Here are some of the April Issue highlights:

• Ukraine in need: new AGC member stepping up to help
• Clubhouse Development update
• Upcoming Fixtures
• Ladies Results and Team news
• Rules Quiz Question: rule on replacing a ball on a spot
• Scorecards: don’t get caught out
• Reminder about General Play Scores
• Final call for signup to Mens Summer Knockouts
• New Foursomes Events
• Mixed Matches: sign up
• Vets Winter League: the winning team, again!
• Reciprocals/Courtesies: getting an away game…
• Divot Party details
• Lots of upcoming events from the Social Committee
• Team Golf update: sign up
• Pro Tip from Mark Wood on ‘Pitching’
• Greens News: getting the course in fine form
• Winners in the 100 Club: check if you won
• Joke of the Month

Spring was in the air and I hope you had the chance to play our lovely course, before the chill set in. I had the opportunity to play ‘away’ at Royal Winchester recently. Having never played there before, I was expecting it to live up to its Royal patronage. Certainly the clubhouse is well positioned and well appointed, but in comparison I felt our course was in even better shape. This despite Royal having many more greenkeepers. This is a testament to Simon and the team. Of course like you, I am looking forward to the re-opening of our clubhouse. I am hoping we all make good use of the facilities and support the new caterers in particular. Their success is our success. Similarly with Mark and Mandy, our Pro team. Let’s use these great resources to further strengthen their franchise and secure its sustainability. Use it or lose it.

Thanks to the Competitions and Handicap & Social Committees for listening to member feedback and introducing new formats this year. We look forward to getting more players engaged in competitions and getting more from their social or full membership.

I have been a member in 7 clubs over 30 years but find AGC the most friendly, well managed club of them all. Long shall it continue, with your help and support.

David Marshall

Editor

newsletter@alresfordgolf.co.uk

[hr]RAFFLE FOR MARK AND MANDY

A huge thank you to all the members at Alresford who have bought tickets for the raffle to support Mark and Mandy who suffered a large financial loss just before Christmas when they were scammed by four individuals in the Pro Shop.

We are delighted to have raised £1,500. We would like to thank the anonymous Lady who has provided the raffle prize of a 2 hour Coaching Session with Mark.

For every £5 donated, four tickets to the raffle were issued.

The Winner is DAVID ROBERTSON

Mark Tiplady

Bob Archer

Jan Harring

Editor: James, I wanted to take this opportunity to find out how your new membership at AGC is going? I guess you are so busy golf has taken a back seat?

James:  the membership at Alresford has been a real success for me since joining in May 2021. Mark Tiplady was welcoming and introduced me to Jim White who handles the Scratch and Knockout sides. I have since also met Simon Freemantle. My thanks to all these guys for involving me in Club stuff. On my first social round, I was joined by Mario Mohammed and shortly afterwards joined the Rabble group through the winter months. More recently I played with Roy and Malcolm the Ex-Hampshire Chronicle guys. I met some really nice guys instantly.  I have also had a few games for the 7s Team, thankfully getting my win for the team on my debut. The cherry on the cake was getting my name on the board with a win in the Tichborne Trophy rounding out a successful first season.

Mark in the Pro shop and his team were of course welcoming and I hope to be able to payback the support in the upcoming Pro Am. It’s been a great move, I’ve met some great people and everyone has made me feel super welcome

Editor: That’s great to hear James. I would be keen to know what attracted you to AGC?

James: having played at Romsey GC since I started in 2014 the attraction of a better level of facility really was the defining factor in joining AGC. The practice facilities are great and the course conditions are extremely good. You get reward for a good shot and punished fairly for a poor one. My previous club was unfortunately making commercial decisions on foot fall and entrance fees on days when it was more than obvious you should not have been open!

AGC are managing and creating a great playing surface, which is really a treat for all members in comparison.

I am sure many other members are contributing in their way to help Ukraine. I personally am proud to be part of Alresford Rotary which is running a charity fund to collect donations including running a Quiz on April 8^th. Find out more at Alresford-Rotary.org.

Bar & Catering

The Club received a number of high-quality applications to undertake the Bar & Catering franchise. The Club had decided to offer management of the bar in the same package as food, which has attracted a very professional range of applicants.

Interviews were held at the Club on 28^th and 29^th of March before a panel led by the Chair of Bar & Catering; Trevor Pearce. Candidates were asked to provide; sample menus, food costings, gross profit expectations and the expected profit margin for the Club. As Chairman I attended the interviews as an observer and was overwhelmed by the quality of candidates and their proposals.

The panel finalised their selection of the preferred candidate, with Trevor and our General Manager now negotiating the final contract. That candidate was selected to provide high standards of service and food that will attract us all back even when not playing golf. Part of the negotiations that are underway involves extending our traditional opening hours, which has been much requested by members.

As you can tell, the re-opening of the Clubhouse dominates much of the business at the Club at the moment. We will be entering a really exciting period this summer and happily confirm that everyone involved in the process is dedicated to providing an outstanding environment for members and their guests, for matches and visitors; together with a quality of service, food and drink that is way beyond our previous experience and expectations.

Robert White

Chairman of the Management Committee.

MEN’S FOURSOMES / LADIES CORONATION FOURSOMES

Saturday 23^rd April 2022

The men’s Famous Grouse (Greensomes) and Ladies Centenary Foursomes competitions took place on Sunday 13^th March 2022 and feedback from these events and the pace of play for the day was positive.

The next ‘foursomes’ day is Saturday 23^rd April and tee bookings between 07:42 and 12:39 on this day will only be for players wishing to take part in either of these competitions.   As a reminder the tee booking procedure is as follows:

Both competitions will be open for booking from 9pm on Wednesday 13^th April 2022.  Note:  Competition Booking does not have a countdown timer.  Players may “book” individually, or as a pair.  Players who do not have a partner but wish to play may add their name to a tee booking and await another member to join them.  The booking system does not currently allow you to book your marking/playing pair (although an awaited Club Systems update may allow this).

How to access tee bookings for Bookable Competitions (different from normal):

Through the Club V1 App,

>Dashboard

>Next 5 Bookable Competitions

>Either “Men’s Foursomes” or “Ladies Coronation Foursomes”

>Down arrow

>Tee sheet

…If booking for a Pair

>Select a tee time (“available”)

Book Me In >“Book and Edit Team”

Your details will appear in Player 1, add your partner’s name to player 2

>OK

…Bookings as an Individual

>Select a tee time (“available”)

“Book Me In” >“Book and Edit Team”

Your details will appear in Player 1, leave player 2 bank

>OK

…Adding your name to an existing booked individual

>Select individual’s name

>”Book”

All Players will still be required to sign into the competitions before commencing play and enter their score after their round.  This can only be done on the PSI terminal located in the Pro Shop.  Entry fees will be taken on sign in.

The Ladies Coronation Foursomes is an alternate day competition and is also scheduled for Tuesday 25^th April 2022.  Those wishing to play on the Tuesday should book a tee in the usual way (from 9pm on Saturday 16^th April).  Please be aware that casual play will be permissible on the course on this day, and this may impact upon your ‘pace of play’.  Any lady who wishes to play on this day who does not have a partner should contact Sarah Staines, Ladies Competition Secretary, by email sjstaines@aol.com.

Gill Freemantle

Chair Competitions & Handicap Committee, Handicap Secretary

handicaps@alresfordgolf.co.uk

The mixed match season starts this month with the first match away at Tylney Park on 24^th April. The list of matches is on the noticeboard in the locker rooms as well as a sign-up sheet for all the matches. You can also signal availability for the matches on the club V1 system.

If you are unable to get to the club to sign up or access the club V1 system you can ask the office to add you to the lists or contact Marion or Alan Bruce. The sign up sheets close 3 to 4 weeks before a match.

There are 11 matches planned this year with a balance of home and away games. The first 3 are:

Tynley Park      Away     Sunday 24^th April at 12.00pm

Petersfield        Home     Sunday 8^th May at 1.00pm

Corhampton     Home     Friday 13^th May at 2.00pm

Any club member with a CONGU handicap is welcome to sign up to play. All the matches are played in a friendly manner and everyone is welcome, no matter what their handicap. It is hoped that members who haven’t played before will join in and sign up for the opportunity to play mixed golf both at home and on some very enjoyable away courses. Playing partners are drawn as part of team selection.

The match teams will be communicated by email whilst the club house is closed. Team members are requested to play in team colours of white shirts and navy jumpers.

A decision has been made that Five Day members may play in the weekend matches if we are unable to field a team from the Seven Day members. Green fees will not be required.

Mixed matches are normally followed by a meal. Once the club house re-opens we expect to continue with a smart/casual dress code for meals after our home games.

For more information or any queries please contact Marion or Alan Bruce.

Question.

When replacing a ball on a spot in accordance with rule 14.2, the original ball must be used. However, there are four exceptions.

What are the four exceptions?

The Vets and Ladies Breeze-up was played on a very warm Thursday and enjoyed by all 40 who took part. The winners, with a very respectable 47 points, were Jacqui Sanger and John Dillon. Many thanks to Ewan McGregor for organising this event, with late dropouts not making his life any easier.

Bob Archer

Vets Captain

The Greens looked good in the week leading up to Curly’s Cup, the Ladies Medal and the Mixed Stableford. They’ve started to dry out now and speeds increased. I certainly found them a challenge! The Greens Team have completed plugging of the worst of the disease scars and it’s expected that remaining scars will heal over as temperatures and rates of growth increase. The seventh green continues to make a good recovery with the repaired area blending into the green nicely.

The Greens Team have started to cut areas more frequently now although growth is still a little slow. The new tees have been rotary mown and top dressed and, conditions permitting, we expect to bring them into play sometime in the week beginning 4th April.

The bunkers on thirteenth and seventeenth holes are coming on, sand has been added to both and once it has settled sufficiently, they will be ready for play. Conditions permitting, we expect them to be in play on or around April 1^st, honestly, no joke!

The Greens Team have now completed the major winter projects and will move on to repairing path edges and once done they’ll top up the surface materials. They are also fertilising the fairways, seed tining and dressing some worn areas on tees and grass paths. In addition, they are making good the “stump areas”.

Finally, did you know that the grass bunker back left of the second green is a long established, if not an original, feature of our course? Members who have golfed at Alresford far longer than I tell me that there used to be two others. The remains of one can be seen in the hollow behind the eighth green and the other is under the bypass!

Derek Myers

Chair, Greens Committee

Answer

RULE 14.2    Replacing Ball on a Spot

This Rule applies whenever a ball is lifted or moved and a rule requires it to be replaced on a spot.

The original ball must be used when replacing a ball with the following exceptions;

1.    The original ball cannot be recovered with reasonable effort and in a few seconds, so long as the player did not deliberately cause the ball to become unrecoverable.

2.     The original ball is cut or cracked (see Rule 4.2c)

3.     Play resumes after it had been stopped (see Rule 5.7d)

4.     The original ball was played by another player as a wrong ball (see Rule 6.3c)

If you would like to find out more about the rules, there is a wonderful rules section on the R&A website www.randa.org  where you can also find these exceptions. Just download the R&A app (Rules of Golf) from the app store. 

Thanks to Brian Overton for all these Rules Q and A’s.

How about being a winner for the first time?  Why not make this the year you join the 100 Club.

If you would like to be part of the 100 Club and actively contribute towards future enhancements to our golf club facilities, and have the chance of winning a cash prize each month, then why not join us.  If you are already a member then please encourage your friends or new members to join us too.

The monthly draw is for six cash prizes: £100, £50 and four at £32.

Each share cost £1 per month paid for by monthly standing order and there is no limit to the number you can purchase.  Members generally have between 1 and 10 shares with 5 being the most common holding.

For further information about the 100 Club or for an Application form please give me a call or send me an email – Pat Wallis phone 01420 564417 or email  peterpat51@outlook.com Or you can pick up a form from the Office.

Pat Wallis