New to the Game...Why not Join our Ladies Academy?
Do you like the Fresh Air ?
Want to Try Something New ?
Our Ladies Academy Packages provide Ladies new to the game with a structured path towards full Membership and offers an insight into Golf at an exceptionally reasonable cost. With Tuition included in the Package price, it is the perfect gateway to a Full Playing Membership.
Click HERE for further details on our Academy Packages
Worried about fitting in? Then read this....
"My Experience" Hilary Willett Ladies Academy Graduate...
Boyce Hill Ladies Academy -
I began to play golf in September 2015 when my friend suggested we try a Par 3 course local to us. Our husbands had been playing in a Society once per month for the majority of the year and we thought we could give it a go.
I had a few lessons but did not get on well with the teaching technique the Pro used so was looking for a new teacher. A friend of ours recommended Graham Burroughs at Boyce Hill Golf Club so we both went to see him.
After a couple of lessons Graham suggested that we could join Boyce Hill Ladies Academy. We thought that there was no way we were good enough to join a golf club and truly thought that they would not want us! We weren’t sure that we would fit in. Joining a golf club was not even on my radar!
Graham mentioned the Academy package again over the next couple of lessons so my friend and I thought about it and decided to give it a go. The package price was really good and we felt that there would be nothing to lose. We thought that if we did not fit in or did not continue with our enthusiasm for the game, then we had only signed up for 1 year.
We could not have been more wrong about how we would fit in. The team of ladies running the Academy were extremely welcoming. They arranged evening get togethers for us to meet the other academy members and the full members who were helping to run the academy. The full members arranged to take us out on the golf course for a few holes, from time to time, to help us with our game - from techniques for chipping, to course management. Monthly competitions were arranged for us and we thoroughly enjoyed participating in these. Even on the clubs ‘big days’ a competition was arranged for the Academy ladies to participate in, making us feel like we were part of the club, not just separate to the club.
I decided to go straight from the Intermediate Academy Package to becoming a full member. - missing out the Advanced academy membership. The ladies made me feel completely welcome and straight away started to book games with me. I was nervous playing with people I did not know and worried that I would not be good enough. The ladies were all lovely and really helped me improve my game. Playing with people better than me helped me to improve my game.
I have made so many new friends since I joined Boyce Hill. My husband was so impressed with how friendly everyone was, that he joined the club too. We have enjoyed many of the social events and regularly participate in mixed competitions too.
My first handicap was 35, which I was desperate to improve on. I entered the ‘board’ competitions almost as soon as I took the full membership just for matchplay experience and had no expectations. I was lucky enough to be asked to play in the Munro Foursomes with Linda Bonnett and we won our way through the knockout states to the final. I was nervous on the day of the final, but I am so pleased to say that we won and our names are on the board and the platter forever!! I also won through the knockout stages of the Boyce Hill Cup to be in the final, when I came runner up to a very worthy winner (Debbie Suttie - who was one of the people who helped us in the Academy).
I stayed at 35 handicap for the first 12 months but really wanted to get better. I decided to enter all of the applicable board competitions during 2018. I was fortunate enough to win Ladies Spring Meeting, Lady Captain’s Day, and the Boyce Hill Cup, with my handicap reducing by 10 shots over the course of 7 months. This handicap reduction some time to get used to, being reduced from 35 to 25 by the end of September. I also played in the Harris Bowl team, an inter-club Essex County Competition. Having a caddy helped me to make more sensible decisions about how to play my game and enabled my game to improve. Our team made it through to the semi-finals but lost in a close match 2-3.
In November 2018 I was asked to join the Ladies Committee, acting as County Delegate. I was very happy to get involved and put something back into the club.
As a ladies’ section, we did not have a lady vice-captain for 2019 who would go through to become Lady Captain in 2020. In May 2019 I was asked if I would be prepared to become Lady Vice Captain with a view to taking over as Lady Captain for 2020. I was honoured to be asked and to be able to represent our Club and ladies so I accepted.
During 2019, my handicap reduced again by 2 shots to 23 and I was fortunate enough to win Lady Golfer of the Year and The Veteran’s Cup. I also played in the Harris Bowl Team once again and had a few good wins. I continued to be Delegate and to participate on the ladies Academy Committee. We put on some successful events to encourage new lady members. We held a ladies’ Taster Day, a Women on Par evening and a Family Taster Day during 2019.
Taking over as Lady Captain in November 2019 has been a real honour and I intend to do my best for the ladies of our club and the Club as a whole. Working part time has its drawbacks, but with our supportive committee members, I know we will be able to have another great golfing year.
I began to play golf in September 2015 when my friend suggested we try a Par 3 course local to us. Our husbands had been playing in a Society once per month for the majority of the year and we thought we could give it a go.
I had a few lessons but did not get on well with the teaching technique the Pro used so was looking for a new teacher. A friend of ours recommended Graham Burroughs at Boyce Hill Golf Club so we both went to see him.
After a couple of lessons Graham suggested that we could join Boyce Hill Ladies Academy. We thought that there was no way we were good enough to join a golf club and truly thought that they would not want us! We weren’t sure that we would fit in. Joining a golf club was not even on my radar!
Graham mentioned the Academy package again over the next couple of lessons so my friend and I thought about it and decided to give it a go. The package price was really good and we felt that there would be nothing to lose. We thought that if we did not fit in or did not continue with our enthusiasm for the game, then we had only signed up for 1 year.
We could not have been more wrong about how we would fit in. The team of ladies running the Academy were extremely welcoming. They arranged evening get togethers for us to meet the other academy members and the full members who were helping to run the academy. The full members arranged to take us out on the golf course for a few holes, from time to time, to help us with our game - from techniques for chipping, to course management. Monthly competitions were arranged for us and we thoroughly enjoyed participating in these. Even on the clubs ‘big days’ a competition was arranged for the Academy ladies to participate in, making us feel like we were part of the club, not just separate to the club.
I decided to go straight from the Intermediate Academy Package to becoming a full member. - missing out the Advanced academy membership. The ladies made me feel completely welcome and straight away started to book games with me. I was nervous playing with people I did not know and worried that I would not be good enough. The ladies were all lovely and really helped me improve my game. Playing with people better than me helped me to improve my game.
I have made so many new friends since I joined Boyce Hill. My husband was so impressed with how friendly everyone was, that he joined the club too. We have enjoyed many of the social events and regularly participate in mixed competitions too.
My first handicap was 35, which I was desperate to improve on. I entered the ‘board’ competitions almost as soon as I took the full membership just for matchplay experience and had no expectations. I was lucky enough to be asked to play in the Munro Foursomes with Linda Bonnett and we won our way through the knockout states to the final. I was nervous on the day of the final, but I am so pleased to say that we won and our names are on the board and the platter forever!! I also won through the knockout stages of the Boyce Hill Cup to be in the final, when I came runner up to a very worthy winner (Debbie Suttie - who was one of the people who helped us in the Academy).
I stayed at 35 handicap for the first 12 months but really wanted to get better. I decided to enter all of the applicable board competitions during 2018. I was fortunate enough to win Ladies Spring Meeting, Lady Captain’s Day, and the Boyce Hill Cup, with my handicap reducing by 10 shots over the course of 7 months. This handicap reduction some time to get used to, being reduced from 35 to 25 by the end of September. I also played in the Harris Bowl team, an inter-club Essex County Competition. Having a caddy helped me to make more sensible decisions about how to play my game and enabled my game to improve. Our team made it through to the semi-finals but lost in a close match 2-3.
In November 2018 I was asked to join the Ladies Committee, acting as County Delegate. I was very happy to get involved and put something back into the club.
As a ladies’ section, we did not have a lady vice-captain for 2019 who would go through to become Lady Captain in 2020. In May 2019 I was asked if I would be prepared to become Lady Vice Captain with a view to taking over as Lady Captain for 2020. I was honoured to be asked and to be able to represent our Club and ladies so I accepted.
During 2019, my handicap reduced again by 2 shots to 23 and I was fortunate enough to win Lady Golfer of the Year and The Veteran’s Cup. I also played in the Harris Bowl Team once again and had a few good wins. I continued to be Delegate and to participate on the ladies Academy Committee. We put on some successful events to encourage new lady members. We held a ladies’ Taster Day, a Women on Par evening and a Family Taster Day during 2019.
Taking over as Lady Captain in November 2019 has been a real honour and I intend to do my best for the ladies of our club and the Club as a whole. Working part time has its drawbacks, but with our supportive committee members, I know we will be able to have another great golfing year.