won ‘Best Sports Website’ at the EDA’s in 2015 and was listed as a Top 25 influencer on Twitter in 2016.

The deal negotiated between Golf News Publisher Matt Nicholson and TSG Managing Director, Ian Mullins.

Golf News named official sponsor of The Social Golfer – What they said…

Commenting on the sponsorship Nicholson said “Since its launch in 2010, ‎we have been watching The Social Golfer’s growth and have been impressed by how it has developed a very active and effective platform for nomadic golfers to Connect, Play and Share their golfing experiences. With over 1,000+ events being arranged in 2016 by its members, we are looking forward to building at strong lasting relationship with this event”

Mullins said “In a fast changing media world, it’s important to know your audience and its wants. Golf News provides quality, concise and relevant content for its readers and to have Golf News as our official sponsor for this event is a testament to the all the support our users have given us since our launch. We look forward to building a long and lasting relationship with Matt and his team.”

For more information, please contact: theteam@thesocialgolfer.com or matt@golfnews.co.uk

Golfers from all over the South East of England gathered at the Kent-based club Pedham Place on 10^th June 2017,  all hoping to be this year’s The Social Golfer Par 3 Championship winning golfer.

Meanwhile, the event celebrated a new format, making for an exciting finish….

The Social Golfer Par 3 Championship – The Day…

TheSocialGolfer.com (TSG), the online social networking community for golfers celebrated its 3rd^th annual TSG Par 3 Championship at Pedham Place Golf Club in Kent with East London-based member Pete Mayo lifting the trophy!

The Social Golfer Par 3 Championship – The Format…

The event is normally played over the 36 holes on the Pedham Academy Course.

However, this year, instead of the standard stableford points determining the result, this year the TSG team created a new format whereby the event was played over 27 holes, with the top six points scorers going through to a 18th hole shoot-out!

The six qualifiers made it an exciting competition, with Brigitte Lockwood (Twickenham), Noirin Fitzgerald (Shepperton), Jaspal Ranoo (Woolwich), Noel Loughrey (Berkshire), Steve Slater (Essex) and Pete all making gallant efforts to win through.

Each shoot-out competitor was given two balls in a Nearest Pin competition with Mayo, Ranoo and Slater all making it to the Final.

Slater fell at the first play-off hole but after the second play-off hole, Mayo held his nerve to win over Ranoo.

The field ranging from 10 handicappers to 28 and the course (one of the best Par 3 in the South of England) proved to make for a hugely enjoyable contest.

The Social Golfer Par 3 Championship – What they said…

Pete Mayo, Newly Crowned Champion said…

“A big thanks to Ian and Mark (TSG Team) for organising the day and to everybody else for making it such a great event. I thoroughly approve of the format (I would say that wouldn’t I).”

“On a serious note, TSG is by far the easiest way to play relaxed golf, with a good bunch of people. I have played lots of different courses since joining and you can track my progress and handicap online. I am looking forward to defending my title in 2018!”

Speaking after the event Ian Mullins, Managing Director of The Social Golfer said…

“It was a huge risk by changing the format of the day but it proved to not only add tension to the day but also gave the finalists a sense of what it might really be like to play in a real competitive event.”

“Let’s face it most golf days end with the reading out of the winners but the new format added additional spice to the day. Many thanks to Pedham Place and Tim Milford and his team for once again looking after us so well!”

By Ian Mullins