The Management Committee met informally in December and again with a full and formal agenda in January.

Clubhouse Development

The planning for the Clubhouse Development continues with Trevor Pearce joining Sue, David and me on the Sub-group as P&D pass the baton for next stages. Fortunately, the feedback from members alerted us to historic problems with the Greenkeepers’ rest facilities, sanitary conditions and statutory facilities which are not good. We must now include an update to these facilities within the development as we will need to allocate budget to this.

Members and Visitors Golf

The new golf season is only a few months away now and we are making preparations to ensure that Members’ golf is prioritised but we also recognise that income from guests, visitors and golf societies is essential for the Club. 

At the AGM I appealed to all Members to ensure that their bag tag is attached to their bag, and not somewhere in the boot of their car. Admittedly, I was a repeat offender having rarely displayed my member’s tag but am now in complete compliance.

Such has been the uptake for member’s tags that David had to place a new order with the supplier, so I am really pleased that we will all be looking good by the end of January.

So, with member’s tags in place we can now identify visitors by exception and ensure that they have an appropriate bag tag, for; a paid green fee, a reciprocal round or as a HPLS golfer. We would not, of course, expect to issue bag tags to visitors playing matches.

Course Marshalling

David and Graham Marshallsay are working hard on arrangements for our new Course Marshals; Around 10 club members have shown interest in helping us to manage golf traffic. We will have a friendly, yet important, deterrent in place to ensure that only bona fide golfers take to the tee. Do let David know if you would like to help out

The Management Committee is currently in discussion with HPLS over a review of the current scheme and with particular regards to changing the access and controlling the numbers taking part in the scheme for the coming year. We have also considered the times at which guests and visitors can play, given that we must prioritise members at busy times, and of course ensure that guests and visitors have paid their green fee before playing on our course. Final details will be shared when we have them, this is work in progress but will be in place for this year’s season.

Club’s Boilers

After more than 12-months of planning by Paul Batty, Brian Wright and others in the House Committee, we have accepted a competitive tender to update the Club’s boilers which provide us with heat and hot water. David and Sue Masser, the new Chair of House, benefitted from their expert planning and a sound tender process resulting in a great deal for the Club. The boilers are moving from their current location and should provide us with a far more efficient, up-to-date system.

Happy golfing!

Rob White
Chairman

Annual Review

The Annual Review of handicaps for men has been completed and those whose handicaps have been adjusted have all been notified. The main objective of the Annual Review is to try and ensure that a player’s handicap is a reasonable reflection of their current playing ability so that they can compete equitably with everyone else. The assessment of playing ability is primarily based on the player’s qualifying scores over the past year, but other factors such as performance in match-play and other events are also considered.

We will continue to monitor members’ performance throughout the year, particularly those who are struggling to play to handicap.

Terms of Competition

We have posted an updated Terms of Competition which brings together information from the Club Diary and other notices into a single document. This new document specifies the general conditions under which competitions will be played. Any variation of these conditions for a particular competition will be listed on the Entry or Sign-up sheet for that competition.

George Clelland

Question.

A player finds their ball under a bush. Thinking they could play from that position, they check to see if a swing is possible and break a branch improving the area of swing for that particular shot.

They decide it’s not possible to play from the bush and take a penalty shot by playing from where the previous stroke was made under the stroke and distance rule.

Do they also get a penalty stroke for breaking the branch even though they did not play from under the bush?

Congratulations to Stuart Gaunt who came first with 38 point in the Pro’s Saturday Stableford on 25^th January, pipping the Vets Immediate Past Captain, Drew Fielden on count back. Well done Stuart.

Alas, not a great deal more to report on this month. The focus, apart from the exciting conclusion to the Winter League competition, is very much on the lead-in to the new golfing season:

The opening event for 2020 being the Vets Captain vs Vets Vice-Captain team match on 4th March. The entry sheet for this is now on the Vets notice board, so please do sign up for this traditional season opener. Despite the Vice’s team traditionally winning this match, the last two years have seen the Captain’s team taking the honours. Needless to say, I will be doing all I can, legitimately and perhaps less so (watch out for dirty tricks Gareth!), to keep this trend going.

Some key dates to note in 2020:

Wednesday 4^th March – Vets Captain vs Vice Captain match

Thursday 2^nd April – Vets & Ladies Breeze Up

Monday 13^th & 20^th July – Vets Championship Rounds 1 & 2

Thursday 13^th August – Vets Invitation

Happy golfing!

Ed Tinley
Vets Captain 2020

The ‘Back 9’ was closed for one day this month due to the 10^th, 11^th and 12^th being very wet. We also had three days of temporaries as the main greens were frozen underneath followed by the thawing.

We have now replaced the previous “Frost Policy” with a more catchy “Course Restriction and Closure Policy”! This is on the noticeboard just outside the office, in the Starters Hut and, of course, on the Greens Page on our AGC Website.

As part of 1^st Impressions we hope that the existing Starters Hut can be split in two and relocated.

• • The ball dispenser and washer part will go on one end of the covered range, where the outside bay, which cannot be used, is located (due H&S).
  • The other half, hopefully going on the other end, and being earmarked for the Range Ball Collecting Buggy.
  • At a later date we envisage investing in a new and smaller Starters Hut. It would be really nice to have something that is more of a feature, perhaps a log cabin style with a shingle or thatch roof. Should anyone feel moved to help us financially with this, please do come and have a chat!

You might have seen some blue spray paint on the grass down the RHS of the 1^st as well as just after the oak tree on the RHS of the 8^th. Here, we are intending to plant around 12 new saplings that will be about 2.5m tall.  In relation to this, I have been asked if Members can sponsor the new trees; simplistically the answer is ‘yes‘, with details still to be decided, but will probably be around £80 per tree if any members wish to get involved:

• The Field Maples on the 1^st will provide some colour
• The Oaks on the 8^th will replace some previously lost

The Greens Committee will be discussing the trees on the 16^th again during February:

It was back in May 2016 that we surveyed the members about these trees with 60% in favour of us taking action:

• We need to revisit this being more aware now of poor ground conditions underneath the trees (water drip damage and shallow roots); large tree roots going under the bunker and green; poor condition of one of the trees on the RHS and a continued narrowing of the “chute” especially when viewed from the back of the white tee.

• You can be assured a balanced and “healthy” discussion will take place!
• We have Colin Luff booked for our annual tree maintenance check in mid March so more details in the March edition of Fore Info.

Our “Who’s Who” of Greenkeepers this Month is Adam our Deputy Course Manager.

He has been with us for 13 years now, is fully qualified and able to train and assess to Level 2 Standard. He got married last year and also has a 3 year old daughter. He enjoys maintaining and improving his own property along with additional garden maintenance, as time allows.

A record of daily rainfall is kept by our staff. It surprised me that we had more rain in 2018 than 2019! However, most of last years rain did happen in the final 3 months of the year.

Can you put the “Divot Party” date in your diary please? Monday 20^th April. The course will be closed until approximately 10:30 with the usual giant sausage rolls etc being provided afterwards. More details nearer the time.

At our request the Council have put up some new footpath signs to help try and keep the walkers “on track”. We are also progressing more warning signs for both golfers and walkers to be aware of each other. Whilst we are all insured via the EGU, golfers also have a ‘duty of care’.

The large fairway bunker on the 5^th LHS will be reworked this Winter. Basically the liner has failed. It’s position and design was discussed and won’t fundamentally change. But it’s condition and distribution of sand should be a lot better once the works are complete.

Have you noticed that the distance stones on the Tees have been spruced up?

All were pressure washed and carefully repainted by Mick.

Bob Moore

Answer.

Yes

The player gets two penalty shots.

See Interpretation 8.1a/3

projects supported by the 100 Club would generally be considered ‘extras’ and not necessarily within the Golf Club budget. Many items have been purchased over the years with the new rattan patio furniture being the most recent.  In recent years the 100 Club has purchased the drinking fountain on the 4^th/15^th holes, the finger post signage, the Information Board and Clock at the first tee and the automated Defibrillator in the Entrance Hall.

So, can I join the 100 Club?  

Yes of course. New members are always welcome and so as a Golf Club member you can actively contribute towards future enhancements to the facilities on the Golf Course or Clubhouse whilst having the opportunity to win a monthly cash prize. Or why not increase your existing shareholding for an even better chance of a prize.  Shares can be purchased for £1 per month paid for by Standing Order and there is no limit on the number which can be held – most members have between 1 and 5 shares.  Each share is allocated a number which is entered into the monthly draw with a top prize of £100, with a second prize of £50 and four other prizes of £32. For more information contact Pat Wallis on 01420 564417 or peterpat51@outlook.com, or call in to the Secretary’s Office.

Pat Wallis