Fore Info January 2022
Content
Here are some of the January highlights:
- Competition Winners 2020 and 2021 not forgotten: see our Captain’s update
- Fred Morse Trophy Winners for 2020 and 2021 announced
- Update on Captains Charity Trip: a few places left
- Ladies Results and Team successes
- Turkey Trot Winners
- Rules Quiz Question: dropping for an unplayable lie
- Annual Handicap Review
- Winners in the Vets Xmas Scramble and Winter League Match Results
- Social update: Quiz night coming soon
- Do you have your 2022 Bagtag? Find out how to get it (if you paid your subs)
- Details of upcoming Rollups
- Pro Tip from Mark Wood on Gripping for Success
- Updates on the Course: what is going on in winter?
- Lucky Winners in the 100 Club
- Joke and Cartoon of the Month
Welcome to all the new members who joined this month. Although it has been very wet, the course is very playable. Given the bad state of many courses in Hampshire you definitely made the right decision to join Alresford! Many courses are closed!
Although we have no catering at present, I can highly recommend the Cricketers Pub for a pint and a snack after your game. The owners are new and really need our custom in these difficult times.
I have only one plea to all new and existing members. Please repair pitchmarks, not just your own but others that people have overlooked. On new years eve, I repaired on average FOUR forgotten pitchmarks (apart from my own) on every green. Unbelievable but true! With the grass not growing in winter such pitchmarks can take many months to recover. We are proud of our greens but we need all members to play their part in keeping them great.
Enjoy your golf and it will be spring before we know it.
David Marshall
Editor
newsletter@alresfordgolf.co.uk
From the Club Captain
I do hope you all had a very enjoyable Christmas. Last year we were disappointed to be unable to travel to my mum and sister so this year must be an improvement. We returned on Christmas Day so I was delighted to take my place in the Boxing Day Captain v Vice Captain 9-hole Challenge match. In reasonable weather, over 40 members and guests took part. Simon and I are grateful to the social committee for their support. Special thanks to Les Thorne who organised players on arrival and helped us to welcome players with drinks and nibbles post golf. Great fun but we do look forward to a return to normal in the clubhouse next year! Thanks to all and especially for the £155 raised for Captains Charity.
Competition Winners 2020 & 2021
We were all unfortunate not to be able to congratulate our 2020 and 2021 competition winners at our Annual Trophy Presentation evenings, however the Club would very much like to acknowledge those competition winners. CapCom have agreed that all competition winners for 2020 and 2021 will still have the opportunity to receive their glassware memento.
Over the coming weeks the Competitions Committee shall be emailing trophy/competition winners with details – please look out for the email. Many thanks to Gill Freemantle for taking on this mammoth exercise.
In the meantime, I should like to personally congratulate the Winners of the prestigious Fred Morse Trophy for 2020 and 2021. This trophy is presented annually to the most consistent golfer over the year.
The winner in 2020: Jim White
The winner for 2021: Ashley Wilmott
The Turkey Trot’s were well supported, with some good scores recorded. The Pro’s Stablefords have been well received and we look forward to more of these in the early months of 2022. Thanks to members of the Competitions & Handicap Committee who have volunteered to manage the results for this.
The Covid uncertainty continues but during January we will be making our plans for 2022 team and competition golf. Let’s hope we get back to something like normal soon. Jim White will again run the Men’s “scratch” teams in the County 7’s, Annodata and EAGG competitions. Richard Lane will run the Gales Hockley team and hope they actually play a match this year!
The prestigious “pre-season” friendly against the County Team will take place on Sunday 13th February. This will be the 50th playing of this match which was instigated by David Harrison when he was County Captain. We do hope this can go ahead for the first time since 2019. Simon will post this and other men’s friendly fixtures on Club V1 soon.
As the Clubhouse was closed the Captains’ Drive-In didn’t take place as planned and will now be held later in the year.
The much-anticipated Captains Charity Trip will go ahead as planned, one year later! Monday 2nd May to Friday 6th May. There are spaces as 3 teams are unable to make it this year. I will send out full details mid-January when hotel prices are confirmed.
Very best wishes for a Happy New Year.
Mark Tiplady
Club Captain
Ladies Section
So here we are at the cusp of a new year with, at the time of writing, rain lashing down, grey skies and the prospect of more of the same to come. So what do we have to brighten our horizon? Well, the evenings are already noticeably drawing out, the Clubhouse development is proceeding apace and we can look forward to the buds on the trees fattening up ready to burst into life. We can but hope that this coming year will afford all of us the opportunity to play more golf, visit family and friends and even – dare I mention it – take overseas holidays.
At the start of December we had our annual Turkey Trot. The weather was not kind on the Saturday but the Tuesday was better and some good golf was played. On Thursday, 9 December the Maple Leaf team, captained by Marion Bruce, had a convincing win over Basingstoke away when they won four and one. On 13th December the first round of the Winter Triple, a competition between us, Lee on the Solent and Corhampton, was held at Lee on the Solent. Alresford Ladies, captained by Gunnel Berry, are in the lead by one point with two more matches to come, one here at home and one at Corhampton. To cap off our success the Legg Bowl team, led by Linda Wager, had a great win on Friday, 17th December. Playing against Stoneham they won by four holes and go forward to the semi-final stage which will be against Bramshott Hill. Congratulations to all the teams and also the caddies who offer great support.
On Tuesday, 14th December a fine, sunny day greeted the ladies who were playing in our nine hole Christmas Texas Scramble. Seventy five ladies took part in the golf and then thirty-nine ladies enjoyed a festive lunch at The Bell in Alresford. The numbers were not as great as usual due to Covid concerns but those who attended had a good time.
I am extremely grateful to the ladies committee who have been a great support this month whilst I recover from a total knee replacement. Finally, I refuse to make a New Year Resolution – I’ve tried that before and they don’t work! Instead I am sitting here and imagining the glow of satisfaction that I will have when I see all our ladies enjoying their golf, the after-golf conviviality (when everyone puts the world to rights) and the great friendships that will be established and strengthened between members through the shared experience that Alresford Golf Club offers you all.
Jan Harring
Ladies Captain
Match Committee Report
Turkey Trots
The weather wasn’t too kind to us all for the Turkey Trot and particularly poor for the ladies alternate day competition on the Tuesday, so the entry was slightly down on the previous year. Unlike other men’s competitions for the Turkey Trot, the total of the entry fees for each round is paid out as prizes in the form of vouchers from Evans the Butcher in Alresford.
| Saturday 4th December | ||
| 1st | Adrian Leese | 40 points |
| 2nd | Lee Philips | 38 points |
| 3rd = | Nick Duncan | 37 points |
| 3rd = | Richard Lane | 37 points |
| 4th = | Michael Fairbrass | 36 points |
| 4th = | James Banks | 36 points |
| 4th = | Brian Overton | 36 points |
| Sunday 5th December | |
| Gary Venn | 36 points |
| Nick Connell | 35 points |
| Mark Barter | 34 points |
| Anthony Briggs | 34 points |
| Ladies – Sat 4th & Tue 7th December | ||
| Winner | Louise Morton | 33 points |
| Div 1 | Liz Thorne | 27 points |
| Div 3 | Margaret Jones | 26 points |
All winners have been notified and if they have not already done so, their vouchers are available for collection in the Pro Shop.
Pro’s Stablefords
The Pro’s Stableford competitions throughout the winter period remain popular and Mark will be running these throughout January and February (commencing the weekend of 8th January). Keep a look out in the Member’s Update and through the Members App/HowDidIDo for dates. Winners will be published in the Pro Shop.
Annual Handicap Review
The Competitions and Handicap Committee is required to annually review the Handicap Index of all players to determine whether their Handicap Index is reflective of their demonstrated ability, and their current scoring pattern is consistent with their expected scoring pattern. A report is produced to help identify such players and those players were reviewed by the Committee at their meeting on Friday 10th December. Player’s handicaps have now been adjusted and communicated.
Gill Freemantle
Chair, Competitions and Handicap Committee, Handicap Secretary
A Look at the Rules
Question.
Q. A player finds their ball in an unplayable lie next to the green. They decide to take a lateral penalty drop within two club lengths. They drop the ball on the putting green in the relief area, no nearer the hole and it rolls just off the putting green but still in the relief area. The player then picks up the ball and re-drops the ball on the putting green in the relief area not nearer the hole and again it rolls just off the putting green but still in the relief area. The player then picks up the ball and places it on the putting green where it last landed.
Which is correct:
a, The player gets 2 penalty strokes for playing from wrong place
b, The player is disqualified for playing from the wrong place and gaining a significant advantage.
c, The player gets 3 penalty strokes for taking unplayable ball relief and from playing from wrong place.
d, The player gets 1 penalty stroke for taking unplayable ball relief.
Vets Section
I hope you all had a good Christmas.
What a busy month we had in December! Unfortunately we had three disappointing Winter League matches with defeats to Royal Winchester and Hockley, plus a draw with Salisbury & South Wilts.
We held our annual Xmas Scramble and Christmas meal with 48 playing and 52 for the meal. With great weather for golf the winners on the front nine were Graham Lumb, Ray Panter, Dave Forrest and Vets guest Melissa Gori. In second place Derek Andrews, Keith Monkhouse, Gareth Rees and Tony Freeman.
The winners on the back nine were Steve Oldham, Brian Overton, Pete Dowse and Ewan McGregor. In second place Len Lochrie, Norman Sheen, George Skayman and Peter Gartside.
We had four nearest the pins:
6th hole Gerry Collard; 13th hole Stuart Slater; 16th hole Charlie McLaughlin. No one hit the hole.
My thanks go to Ewan and Wynne for organising the day, the ground staff for a great course and to everyone who took part.
I was invited to play in the Ladies Xmas Sramble, playing alongside Mary Panter and Alison Love. We had a great game, and the company was good, but we were disqualified for not filling the card in right!
January looks to be a quiet month with just roll ups on Wednesdays and one Winter League game away at Corhampton.
I wish you all a Happy New Year and hope to catch up in 2022.
Bob Archer
Vets Captain
General Manager’s Update
NEW MEMBERS
Welcome to the following new members who have all joined the club during November and December; Jane Theaker, Judy Wright , Richard Wright, Richard Lucas, Kate Fay, Matthew Stanistreet, Steve Brown, Joe Callow, Michael Duncombe, Derek Kellow, James Macleod, Ricky Peters, John Riddell and Jason Stockley
We hope that your time at the club will be a long and enjoyable one for all of you.
CLUB ‘ROLL UP’
Fancy a game during the week? All members are welcome to come along to the informal ‘club roll-up’ on Wednesday mornings. There is a tee reservation between 11.00-12.00 – members wishing to take part should meet at the starters hut from approx. 10.45am for allocation of groups. As per the times highlighted for the Ladies and Vets Sections, we politely ask members to show courtesy to those who wish to play in this ‘roll up’ at this time. If you do not wish to play with this group please choose another time if possible. If there continues to be a limited use of this time , then the Captains Committee will review the tee allocation.
ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS 2022
You should have received your annual subscription invoice via email. If you haven’t, please check your inbox or junk mail.
Payments can be made over the telephone with credit/debit card or even better via BACS transfer (details on the bill). Remember as long as you pay your subscription by 30th January 2022 any full paying 5 or 7 day member will receive a £50 credit on their bar card.
You may not play after 1st January if you do not intend to renew your membership.
2022 Bag tags and diaries are now available to collect from the pro-Shop.
We do offer an Advanced Payment Scheme for your 2023 subscriptions. You choose how much you wish to pay against your bill for 2023 and your account is credited. Speak to the office if you would like a Standing Order form.
FACEBOOK – check out our Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/alresfordgolfclub
Make sure you ‘like’ our Facebook page and you will link to it and get the regular pictures and updates on what’s happening ! Share with your friends to help us boost our online and social media profiles
Follow us at https://www.instagram.com/alresford_golf_club/
CLUB DIARY – IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Members are still being caught out by only referring to the Club Diary Icon on Club V1 app.
Please remember that at present the Club Diary icon within the Club V1 app, only shows upcoming competitions. It does not link with our google calendar and so reflect the full club dairy with any tee reservations for matches or golf societies.
If you wish to access this via the Club V1 app , use the Club website icon / Homepage / Menu / Events
Alternatively check the noticeboards outside the Pro-Shop and on the 1st tee – both of these show two weeks of any tee restrictions.
Winter is on it’s way- Be Safe on the Golf Course
Rain/Mud/Frost/Ice = slippery golf course, especially grass banks, wooden sleepers and any untreated areas.
PLEASE TAKE CARE AND KEEP TO THE PATHS WHEREVER POSSIBLE
DO NOT WALK ON SLOPES
DO NOT TAKE YOUR TROLLEYS ACROSS THE SIDES OF SLOPES AND BANKS
PLEASE ADHERE TO ANY TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SIGNAGE ON THE COURSE
KEEP BUGGIES AND TROLLIES AWAY FROM THE EDGES OF GREENS AND TEES
If roads are icy in the morning on your way to the club, it is fair to assume that the car park and the paths around the club will be icy too! We do our best to grit and salt these areas but please take care.
BAR & CATERING COMMITTEE
Whilst we do not have a bar or kitchen at present, we do have vacancies on this sub-committee which will be considering, recommending and influencing our provision when we re-open. If you would like to be involved and have an opinion, please contact Trevor Pearce who will be pleased to discuss the role of the sub-committee. trevor.pearce3@btinternet.com
QUIZ NIGHT
The Social Committee would like to invite you to a fun ZOOM ‘Winter blues’ QUIZ on the evening of Saturday 15th January 2022, 7.00pm for a 7.15pm start. Entry is FREE.
To ensure everybody receives clear instructions on how to take part in time, please let the General Manager know by Thursday 14th January if you would like to enter and let us know a family or team name!
David Maskery
General Manager
Pro- Corner
We hope you had a Healthy and Happy Christmas and are looking forward to what we hope is a much improved 2022 for all!
We have been fortunate to spend a much needed week with the family and during that period we spent a lot of time reflecting on the what has worked in 2021 and what we are keen to embrace going forward.
Looking back it has been a joy to have played with many of you during the Captain Pro Challenge, embracing the AGC way through Captains Days, Par 3 Competitions and a ladies plus assistant Pro Am to name just a few! Thank you to all that have shown patience, grace and fantastic organisational prowess, in guiding us through.
Wishing you a Happy and Prosperous New Year,
Best wishes
Mark, Mandy and the team
PS Do not forget to tune into the live Facebook broadcast on 1st January at 6pm to announce the winners of the New Year’s Raffle
Gripping Success
[kad_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lklAPS83h0″ ]
MORE GOLF TIPS
I am always filming new video tips and popping them over on my YouTube channel which is completely free to subscribe to. You can find my channel here – https://www.youtube.com/user/markwoodgolfacademy
Greens News
Happy New Year !
Those of you who have managed to get onto the course in the last month will have noticed our greenkeepers and external contractors managing our woodland. Unfortunately, because of Ash Dieback, we have had to fell Ash trees between the 18th and 9th holes, to the left and right of the 11th, between the 3rd and the 7th holes plus the two big Ash trees to the left of the 7th green. We’ve also done some tidying around the 3rd green.
The stump removal of the felled trees will be carried out on the 12th of January and the next phase of the tree work is planned for the 7th and 8th of February 2022.
Overall, the greens are doing well. We cut at 5mm twice weekly, and they are rolled twice weekly to keep them as smooth and true as possible. Unfortunately, there is fusarium present on the sand-based greens and typically in shaded areas where the leaf is staying wet for longer periods. This is frustrating because despite taking the appropriate actions, such as spraying with fungicide on 17th December, the lower strength of the fungicide and weather conditions have allowed the disease to creep in. Tees and aprons have been sprayed with iron and turf hardeners to try and stop worms casting and creating muddy surfaces. The 7th green is bedding in well and the turf has settled almost perfectly level with the rest of the green. We are now waiting for some root to appear and penetrate the underlying soil. Once this happens the turf won’t be able to move, and we can consider bringing the green back into play.
The management of our rough continues apace with our team of 15 dedicated sheep! The greenkeepers will tackle areas the sheep can’t manage over the winter. The Greenkeepers continue to undertake the general maintenance of our course. The repair work around the bunker edges has all rooted in whilst sand depths and stone removal are constantly being monitored and addressed. Mowing has slowed right down after the recent colder weather with fairways cut weekly weather permitting. Surround areas have been left longer to combat the increased wear associated with general play at this time of year and the more delicate areas have been roped to stop trollies tracking into the green sides. “Trollies this way” signs are being used to direct the traffic around the greens.
In addition to the work the greenkeepers undertake to maintain our course each winter they take on some projects to improve or rejuvenate the course. We refer to these as the “Winter projects”. Winter projects currently in hand include the reconstruction of the greenside bunkers on 17 and 13. The base of the 17th greenside bunker is now in and the revetted walls have been built.
Next our greenkeepers will shape the soil surrounding the bunker. Work will also continue working on the 13th bunker during January and weather permitting you should see work begin on the red 3rd tee and the 11th yellow/white tee
Those of you who have used the practice facilities may have noticed the two new distance signs have been put up marking 100 and 150 yards on the range. Please note that the Range Grass Tee is now closed.
Finally, the building works have touched everyone who works and plays at Alresford golf Club including our greenkeepers. For them the past month has been a month of moving. They have had to move out of their old mess room located under the old flat and into a portacabin located in the bottom yard next to the 10th tee. They have just about managed to squeeze everything in. In addition, they have put off greenkeeping in order to help with some peripheral building works related to temporary accommodation.
That is all for now, please enjoy our course.
Derek Myers
Chair, Greens Committee
P.S If any member is looking for a rare and individual birthday gift or a belated Christmas present, we still have all the old tee plates in case anyone would be interested. Please enquire at the office.
A Look at the Rules
Answer.
The correct answer is d. A player may drop a ball in any area of the course within two club lengths when taking unplayable ball relief, including the putting green. However the ball must come to rest in the area the ball first touches when dropped. See rule 19.2c
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.
100 Club
Charles wins the top prize this month and Gareth second prize!
See who else has won prizes in the 100 Club prize draw for January 2022.
£100 Charles Kydd
£50 Gareth Rees
£32 Prizewinners
John Goddard
Barbara Woolnough
Rosie Hallas
Tonny Maxwell
A very Happy New Year to all 100 Club members and congratulations to our prizewinners in this first draw for 2022. A great way to kick off the New Year and a little bonus to spend in the January sales.
Why not kick off your 2022 by joining 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
Funny Endings: Cartoon and Joke of the Month
A young man and a priest are playing together.
At a short par-3 the priest asks, “What are you going to use on this hole my son?”
The young man says, “An 8-iron, father. How about you?”
The priest says, “I’m going to hit a soft seven and pray.”
The young man hits his 8-iron and puts the ball on the green. The priest tops his 7-iron and dribbles the ball out a few yards.
The young man says, “I don’t know about you father, but in my church when we pray, we keep our head down.”
Thanks to Stuart Slater for contributing this months joke and Di Peisley for the cartoon.
We are looking for golf related, clean, seriously funny humour suitable for all members. Send your contributions to the Editor (David Marshall) at newsletter@alresfordgolf.co.uk
If we use your joke or cartoon, I will buy you a drink in the bar.
Quote of the Month
“Even when times were good, I realised that my earning power as a golf professional depended on too many ifs and putts.” Gene Sarazen
Editor: David Marshall
DISCLAIMER
The Editorial Team take no responsibility for incorrect information received from Contributors.
