By the time you read this we will have concluded the first-phase consultation of members regarding clubhouse development, capturing your thoughts and ideas.

The level of response to the survey has been well above our expectations, with an extremely encouraging overall percentage of members giving us their favoured considerations for the future.

Analysis and conclusions from the survey will be made available to the Management Committee, who meet in March, and these will then be communicated to members, along with the overall ‘direction of travel’ we feel the survey mandates us to pursue.

Suffice to say as our plans develop, you will continue to be consulted for your comments, views and support.

On other matters our contract with HPLS (Hampshire Police Leisure and Sport) has been renewed for a further year, giving locally serving and retired police staff planned access to our course, in return for a significant level of incremental ‘corporate’ income for the club.

Marketing and promoting the excellence of our club to the local community is a core responsibility of the Planning and Development Committee, but does not take the form of a series of single activities, rather a continuing and on-going process.  In this regard we are always looking for new ideas and initiatives, if this helps to secure the club’s legacy going forward.  So if you have a burning idea or suggestion, or you feel there is something we are not doing, then please don’t keep it to yourself; contact any of us on the PD committee, and we will surely give it every consideration.  Many thanks

Nick Duncan

Chair, Planning and Development Committee

The second Fun Pub Quiz was again well supported on the 22nd February with 58 participants. My thanks go to David Maskery for setting the questions and for the arrangements on the night. The winning team donated their winnings to the Club charity. The draw for the Charity Parking Space Raffle took place during the Quiz evening, congratulations to Derek Myers who has the parking space for the next 12 months.

Looking back 40 years to March 1979, whilst working as a volunteer at Limuru Boys Centre, a charity near Nairobi I spent some of my free time as a marshal at the Kenya Open at Muthaiga Golf Club, Nairobi . The PGA at that time organised a “European Tour” (the forerunner of the current European Tour) played between April and October and mainly at venues in the UK and Ireland, over the winter months the players went in search of some fun in the sun. The first 3 rounds of the event in those days were played as a pro-am, a large number of celebrities were invited along to enjoy winter sunshine and play some golf in a number of African countries, some of the stars playing in 1979 included Henry Cooper and Bobby Charlton and I got to walk around chatting to them – great fun.

Notable players included the likes of Nick Faldo, Bernard Gallagher and Tony Jacklin. Also playing in the event was one M Scott who was at that time a young trainee pro at Karen Golf Club The tournament was won by Maurice Bembridge, a record 3rd win and one that still stands. Malcolm will tell you where he finished if you ask him, he may also be able to demonstrate the full shoulder turn captured in the photo – yes it is Malcolm at Karen GC wow!

The Kenya Open will be played this month as part of the full European Tour, the prize fund is now over  €1 million and you can watch it on Sky TV – how times change.

Graham Marshallsay

The annual team challenge between the County 7’s, Gales Hockley and Stoneham Teams took place on Sunday 24^th February. The format is three way matchplay and there were some very close fought matches.  Stoneham ladies gained great matchplay experience in glorious weather.

Next month sees the start of the Friendly Matches and the return of qualifying competitions so our golf really begins in earnest.  Good luck everyone and play well!

Please do enter the Vets and Ladies Breeze Up on the 4^th April –always a good day when you are partnered with a vet not pitted against them – the sheet is on the noticeboard.  Sign up sheets will also soon be out up for the Mixed Flag Competition on Easter Bank Holiday Monday and the Spring Meeting on the 30^th April.

Sadly we learnt of the death of Joan Stephens – Joan was Ladies Captain in 1995 – a year in which we won the Stoneham Cup, something that she was very proud of.  Joan had been one of the longest standing lady members at the club playing golf for over forty years and finally giving up her social membership in 2018.  She will be remembered by many of us at her funeral on the 27^th February.

Best wishes

Sue

In Foursomes and 4BBB competitions, the names and handicaps of both players must be on the card. Players whose cards are not signed or have no handicap or a higher handicap than that to which the player is entitled will be disqualified.

Cards for a Supplementary Score should be marked Supplementary Score under Competition and cards for an initial handicap should be marked For Initial Handicap under Competition. As well as Name and Date, it is essential that these cards also show which set of tees has been used.

Score cards should always be returned regardless of the circumstances. Members who persistently fail to return score cards may be sanctioned.

New Rules

A reminder that the new Rules of Golf now apply. Many of you may have heard that Ricky Fowler was penalised one shot at the WGC-Mexico Championship for failing to correct an illegal drop from shoulder height. Dropping from shoulder height is likely to be the most common mistake the average golfer will make … but as long as you correct the mistake by dropping from knee height before playing your shot there is no penalty.

George Clelland

Question.

You are 95% certain that your ball has come to rest under a pile of large logs that are awaiting removal by the greenkeepers. Some of the logs are too large and potentially dangerous to move and, you can’t find your ball. What’s the ruling?

The Vets Friendly matches launch in mid March and lists for players have now been posted for the initial matches This is a great opportunity to play competitive but friendly golf against other local clubs both at home and away. Their success depends on Vets volunteering to play: YOUR VETS SECTION NEEDS YOU!

We finished the Winter league matches with a pleasing win against Royal Winchester Golf Club at home on a balmy day. Not enough to get us to the top of the table but some good results, mixed golf in a variety of weather and course conditions and a small nucleus of 22 players flying the AGC Vets flag in the 7 matches we played.

The lighter mornings and warmer weather has seen more Vets turning out for the roll-up on Wednesday mornings. Ed Tinley our vice captain is introducing some new team events this yearfor greater variety (watch this space) and is always on the look-out for volunteers for the bagman roster; so please put your name down – it is not an onerous duty and does not mean missing playing that morning.

And finally …………….. there are invitations on the Vets notice board for Seniors opens at Wellow Golf Club for a team of 4 (on 16 May) and Petersfield Golf Club (on 13 June) for a team of 3. Please follow these up if you would like to take part.

Drew Fielden

Fairways have been cut with very little grass coming off again we need some warmer days/nights to get them going.  Fertiliser will also be applied to the fairways towards the end of March.  As I look out on the 9^th/18^th today (27^th Feb) the fairways are coming back to life!

Snow falling at the beginning of February closed the course for 3 days and there was some sledge damage caused on the 11th bunker face but this will recover quickly as we go into spring.

Tree work. Six days of tree work completed off the back of the survey. 16 trees have been felled and deadwood has been removed in another 16 trees.  We obviously expected these trees to be weak but have been shocked by how dangerous some were.  Colin Luff really cracked on well and he only has 16 trees to attend to when he returns early March.  Colin has removed the large logs this week, taking care to minimise damage to the course.  Inhouse, we have also been crown raising trees around the course and some trees have been felled behind the 13th tee in readiness for the tee extension. Around 50 stumps have also been removed.

Some more turfing around bunker edges has been done to visually improve these areas. All bunkers that have been worked on have had sand added and are now in play the newly turfed banks are lift and drop areas as the turf is still rooting. 14th greenside bunker on the right has not washed out even after 75mm of rain so I am hoping we have solved the problem.

The footpath track to the gate by the 13th tee has been cleared so that materials for Curlys barn improvements can be delivered from that access point rather than being taken across the course.In the workshop we have treated the wooden yardage posts and painted half of the 150 markers. Machines are being serviced and old worn parts being replaced with new ones ready for the playing season. All mats have been levelled on the academy course.

All Greenkeeping staff have attended a first aid course and passed.

Finally, at last the rooks seem to be feeding somewhere else, but I might have spoken too soon!!

Mark Tiplady

Answer.

From Definitions;

• Grass cuttings, leaves and any other material piled for later removal are Ground Under Repair (GUR).
• But:
  • Any natural materials that are piled for removal are also loose impediments, and
  • Any materials left on the course that are not intended to be removed are not ground under repair unless the Committee has defined them as such.

If the logs are piled for later removal, you may take free relief under rule 16.1e by estimating the position of where your ball entered the logs (GUR) and finding your nearest point of complete relief. You must then drop your ball from knee height within one club length not nearer the hole.

If there is any doubt as to whether they are piled for removal, then;

In Stroke play, the player should play two balls stating which one he/she wishes to count if the rules allow and raise the issue with the committee. One ball taking relief from GUR, Rule 16.1e and one ball played under penalty of stroke & distance, Rule 18.2

In Match play, If players don’t agree, the player should proceed as he/she wishes and the opponent may state that they will make a claim when the committee is available.

Not a member of the 100 Club?

The objective of the Alresford Golf Club 100 Club is to raise funds for projects and items requiring capital expenditure that will enhance the Golf Course and/or the Clubhouse.  Such projects would generally be considered ‘extras’ and not necessarily be within the Club budget.  The 100 Club was launched in 1987 to raise funds to augment the Centenary celebrations of the Golf Club in 1990, but at the request of the members, the 100 Club has continued to raise funds for items such as the Information Board and Clock on the 1^st tee and the Automatic External Defibrillator in the Entrance Hall.

If you’re not a member of the 100 Club, you can become one for as little as £1 per month.  Shares in the 100 Club are purchased for £1 per month and there is no limit on the number of shares which can be held.  In general, most members have between 1 and 5 shares and pay by monthly direct debit, though it’s also possible to pay quarterly or annually.  Each share is allocated a number which is entered in the monthly draw.  The top prize is £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

TEAM GOLF 2019  – THE 9 HOLE EVENING SUMMER LEAGUE

This popular social golf competition will commence earlier this year on Thursday evening  2^nd May, with the ‘Bonding’ evening, when all six of the team play the front nine holes.  Pairs from each team play a pair from another team, with the best four team scores to be added to finals evening on 11^th July

We are looking for ten teams again this year, so Captains please start gathering a team together ready for the entry list, which will be posted on the Social notice board on 14^th March.

The Format and Rules are online in the Members section under Competitions.

Newer members are particularly welcome as it is great way of meeting other members, as each team plays every other team during the eleven weeks competition, and the minimum requirement is only four evenings participation.

There will be an ‘Availability’ list to help Captains form a team, so please enter your name if you would like to join in, or better still form a team yourself.

Start getting your friends together and form a team and choose its name please.

A great fun competition, do join in.  Any queries Tel John White 01962732283