Clubhouse Development

The comprehensive and fully costed Business Case for the Clubhouse Development Programme is nearing completion, at least in draft form.

The plan now is to secure specialist input to the document from other relevant committees, and then to gain overall approval of it from ManCom. At that point we will to bring it before members, with a two week notice period for a Special General Meeting for final approval and project go-ahead. 

It is still our intention that this will be undertaken at some point during January.

The Plan will provide the following:

• An Executive Summary
• Detailed Membership Analysis (past)
• Why development of the clubhouse is necessary, indeed essential
• Members’ survey (reprise)
• What is being proposed (pre and post consultation phases)

• What this will deliver for the club (5 year membership, subscription and other income projections, along with detailed assumptions)
• How much it will cost – and over what time period
• How it can be funded
• A detailed Risks Plan, including impact and probability analysis, and controlling factors
• Roles and responsibilities going forward
• Critical path (milestones etc)

So there is plenty going on, despite the seeming lull in activities….!

Thank you again for all the support you continue to give this important project.

Golf Studio

On other matters we are delighted to confirm that the Golf Studio project up in the Driving Range has received planning permission, and following the enforced delay, is now all but complete. This will undoubtedly add further asset to the club’s already considerable training and practice capability. 

The Course ‘First Impressions’ project, detailed in the Green’s Section is a further example of the investment our club continues to make for the future of the club, and for the legacy we are providing future generations of golfers.

Nick Duncan

Chair, Planning and Development Committee

playing foursomes must remember that the player who did not tee off on the 12^th must now tee-off from the 14^th and the team must continue to alternate tee shots. The stroke index for hole 13 should be used for hole 17A and the score for hole 17A should be recorded against hole 13 on the scorecard.

Wrong Green

Now that we have temporary greens marked on the course, a reminder about wrong greens. A Wrong Green is any green on the course other than the putting green of the hole being played. This includes all marked temporary greens. You must take free relief if your ball comes to rest on a wrong green or the wrong green physically interferes with your stance – ie you must not stand on the wrong green to play your shot. The relief area is 1 club length from the reference point.

Summer Knock-outs

The winter isn’t quite over yet, but we’ve started planning for the summer now.  The entry sheets for the Men’s and Mixed Summer Knock-outs – Wessex Singles, Ross Over 50’s Singles, Cooper Foursomes, Rotherham Mixed Foursomes and the Company Cup – will in the Pro’s Shop by mid-January. The closing date for entries will be Sunday 9^th March and the draws will be posted in the following week.

George Clelland

Question.

In a 4BBB match A&B are playing C&D; A is the lowest handicap.

Prior to the match A withdraws and the match is played B vs C&D.

Are the handicap strokes calculated off the lowest handicap player present or the absent player?

This year’s Scramble winners were:

Front 9: Dudley George, Stuart Gaunt, Eddie Martin, Tony Shelton-Smith

Back 9: Nick Duncan, Philip Cartwright, John Miles, Ron Beal

A special prize, for sartorial elegance, was made to Bob Archer, whose jacket, tie and shirt combination looked like “an explosion in a paint factory”. Well done Bob.  

All in all, a really enjoyable day expertly organised and coordinated by Wynne Tufnell and Gareth Rees. Thanks Guys.

At the Vets AGM a new trophy was launched to encourage as many players as possible to play in the weekly Vets Wednesday morning Roll-Up. The competition for this new trophy runs from early November through to the end of March and will be awarded to the individual who accumulates most points based upon overall performance across the range of Roll-Up formats during the qualifying period. The Wednesday Roll-Up is a cornerstone of Vets golf at AGC and it is good that those who regularly support this event have some silverware to compete for. Gareth Rees is co-ordinating this particular competition.

Ed Tinley

Vets Captain 2020

The plan is to start some of the work this Winter and complete it next Winter.

Highlights include:-

• a new practice swale;
• new practice nets closer to the covered range bays;
• path re-routed to the rear of the white tee;
• yellow and white tees joined;
• white tee enlarged rearwards and towards the chipping green;
• red tee moved to the right but at the same distance;
• new trees planted to emphasise the dog leg and screen the range;
• some trees removed near the current practice nets;
• new bunker added before the hump on the LHS to emphasise the dog leg;
• fairway soil enriched to promote a thicker and greener fairway;
• range ball dispenser and washer relocated to the covered range.

Following an update of the EGU website and ongoing discussions, the Greens Committee agreed to change the “classification” of single seat golf buggies to be treated the same as golf trolleys.

This will always be an ongoing review process to ensure we are being fair to all our members and the Course.

As part of this process we are going to update our Frost Policy as, in reality, ‘course restrictions’ are applied for a number of reasons, not just frost.

Once updated, it will be added onto the Greens Page.

Members have asked “who is who” with regard to our Greenkeepers:

So lets start with Simon our Course Manager.

Happily married with two children Simon has worked at Royal Winchester (1993-2002); Alresford (2002-2011) and Wellow (2001-2018). He has been back with us for a year now and is enjoying being with us. Equally as important the rest of the team are happy he is back! Apart from some quality family time he also enjoys the odd round of golf!

Eight weeks ago seven Greens were “drilled and filled”. They are noticeably healthier and thankfully drying out a lot faster.

All the greens have been aerated and sprayed with a fungicide to help combat disease over the Christmas break. The grass roots on the Greens have doubled in length over the last 12 months which will help as we go into the New Year. The sustainable approach to managing the surfaces is paying dividends. Again, the weather conditions have prevented much cutting, but we still have clear definition on the fairways.

Members are reminded that they can help by repairing any pitch mark(s) they see and by keeping trolleys well away from the Greens and the Bunkers (and never between the two!)

Bob Moore

Answer.

The handicap strokes are calculated as if all four players are present.

The absent player is still allowed to join the match between the play of two holes. (i.e. after a hole is decided and prior to a player teeing off the next hole)

scheme indefinitely.  The ongoing objective of the 100 Club was then agreed as being “to provide funds for capital expenditure to enhance the Golf Course and/or Club House”.  This is still very much the objective and 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