Fore Info November 2022
Content
- Editors Interview: Past Captains- an AGC member gets the honour
- An update from the Chair: key AGM decisions
- Club and Ladies Captain News: fond farewells
- Rules Quiz Question: an immovable obstruction
- Competitions: Winter? General Play Scores?
- Vets update: celebrating with partners
- World Cup Football: watch it at AGC
- Social : new events coming soon…
- Greens News: latest on our course
- Pro Corner: ever hit it fat? Mark has a tip…
- Winners in the 100 Club: Ken and John win big…
Another full issue for you this month as we transition Captains. A big thank you to all the Captains who tirelessly worked to the benefit of all members and guests. You all get a well earned break now. It was tough with the clubhouse closed for a large portion of your special year but you soldiered on regardless.
I hope like me you have enjoyed the bar and catering facilities and it is good to see many members bringing their friends for Sunday lunches and dinners. As many AGC groups plan their Christmas get togethers, please use our club and support Ben and the Team.
Make sure you attend the AGM and get your voice heard or give a proxy vote. The tricky decision on how much to increase membership fees will be decided at AGM so don’t miss out.
It is a members club and we welcome everyones input and engagement. We are lucky to have many member volunteers but we always need new volunteers, so ask David Maskery to see where you fit best. Despite heavy rains recently the course remained very playable on almost all days, a tribute to our dedicated but small greens team. Society feedback has been brilliant. The greens staff are unsung heroes so do consider them when you consider any year end staff tipping.
Although our Course Manager, Simon Justice always provides great photos, a big thank you this month also to Tracey (Bar-ker) for her photos, including this months great front cover shot. If we have any budding photographers at the club please send your AGC pics to me so we can select an AGC photo of the year.
How many people do you know that get a horserace named after them? Well our ‘Tatler’ famed Wynne Tufnell did so recently and here is the photo proof below. Well done Wynne for all your service to the horseracing industry as well as AGC.
A date for your diary: Burns Night 2023
Plans are underway for the return of our popular Burns Night after 2 years absence because of Covid. It will be on Saturday 21st January 2023 and black tie as is traditional. A piper has been booked and we’re in discussion with the Kitchen as to the starter and dessert – you all know what the main course will be. Put the date in your diary now – more details will be announced in the December and January editions of Fore Info.
As always keep in touch to get your news in this, your club mag e-zine. Don’t forget to let me know of your ‘hole in ones’ (with photographic proof) too.
David Marshall
Editor
Roger Corkhill elected Captain of Hampshire Past Captains
You would be right in thinking all Club Captains one day become Past Captains. Like all present and past Captains of Hampshire clubs Tip has already joined and has played with the Past Captains of Hampshire, Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands Association. AGC member, Roger Corkhill has recently been elected as Captain of this illustrious group. I took a few minutes with Roger to find out more.
Editor: Roger you must be quite proud! Tell us about the Association.
Roger: Yes, I feel honoured as only two AGC past captains (Ken Mills and Jack Maxwell) have been Captains of the association which was formed on 16th November 1972 and now has 330 members. We play matches against Berks, Bucks, Cambridgeshire, Devon, Dorset, Essex, Kent, London, Oxfordshire, Surrey, Sussex, Wiltshire and Somerset. We also play Hampshire Past Ladies Captains and several other matches against Hampshire clubs. Games are about 16-20 a side and have a post-game dinner social.
Editor: how long have you been a member?
Roger: I joined the Past Captains in 2012. I was Captain of Dummer Golf club in 1995/96 and became Club Secretary in 1998. On retirement I joined AGC in 2004.
I was invited to join the committee in 2019 and became Vice Captain in 2021 and Captain in September 2022 for the year 2023. In September 2023 I will then be elected President for the year 2023/24. Terry Glynn will be Captain in 2026.
Editor: what other events does the group hold?
Roger: We have an annual holiday when wives and partners are invited to join us and next year we will go to the Forest of Arden. I also have a Captain’s day which I will hold here in Alresford. In 2024, I am hoping to have my President’s day at Basingstoke Golf Club.
Editor: What are you doing to celebrate the 50th anniversary?
Roger: In the summer we held a highly successful event at Waterlooville Golf Club to celebrate the Golden Jubilee on the actual 50th anniversary of our association. We are also inviting all past presidents and partners to a celebration lunch at Brokenhurst Manor Golf Club on 16th November 2022 to acknowledge their individual contribution to its success.
Editor: Is it expensive to join?
Roger: There is a £25 annual membership.
We have 15 inter county matches and several other competitions for members to play. Its like a normal golf club and has also plenty of opportunity to play throughout the south of England on some wonderful courses.
It’s a very sociable group and something I can highly recommend all past captains to join.
Editor
David Marshall
Management Corner
AGM
The AGM has been fixed for the evening of Thursday, November 24th 2022. We are very much hoping to hold the meeting in the Clubhouse for the first time in three years, but we need to keep an eye on any issues relating to Covid.
The Club circulated draft, proposed rule changes to members and has further reviewed that draft following member feedback. A final version will be circulated to members ahead of the AGM so that informed votes may be cast.
The proposed increase in subscription levels will be well in excess of the 5% threshold which triggers the need for a member vote at the AGM. We are preparing both the final numbers and a detailed explanation of the need to increase subscriptions as a result of galloping inflation and other factors. We have been trying to limit the impact of the energy crisis for the Club, however, we have hit the perfect storm. Our General Manager secured an amazing fixed rate deal four years ago to which we have been happily locked-into; we wish it could continue! Despite fitting new energy efficient boilers and lighting our best deal available is eye-wateringly costly and factored into the proposed subscription levels for 2023.
We are also monitoring subscription levels at local, competitor Clubs, such as Hockley and Royal Winchester, to ensure that we continue to provide both value for money and facilities that continue to receive many compliments. Both Hockley and Royal Winchester renew their subscriptions later in the year than Alresford, so it will not be possible to report on their 2023 subscription levels, but it is our intention to keep our subs below their 2022 fees. At a time when we are all experiencing increases in our day-to-day spending, I know how unwelcome a significant rise in subscription levels will be. However, we cannot set the Club up to fail and therefore cannot provide you with a budget that would result in financial loss over the year. Very tricky times for both Golf Club and domestic finances!
Chairman’s Report for the AGM
In the coming weeks I will need to reflect on the year in writing my Chairman’s Report for the AGM. It has been an amazing year for the Club and so much has changed for the better, at challenging times affected by both Covid and incredible inflation. We now attract many more members due to the quality of our course and facilities, but we are more restricted for visitor traffic as we prioritise course access for members. As recently as 2016 it was noted in Management Committee minutes that the lack of members was a risk to Club but we have come a very long way recently. Whilst I was not involved in the management of the Club in 2016, I can imagine that it was beyond ‘wildest dreams’ that the Club would be so successful that we would need to close to new members for two years in succession. Our success is testament to our ability to work together through our stable committee structure and the endless contributions of all volunteers at our Club; your commitment is amazing!
The Management Committee has enjoyed a very settled period working in partnership with the Captain’s Committee and our General Manager to the benefit of the whole Club. We will be sad to lose Sue Masser who is stepping down having delivered the Clubhouse Development project, and we lose Nick Duncan from Planning and Development after four very busy, successful years. I wish them both a very well-earned break, but I am assured that Sue will continue to work on the Clubhouse Development Project through to its ultimate close.
As a club can never be perfect, but I know that the balance of excellence over things that require improvement is immeasurably positive. Our plan is to continue to concentrate on the quality of the course, facilities and services which will ensure the relevance and success of our Club. This is represented by our ever-growing catchment area as we attract new members from further afield. We must always remember that those travelling from the Romsey, Southampton and Portsmouth areas drive past a number of golf clubs before reaching Alresford. We are delighted that they choose to play here, but we must continue to provide a great atmosphere and continuous improvement in our golf facilities.
Clubhouse Development
Sue Masser and Bill Regan continue to work through the snagging issues with the contractor; Ascia. The Club has not yet paid the full contract price to the contractor but has been making verified stage payments. We have ended the dispute with the contractor over the patio canopy and have removed that cost from the contract price so that we can deal directly with the ultimate supplier, however, we will not fit the canopy during the winter months so you will not see it until the Spring.
Once the final verified payments have been made to the contractor we will report to the Club on the final, full costs which are anticipated to be within 1% or 2% of the original budget including the contract price of the canopy. In these inflationary times, that will be a remarkable achievement and further testament to Sue’s expertise and commitment to the Club. In my day job, I am seeing building projects cancelled due to inflation and another large project has been unable to secure a ‘fixed price contract’ which of course Sue secured for us.
I do hope to see you at our AGM on Thursday, 24th November…if we can have the bar open during the meeting…we will!
Robert White
Chair
From the Club Captain
November! Darker afternoons, winter rules, end of season feel. Time to thank our fantastic Competitions and Handicaps Committee for the incredible job they have done for us this year. PLEASE read Gill’s update in this issue of FORE! as it explains the qualifying rules this winter. The C&H members, who are volunteers, have managed record numbers of competitions and casual scorecards this year. Please support them by only submitting cards according to these guidelines. They have earned a little downtime, so cancelling out non-qualifying cards will not be welcome!
Disappointing start to the month for me as I was unable to play in the annual match with Ryde Pirates. One of my favourite fixtures yet 2 years as Captain and couldn’t play either! Better luck next year.
I was very pleased to play in the important Vets v Ladies match. Great to see the rivalry and friendships on the course and in the clubhouse. The usual banter about the terms of combat with the Ladies happy that next year is their turn to pick the format!
The Ladies and Assistants Pro-Am was another great success. Tinged with sadness as dear Sally Willis was much missed by members and guests alike. Mary Rook organised this with her customary efficiency and we know that this popular event is in safe hands.
Highlight of the month was the Francis Holmes Trophy. This great competition is held between Alresford, Andover, Romsey, and Marlborough. All these clubs started out as 9-hole courses and host the event in rotation.
We are fortunate to have David Maskery! Without his input this event would struggle. Marlborough hosted this year but only added it to their diary when prompted by David. So, it was 2 months late, meaning only 9 holes foursomes before 18 holes singles (both medal). Over the years, home teams have a great advantage and usually win, so we were delighted to match Marlborough on 561 shots and share the trophy! Everyone contributed and another great day!
Very disappointed that the Chairman’s Cup couldn’t take place due to the rarest of AGC events, “Course Closed, waterlogged”.
The Captain-Pro Challenge has now reached the knock-out stage and the draw is as follows.
Semi-Final 1
Steve & Kim Johnson will play the winner of Harry Dhand & Dave Fox (holders) v Alan Green & Frank Blackmoor
Quarter Finals
Simon Freemantle & Simon Wills v Mark Truran & Paul Robson
Rob White & Richard Prescott v Gavin Jones & Suzie Batty
Congratulations to all these pairs who beat Mark and me to reach this stage. We’ve really enjoyed our matches! Book early next year when Simon and Mark will continue this event.
I was delighted to present the Lillian Rogerson Trophy on Monday 24th. Although only 5 Juniors took part, they are a fine group that we are very proud of. It has been great to see the development of these young people over the past 12 months. All 5 scored 32 points or more and Tobias Cobb came out on top over Jacob Howells, after countback, with 37 points. Look out for these handicaps tumbling next year!
November brings the end of season events. Trophy Presentations, Annual Dinner, AGM and Captains’ Drive-In. I hope to see many of you at some or all of these super days. The atmosphere in the clubhouse on Friday evening was outstanding! No event, just club members relishing in having a clubhouse to be proud of and socialising with friends. Awesome.
As this is my final contribution to FORE! information after 2 years as Captain, I would like to thank previous editor Trevor Hodgkinson and current editor David Marshall for their work, patience and understanding!
CapCom. Many thanks to Jan, Bob and Harriet for their support. Enjoy returning to playing golf! Special thanks to Gill Freemantle who has done an incredible job in her first year as Chair of the C&H Committee. Thanks also to David for his knowledge, efficiency, and wise council.
Finally, very best wishes to Simon Freemantle for his year as Captain. Simon has been an incredible support as Vice-Captain for 2 very challenging years. Simon will be an outstanding Captain, respected within the club and a great ambassador “on the circuit”!
Best wishes to all for a great month of golf.
Mark Tiplady
Club Captain
Ladies Section
September:
Thurs. 29th. Hampshire Ladies Div 1 Autumn Meeting at the Army. Congratulations to Dorothy Shore who won Div 2 of this competition with the best gross.
October:
Mon. 3rd. Our last friendly match of the season away to Petersfield. A lovely day and some great golf to finish off the season.
Thurs. 6th Saw the annual Vets v Ladies match. Needless to say with 320 yards given to the men who played off the red tees, plus no reduction in their handicap plus the ladies playing off the yellow tee allowances from the reds, we were somewhat overpowered. However next year it is the ladies turn to choose the format so watch this space!…
Tues. 11th and Sat. 15th. Breast Cancer medal and cake stall. An amazing sum of £1,030 was raised across the two days. A tremendous effort from those ladies who entered the medal, people who baked, ladies who manned the stalls and to all the members who purchased the produce – a huge thank you.
Wed. 12th. Our first match in the County Hayling Trophy, which competition we have joined again this year after an absence of some years. Our match away against Brokenhurst resulted in a win for them by a very narrow margin.
Sun. 23rd. Unfortunately the Chairman’s Cup, a match between the various committee members was postponed due to the closure of the course on what was a horrendous wet day.
Sat. 22nd and Tues. 25th. Daily Mail Foursomes that resulted in a win for Karen Fox and Liz Hastings on count-back from Sue Pearce and Dorothy Shore. Karen and Liz now go on to represent Alresford in the next round.
Wed. 26th. Our first match in the Maple Leaf tournament away against Blacknest. Again another close result but we came second.
All good things come to an end and this is my last Fore contribution as Lady Captain. I wish to thank David Marshall for his patience and understanding when I have failed (or technology has failed me) to get my report together. He does a sterling job and it is very much appreciated.
Finally and completely left-field I want to thank Ewan McGregor for all the effort he has put into supplying and caring for the flower border on the patio. The flowers and plants have provided a beautiful backdrop and continue to brighten my day whenever I am at the course. He is shortly planting out wall flowers and daffodils so we may look forward to a sea of colour next spring. Thank you Ewan.
Jan Harring
Ladies Captain
Competitions and Handicap Committee Report
Winter 2022/23
The C&H Committee have discussed and reviewed winter competition proposals. The Committee are aiming to balance their workload, after a non-stop competition schedule during the busy Spring, Summer and Autumn months, with the desire by members to continue qualifying competitions and qualifying General Play scores throughout the Winter period.
A winter competition schedule has been agreed by the C&H Committee, the Greens Committee and Mark Wood who will be supporting some winter competitions, under the banner of “Pro’s Stableford Competitions” – prize money being credited to Pro Shop Accounts.
All competitions will be “play the course as you find it” and will be qualifying or not as deemed by the course status posted on the Members App at 7.30am on the morning of the competition. The Course status at 7.30am will NOT change once the competition has commenced.
England Golf stipulate that for scores to be acceptable for handicapping, no more than 2 temporary greens are allowable for 18 hole score and only one temporary green for 9 hole score. In addition the course length must not be increased or decreased by more than 100 yards for an 18 hole round or 50 yards for a 9 hole round.
Greenstaff will update the App on a daily basis as to whether the Courses is qualifying or not, and course signage will be visible on the first tee, clearly stating whether the course is deemed qualifying or not. If the course is not qualifying then no General Play rounds will be permissible. The decision taken at the time of posting the course status is final will NOT change after that time.
On the occasions that General Play rounds are allowable any General Play scorecards MUST be submitted in the box and will be monitored by the C&H Committee. Any cards submitted on a day when the course is not qualifying will be deleted.
The additional winter schedule is agreed (November and December as per the online diary):
Saturday 14th January – Mixed 9 hole (Men yellow/Ladies Red)
Tuesday 17th January – Ladies 9 hole
Wednesday 25th January – Mixed 9 hole (Men yellow/Ladies Red)
Sunday 29th January – Mixed 18 hole (Men yellow/Ladies Red)
Saturday 4th February – Mixed 18 hole (Men yellow/Ladies Red)
Tuesday 7th February – Ladies 9 hole
Wednesday 15th February – Mixed 18 hole (Men yellow/Ladies Red)
Gill Freemantle
Chair Competitions & Handicap Committee, Handicap Secretary
A Look at the Rules
Question
A player finds their ball near to an immovable obstruction. They take a practice swing to see if there is interference or not. In doing so, they accidentally move their ball with the club. The player replaces the ball. It is determined that no free relief is available to the player. Is the player subject to a penalty stroke for accidentally moving the ball. Would the answer be the same if the player did get free relief and would the answers be the same if the player intended to take penalty relief from an out of bounds fence?
Juniors Section
Good results for Alresford in the Hampshire Schools Golf Association Open at Cams Hall. Jenny Myers came 2nd in the Girls Gross and Harvey Vaughan came 3rd in Boys Nett.
The Lilian Rogerson trophy on Monday 24th October was won by Tobias on count back with 37 points with Jacob coming second. I was fortunate enough to come third with 35 points.
Oscar and Harvey Vaughan and myself played in the Junior Pro Am at sponsored by the Patrons of PGA Hampshire and hosted by Test Valley Golf Club. Our Alresford junior’s Pro was Ryan Moody, Trainee Professional at Bramshaw Golf Club. The team came joint 2nd with two other teams on 83 points but, unfortunately, lost out to 4th position on count back. The event consists of a young or Trainee Professional whose amateur team are all junior golfers and this year, 12 teams took part.
The roll ups have been going well every weekend and we hope more juniors will sign up for the future.
Harriet Riches
Juniors Captain
Vets Section
This is my last report for Fore before Steve Oldham takes over as Captain at the Vets AGM which takes place on November 16th.
This month we finished the summer match program with two away games at Cowdray Park and Hartley Wintney, unfortunately we lost both.
The Vets KO are near complete with just Fred White pairs to play.
Congratulations to all the winners Norman Sheen, Stuart Slater, and Chris Fuller.
We held our annual Vets and Partners dinner with 56 people attending a few more would have been nice. We were served an excellent three-course meal by Ben and his staff and
the reports I have had so far is that everyone had a good time.
Ewan organised the Vets and Ladies match which was played in good spirit with the Vets coming out on top and Ewan accepting the trophy from Ladies captain Jan Harring.
We are now looking forward to the Winchester Winter league matches which start at home on 31st October and hope to retain the trophy which we have held for the past two years.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all that helped me during my time as captain.
Bob Archer
Vets Captain
General Manager’s Update
NEW MEMBERS
Following a decision taken at last months Management Committee, we have now closed our 7-day membership categories until January 2023. We are still accepting 5 day applications. We have however re-introduced a Waiting List category which provides limited access to the course but with a guaranteed space at renewal time in January.
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.
STARTERS – HELP REQUIRED
Thursday 3rd November – 09:30-11:00
Friday 4th November – 10:00 – 11:00
Thursday 17th November – 09:30 – 11.00am
Friday 18th November – 10:30 – 11:30am
Please advise David if you can help with Starter duties with any of the Golf Societies listed above?
Thank you.
ALRESFORD GOLF CLUB ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING – Thursday 24th November
NOTICE OF MOTION
Any voting member may give notice of his/her intention to propose a resolution at the Annual General Meeting. Notice of motion for the meeting (other than from the Committee) shall be sent in writing to the General Manager by not later than 21 days preceding the published date of the meeting and must be signed by at least 5 other voting members.
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/
CHRISTMAS BAZAAR – Thursday 10th November 09:00 – 14:30
There will be Christmas Bazaar to coincide with the Visitors Mixed Coffee & Golf Morning. Members (and friends) are very welcome to come along to the bazaar and support the stallholders. There will be a good selection of stalls selling ladies bags, cushions, children’s books, Christmas decorations, handcrafted liqueurs, glassware, clothing, skin care products, stationery and gifts.
BAR & CATERING – New Menu and Opening times
Bar opening from 07.30 – 18:00 (11:00 for alcohol sales) – Sunday – Wednesday
Food service ends at 18.00pm on Sunday – Wednesday
Bar opening from 07.30 – 21:00 (11:00 for alcohol sales) – Thursday – Saturday
Food service ends at 20.00pm on Thursday – Saturday
Replace your divots and pitchmarks
Coming Soon
World Cup 2022 takes place in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December ; 32 teams compete in eight groups; England face Iran on the second day of the tournament while Wales face USA; Wales vs England on November 29. Book your golf to coincide with the match schedules and enjoy pre or post game refreshments in the clubhouse and enjoy the matches on the TV’s . Full details below in Social section.
David Maskery
General Manager
Social
Kit said afterwards ‘I have been doing this quiz for 45 years and this year was the best atmosphere we have had in that time’ Long may the success of this quiz continue.
- Monday 21st November ENGLAND vs IRAN Kick Off 13.00. Brunch Available at £10.00 Per Person
- Friday 25th November ENGLAND vs USA Kick Off 19.30. Fish ‘n’ Chip Friday In a Box at £10.00 Per Person
- Tuesday 29th November ENGLAND vs WALES Kick Off 19.00. Chicken ‘n’ Chips In a Box at £10.00 Per Person
- Saturday 19th November ENGLAND vs NEW ZEALAND Kick Off 17.30. a ‘Pie & a Pint’ £10.00
- Saturday 26th November ENGLAND vs SOUTH AFRICA Kick Off 17.30. a ‘Pie & a Pint’ £10.00
Until next month
Greens News
As the seasons change the focus of the green keeping team changes with them but the condition of the course is always our priority, and it is pleasing to see how quickly the greens have come back following course maintenance week when the team applied fifteen tonnes of sand to the greens. Currently, the team are busy mowing the grass (it is still growing), tidying and collecting leaves and managing our woodland areas!
Leaf debris is around most mornings now with the cooler autumn days and nights. Tree pruning and raising canopies is one of our autumn and winter jobs, for example, one of the issues with the 10th tee is the overhanging hedgerow behind the tee which needs pruning back and coppicing. This will help future proof turf conditions on the tee. We are also monitoring ash trees, making safe those suffering with dieback and in some cases removing them. The tree surgeon is scheduled to work with the team on the 1st and 9th of December.
For the greens, plant protection is now key as the nights get longer and moisture hangs around on the leaf. The greens team are applying small amounts of nitrogen to the greens to provide some growth, plus iron and turf hardeners every 3 weeks to prevent fusarium alongside a preventative fungicide programme. In addition, sarell rolling/light aeration has been carried out fortnightly to help recover the last of the summer stress disease such as anthracnose.
The team have scarified, brushed and tidied the fairways. Cutting maintenance now shows as a dark and light pattern as we go into winter with no stripes. Fairway cutting height is now 20mm. Tees and Aprons are now being cut at 12mm to give the grasses the best chance of surviving through the colder months. One of our greatest challenges we face is the damage caused by birds digging up grubs. Leather jackets are now hatching, and we will see a lot more of this over the coming weeks which we will do our best to manage with our limited resources, including by overseeding. The sheep have not arrived yet, but the team have begun to cut back some of the smaller areas of rough and in front of the par 3 tees.
This is also the time of year when we begin our winter projects; extend the 5th white tee, extend the range grass tee and to improve the condition of the course.
5th White Tee
The tee is too small for the play it receives so we will be extending the tee towards the lane and behind the yellow and red tees. Initially, you see the team removing the scrub and then levelling the site.
Range Grass Tee
The grass tee has proved popular with members and as a result has taken more traffic than it can cope with. Consequently, we will more than double the area of the tee and we intend it to be ready by the start of next season.
Course Condition & Bunkering
Members will have noticed the bare patches on the course and pathways some of which have been caused by the drought and extreme temperatures this summer. The team have already started to address these bare areas using a range of approaches including adding humus and compost to the area to improve the soil condition and seed germination. Grass paths will also get some humus along with fertiliser to speed up recovery. Members can help the team by avoiding these areas where at all possible, particularly trolleys. This project will also include removing the hump to the left of the 1st green and the creation of a swale. The spoil from this will be used in the surrounding areas to improve the condition of paths and the course.
Over the winter the team will work on improving the condition of the bunkers, repairing edges and improving the sand. As I have written previously everyone has an opinion on the quality of bunkers and we as a committee and a green keeping team are looking to improve ours, but it is a long-term strategy, evolution not revolution. So, this winter we look to improve the playability of the bunkers.
Finally, the Environment Agency have visited us since the last issue of FORE and were more than happy with the way we are managing water usage in a difficult period. MANCOM will be establishing a working party to look into a long-term strategy to meet our future water needs.
P.S. I just finished playing (Friday 28th Oct. – before the society) and I was surprised by the number of unrepaired pitch marks on the greens. I also saw a gentleman member (no names no pack drill) take his trolley between the 16th green and the right green side bunker. Please repair your pitch marks and please never take your trolley between the green and a bunker!
Derek Myers
Chair Greens Committee
A Look at the Rules
Answer
There is no penalty in all four situations.
“There is no penalty when the player accidentally causes the ball to move anywhere except on the putting green while taking reasonable actions to take relief under a Rule, including in determining whether relief is available under a Rule (such as swinging a club to see if there is interference from a condition), or where to take relief (such as determining the nearest point of complete relief)” Rule 9.4b Exception 4
Please note there is no penalty for accidently moving a ball on the putting green no matter how that happens. Exception 3 and Rule 13.1d
Thanks to Brian Overton for all these Rules Q and A’s. If you have any rulings questions for Brian he will answer them here in future editions, just email the editor.
Pro’s Corner
Stop Hitting the Ground Before the Ball
As the ground gets softer as we roll into the Autumn and Winter, I see a lot of golfers creating the wrong impact conditions where you hit the ground before the ball. This becomes very frustrating for you as you lose lots of distance, plus it feels awful. So, the solution is in the video, it is a simple tip that you can instantly do, and it will have you hitting the ball perfectly every time.
Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/j2Mcpk0GBl8
Competition Winner
Huge Congratulations to Steve Oldham on winning the Callaway Bundle Give Away worth £1000.00. Steve won a new Callaway Rouge Driver, an Odyssey Putter, and the Callaway Tour stand bag. The draw took place in the clubhouse on Saturday 15th October and was drawn by Grant Thorne.
Clubhouse Flash Sale
We have some fantastic savings for both Men’s and Ladies clothing items and Shoes plus more in our Clubhouse Flash Sale. Save the date in your diary – Friday 4th November 2022 4pm to 6.30pm
100 Club
Ken and John take the big prizes this month
Our winners in the 100 Club prize draw for November 2022
£100 Ken Coburn
£50 John Allen
£35 Prizewinners
Bob Germon
Jenny Dillon
Sandra Hooker
Di Peisley
Peter Harwood
Congratulations to all our prize winners this month. Jenny has never been lucky in the draw before and it’s good to see Sandra in the list since returning to the golf club earlier this year. The next draw will take place week beginning 21st November so look out for the result on the noticeboard.
If you are interested in the affairs of the 100 Club then you will see the financial statement for 2021/22 as part of the papers which will be issued shortly for the club AGM. A summary will be included in next month’s report.
Why not make this the year you join the 100 Club – you may win a cash prize. You have to be in it to win it!
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 will now be for seven cash prizes: £100, £50 and five at £35.
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
Quote of the Month
“If you think its hard meeting new people, try picking up the wrong ball”
Editor: David Marshall
DISCLAIMER
The Editorial Team take no responsibility for incorrect information received from Contributors.
