Club Management and Challenges

We are so fortunate as a Club to enjoy the dedication of Management, Staff and Committee Members who contribute so much to provide us with an exceptional Golf Club. The Covid-19 restrictions curtailed activity on the course, but the work did not stop to ensure that our Club continued to be well-managed and alert to opportunity to re-establish play.

Initially; Chair of Finance – Ray Panter, and our Club Secretary – David Maskery, took a fine grade tooth-comb to our expenditure and removed all non-essential spending during the closure. The Club took difficult decisions to ‘furlough’ appropriate staff; as Chair of the Personnel Committee it felt brutal, yet necessary. Not nice!

With no prospect of seasonal income from Green Fees, Golf Societies and bar takings, Ray informed The Management Committee that, as a result, we would be missing more than £100,000 in income for the financial year to September 30^th 2020.

Successful Membership Drive

Planning and Development, led by Nick Duncan, brought forward plans to boost membership of our Club to offset some lack of income and to deal with stubborn membership numbers that had not increased in recent years despite having a large amount of vacancies. This drive, innovation and enthusiasm has resulted in more than 60 members joining us since lockdown. This would be welcome at any time, but given the closure of the course for nearly two-months this is remarkable, and reaffirms my confidence in our wonderful Golf Club. Mary, our Club Captain, and David have necessarily been going the extra mile to interview and bring on-board our new members. I really hope that each new member settles into their new ‘home of golf’ and feels most welcome.

Club Development and Highly Valued Support

More work in the background continues with the House Committee led by Sue Masser. Unseen, due to the closure of the clubhouse, our inefficient heating and hot water boilers have been replaced by state-of-the-art kit and relocated.

Bob Moore has kept our greenkeeping staff well informed and safe working with Simon; our Course Manager. Trevor Pearce, Chair of Bar & Catering is eagerly planning our return to Clubhouse facilities.

We are indebted to the Sub-committee Chairs for their commitment on an entirely voluntary basis, for the good of our club.

Head Professional Recruitment

The Club’s advertisement for a Head Professional, to replace the irreplaceable, attracted 29 applications which were given in-depth, individual consideration by a Sub-group formed from the Management Committee. Sadly; as part of the recruitment process, we have only taken 11 applicants to stage two of the recruitment process and necessarily had to let down 18 other applicants. There is a very strong field of candidates and we are making selection decisions based only on the needs of the Club. Restrictions willing; we hope to make a final choice towards the start of July so that there may be a smooth transition towards handover at the end of October for Malcolm and Jane after 40 years of wonderful service at the Club.

Getting Back To Golf

My sincere thanks to the vast majority of members for their patience and mutual respect enabling a steady return to golf for us all. We have all faced ‘rationing’ of availability on the course and the need to book tee times. It’s not quite the same without the opportunity to meet-up after golf in the bar or on the terrace, or to join-in for social events. Special thanks to all volunteer starters providing cover for the 1^st tee, for 11 hours on every day since the course re-opened. I arrived to do my, planned stint only to find that Pete Dowse had beaten me to it, driving from Southampton to be on the 1^st tee at 07:15; that really sums up ‘the spirit’ of Alresford Golf Club.

I certainly think we all value our Club more than ever and hope for a full and safe return to the Clubhouse when Boris permits.

Robert White

Chairman of the Management Committee

like one of these footprints, the R&A and CONGU have allowed the introduction of a temporary Local Rule for you to prefer your lie in the bunker.

Local Rule: Preferred Lies in a Bunker

When a player’s ball lies in a bunker, the player may take free relief once by placing the original ball or another ball and playing it from this relief area: 

• Reference Point: Spot of the original ball. 
• Size of Relief Area Measured from Reference Point: 6 inches from the reference point, but with these limits: 
• Limits on Location of Relief Area: 
  • Must not be nearer the hole than the reference point, and 
  • Must be in the bunker. 
• The sand in the Relief Area may not be smoothed before the ball is placed.

In proceeding under this Local Rule, the player must choose a spot to place the ball and use the procedures for replacing a ball under Rules 14.2b(2) and 14.2e.

Penalty for breach of this Local Rule:  General penalty (2 strokes).

This local rule is approved by the R&A and CONGU and shall apply during the period of Covid-19 restrictions or until it is withdrawn.

Mobile Score Entry

Club Systems are in the processing of developing a Mobile Score Entry feature. This will be an update to HowDidiDo which will allow R&A approved, qualifying score entry and thus allow golfers to continue to socially distance themselves whilst returning qualifying scores for Competitions or Supplementary Scores. Competition sign in (including online charging) and Supplementary registration will also be available. The Club has offered to test the trial version when this is available. At some point the Match Committee will be looking for volunteers to assist with the testing. However, we don’t have a date yet from Club Systems as to when the trial version will be available.

George Clelland

Question.

A player finds their ball embedded just inside the thick rough.

They decide to take free relief and drop the ball no nearer the hole about two feet to the side and about 6 inches behind where the ball was embedded.

The ball was now lying on the first cut with a much better lie.

Is this permissible under the rules?

I acted as the Starter recently and, apart from some last minute rushes to the tee, the “formal” starting procedure was well organised and much appreciated – many of those I spoke to commented positively on the booking system, and enjoyed playing a round in 3 hours or less! It will be interesting to see how the protocols develop over the next few months and indeed whether there is sufficient support and impetus for a move to a permanent tee booking system.

I have to say I really enjoyed being a Starter. It was great meeting members I had not met before and listening to their likes and dislikes. I would urge you to sign up for at least one session as a Starter if you can – in addition to the clipboard, you get to strut about like you are someone important for a short time!

Somethings for me don’t change though – my putting is still as bad as it was before the layoff!

Finally, you won’t be surprised to hear that there is very little to report on the Vets golfing front at the moment. Hopefully, as restrictions ease over the next few weeks and months, it may be possible to rescue some of the planned Vets events and competitions before the season draws to a close.

Fingers crossed!

Ed Tinley

On a more positive note we are adding another hole to the Academy Course.

The tee will be at the end of the carpark and the green will be just before the Academy 6^th green.

The pictures illustrate the views and we hope this will take shape through the summer.

Having added a 7^th hole we do have some idea’s on adding an 8^th and 9^th, but are just moving incrementally and seeing how it pans out.

The course benches are in for sanding and painting with the out of bounds; bell posts and driving markers already accomplished.

Our new “surrounds and banks” Toro mowers have arrived and are performing very well.

During lockdown there was quite an issue with chafer bugs under the greens. They like to munch away on the grass roots before emerging as a chafer beetle whilst continuing to eat grass roots. So you might notice a few traps around the course. They have a lure and if we catch one female that could avoid 300-400 eggs being laid!

In terms of our Covid 19 restrictions we are simply following the guidelines issued by the authorities.

The disc in the hole is not set at a specific height it merely rests on the top of the cup below.

The white tee markers have been put alongside the yellow ones purely to achieve a consistent speed of play. David and Mancom are accomplishing a continual review and will separate the tee markers when it’s is felt that doing so won’t create bottlenecks of golfers.

Please take your rubbish home with you.

OK we understand that sometimes items fall out of pockets etc but quite why this drinks bottle ended up in this position by the 16^th tee is surely unacceptable!

Have you noticed the wild flowers between the 16^th tee and the 12^th green. This gap allows morning sunshine onto the 12^th green which is really important in winter.

Dominic Say is our ‘Greenkeeper of the Month’.

Dom is training through Sparsholt College and gaining knowledge and experience daily working at the club. After being furloughed Dom has been back with us since opening and has now mastered the greens iron, had a go on the surrounds mower and cut the greens with the ride on mower all in a couple of weeks so training is going really well. In his spare time enjoys cycling and gaming on his play station.

Bob Moore
Chair of Greens Committee

Answer.

Yes

See rule 16.3b

Free relief is allowed for a ball embedded in the General area.

The reference point for relief is immediately behind the ball. The ball must be dropped within one club length, no nearer the hole and must also be in the General area.

The fact that the lie was improved is immaterial.

In 1987 the year the 100 Club was started:-

• The Club Captain was Capt. Peter Bentley.  
• The Ladies Captain was Mrs Jan Robinson whose husband Steve Robinson went on to became Club Captain during 1990 the year of the Centenary. 
• The course was 18 holes but played over 9 greens.
• The Clubhouse was in two parts with the Pro Shop and main clubhouse building being separated by a narrow passageway.
• Malcolm was the Club Professional
• The A31 Alresford Bypass had only just opened. 

How many current members can remember the Club and course at that time?

Last month we heard about James (Jim) Little and it was believed he was now a Chelsea Pensioner.  Full marks to anyone who saw James featured on the VE Day Special edition of the Antiques Roadshow where he was heard recounting his memories of VE Day – and was indeed shown dressed in his Chelsea Pensioner uniform.

For those who have made a diary note regarding the annual 100 Club Salver Stableford Competition and Evening Meal on Friday 24 July please note that this is now cancelled.  As with many of our other events the Covid 19 restrictions have left us unlikely to be able to run this at that time – so we shall just have to wait until next year.

Keep fit and well everyone.

For more information on the 100 Club contact Pat Wallis on 01420 564417 or peterpat51@outlook.com

Pat Wallis