Castle News - April 2009
CASTLE VIEWS - An official publication of Clevedon Golf Club keeping the membership informed
CHAIRMANS PIECE
A challenging year in prospect on all fronts for the Golf Club and you will find information within this 'Castle Views' on progress to-date particularly in respect of membership and finances. However, it is the Boards intention to hold a Forum in the clubhouse on Wednesday 13th May at 7.00pm to discuss a number of initiatives and further progress in all areas of activity, which will also give the members the opportunity to share their views.
The agenda is
expected to cover:-
* Membership status
* Finances
* Working Group Review
* Course Work
* House Update
* Marketing Opportunities
* Initiatives on tee bookings
* Any other business
Please come along and support your Club in the way forward.
STOP PRESS
We have now entered into a business agreement with the Mon Plaisir
Restaurant in Clevedon whereby members can enjoy a 10% discount
on total meal and drinks bills within certain limitations, which
you can see on the posters on the notice board. This is a 'first'
for Clevedon Golf Club and Mon Plaisir restaurant and both parties
believe this is of benefit to all concerned. The agreement takes
effect from 1st May for a trial two-month period and can be extended
subject to a successful outcome.
Roy Quipp - Chairman
MATTERS FINANCIAL
We are now halfway through the Club's financial year and currently
our finances are £12k down on projected income from subscriptions.
However, by using savings from other areas and the Community Amateur
Sports Clubs (CASC) rates refund we will be able to cover the projected
loss. So, by keeping a tight control of our accounts for the rest
of the year we should reach September with a small surplus which,
in the present economic climate will be very good news. Unfortunately,
we still have some major challenges to contend with. Firstly,
we have to fund the running of the Club from October to January
(until the members' subscriptions become payable) and we may need
to obtain an overdraft or loan to tide us over this period. Secondly,
we have no reserves to cover any unforeseen circumstances which
may arise, for example major breakdowns, repairs and the like between
now and the end of the year. Then next year we have to generate
additional income to cover the leasing of our greens machinery and
we still will not have any reserves available for contingencies
or improvements to the course or clubhouse. Our lack of income is
caused by the reduction in members we have suffered. We have had
a net loss of 38 members this year to which must be added the net
loss we suffered last year of 34 members. Our current membership
levels are 440 'full' and 90 five-day members. We are approximately
100 members down on 2006 and this represents £71k of income.
These figures exclude country and intermediate members. As already
mentioned a Members' forum is planned at which the challenges
facing the Club will be fully explained and the steps being taken
to increase our income outlined.
We would like to hear your views and ideas especially as we are a Members Club, which means we all have an involvement. We would like to see as many members as possible at the forum when all the important issues and the future will be discussed.
Alan Wignall - Director (Finance)
CAPTAINS PIECE
Firstly, on the membership front 15 of the 17 people who took 'Winter' memberships have now signed up as full playing members. They were made very welcome so 'thank you' all for that. The next initiative is to try and attract back to the Club golfers who have been members in the past, paid the full joining fee and then let their membership lapse. Repaying the joining fee can be an obstacle, so if you are aware of golfers in this situation please contact the office or myself and we will open discussions about them rejoining.
The quiz nights have been well supported and in total have raised £530 for Captain's charities so far this year. Thank you to all the quizmasters and the 'season' will resume on Friday September 25th. The social events have been great. We have enjoyed a Burns Night, Valentines Night, Irish Night and a St David's Lunch. Particular thanks to Mike Venables and Barbara Lambert for organising that. On May 3rd I have comedian Mike Lewis coming to entertain us at a Captain's Supper. This is a mixed event. I am organising an International Competition in the afternoon. We were blessed with fine weather for the Mixed Greensomes on Easter Monday and 56 members enjoyed the competition and the fun at the meal afterwards. Ali and her crew as usual provided some great food. The same competition will be held on each of the two bank holiday Monday's in May. I look forward to seeing you there.
The mixed weekend away to St Pierre is fully subscribed but there are still one or two places left for the men's weekend at Woodbury Park in Exeter on 20-21st September. Please add your names to the board in the Men's' changing room. The May Madness day will take place on Saturday 16th June. This will be a team competition (open to all) with some unusual golf challenges. I trust you will enjoy it.
Teams for Captain's day on the 13th June will be drawn and members will be able to select a 90min time slot to play. It was great fun last year and is good for the health of the Club to mix members up. As this is Captain's Day 5-day members will be able to play without payment of an additional fee. I hope we all have hot sunny weather for our summer's golf. We are trying to attract more visitors to make up for the shortfall in membership fees so please make them feel welcome. They are important for the health of the Club.
David Fife - Captain
COUNTY APPOINTMENTS
Congratulations to Myles Angell on being appointed Captain of the County U16's squad and also to our Secretary Jim Cunning who has been elected as a member of the Somerset Golf Union Committee. Derek Hanson continues his duties as County Treasurer and Paul Middleton as tournament referee.
LADIES
The Ladies have maintained their focus on golf and enjoyed themselves off the course. This month and next month we have two ladies playing in the Handicap and Scratch Foursomes in the Bristol and District Alliance so are hoping for better results in them.
At home, we tested an American Greensome format in February and found everyone enjoyed it so we will be using that again. April has brought the start of the Friendly Matches, which are a great way for ladies with higher handicaps to gain match experience without any pressure. They also enjoy the opportunity to meet ladies from other clubs and play other courses. In May, the A and B teams start their matches and the calendar changes gear into the summer season. With that in mind, March found twelve of our ladies flying to Desert Springs in south east Spain for four nights. This gave us three rounds of golf and four mornings of coaching with Christine Langford, who was the Professional at Clevedon twenty years ago. She was superb at analysing problems in swings and used a variety of teaching methods permanently laced with humour. She improved us all. The Ladies section is positively buzzing with talk of Axe and Shovel in the bunker, Gin and Tonic when chipping and NO Maori Fertility Dances when you have a putter in your hand. It is hard to define the benefits of a few concentrated days of golf but it is definitely a case of two plus two does make five. Best of all, it has raised the confidence of our players, which opens the door to more success as demonstrated by one of these ladies losing two shots off her handicap in the first two weeks home.
In July, eighteen ladies will be attending a day's coaching at Millfield School with Christine to further improve technique and maintain a positive outlook. I often talk to golfers who feel they can sort their own problems and while this can be true, a fresh outside eye and a change of perspective in our own game can work wonders. N.B.- Christine is our September Dinner speaker so keep September 4th free.
Off the course, our February lunch speaker was Sue Rawles who is on the Operational Board of the English Women's Golf Association, Chairman of the South West Region and also a Referee. She brought her golf course on a carpet complete with tee, green, water hazards, loose impediments, movable objects, animals, etc. and then proceeded to 'play' her course. While she got into endless trouble, it was possible for us to learn more about the Rules and enjoy her boundless enthusiasm and humour. Our Spring Dinner will concentrate on our health with Helen Spooner giving a talk on Food Intolerances. This should help us to select what our bodies require, eliminate nutritional problems and allow us to enjoy our sport to the full.
Having learned in Spain that on the 'Tour' 98% of 3 foot putts go in while the success rate of 6 foot putts is only 65%, the next two LADYBIRDS will be on Putting. The aim of these monthly lessons is to introduce ladies, to each other and the game. My personal experience is that golf is a long journey and the sooner it is started, the sooner a girl can reach a level she can enjoy. So, if you are a golf widow or likely to become one (the reason I started,) or are a member with a wife, partner, or daughter you would like to encourage or just curious about golf - then do come along. Bear in mind that most women start golf for a reason other than a love of the game. That comes much later!
Another summer season is upon us. The weather is improving and the course has lovely new paths and flowerbeds. It is time to get rid of our lazy winter habits, polish up our basic swing and practice chipping and putting. Wishing for your best season ever,
Rosemary Fife - Ladies Captain
COMPETITIONS AND HANDICAPS
A reminder that the EGU will be enforcing the rule that if a player does not return at least three cards in the season for an annual handicap review the player's handicap will become inactive. An inactive handicap could possibly prohibit players from competing in Club and Open competitions.
This is easily overcome for those who only play social golf. Provided you meet the conditions for submitting Supplementary cards as shown on the notice in the foyer simply sign up in the pro-shop before playing with your friends and mark a card for that round.
Three cards are needed to keep your handicap ACTIVE next year.
If the handicap reviews for previous years are anything to go by we will have a large percentage on inactive handicaps next year unless social golfers take action. It would be good for the Club to declare only a small percentage of inactive golfers so, come on you social golfers - just mark some supplementary cards.
Willy Rowlinson -Director (Competitions & handicaps)
AROUND THE COURSE
The season has now started and in general the course is in a good
condition. The greens have recovered well from the Spring maintenance
but are still a little bumpy. This is inevitable early in the season,
particularly when the ground is still cold and the various grasses
grow at different rates producing an uneven surface. This will improve
as the temperature rises. Members can rest assured that if we could
produce a smooth fast surface at this time of year we would (why
wouldn't we!). We always try to prepare the best possible surface
we can at all times. There have been some minor changes to the paths
and appearance of the course in the last few weeks with changes
at the 1st, 3rd, 4th. and the 14th. This will improve both the safety
of the paths and their appearance and reduce the flow of materials
on to the course. Further similar work will be carried out next
winter. We also have a problem with a few trees on the 5th. and
6th. holes. We will be trimming the higher branches sometime in
May, which will increase the life of the trees and reduce the risk
of branches falling from these trees. The work will involve some
disruption to play for a couple of days but every effort will be
made to keep this to a minimum. The course will shortly be at its
most demanding for the Greens staff with accelerating growth requiring
constant care and attention. The greens will need cutting every
day and the remainder of the course at least twice per week. We
will be trying to groom the greens more often this year which will
involve a variety of techniques all designed to improve the putting
surface while not damaging the structure of the greens. This will
not inconvenience players but will mean some minor changes by our
Greens staff. The weather, as always will have a bearing on the
condition of the course and, hopefully if we have a decent summer
we will have a very good golf course to play on especially if golfers
carry out their duties in repairing pitch marks, filling divots
on par threes and replacing divots on fairways.
I am sure we will all have excellent seasons golf. I hope you all
play to the best of your ability and most of all, enjoy your golf.
Martin Reid - Director (Course)
BEHIND THE SCENES
Much goes on behind the scenes at every Golf Club, most of the time
un-noticed and un-rewarded. Such is the case in respect of Lesley
Floyd's Monday afternoon Bridge Club which regularly attracts over
50 players and this, in turn has generated this year alone £1650
for the Club.
Well done and thanks, Lesley.
JUNIORS NEWS
Welcome to all Juniors, especially our new Members, to another year
of golf. Congratulations to Adam Williams, the Junior Captain and
Toby Chapman his vice-captain. We hope you both have a successful
year representing the Club juniors and leading the team in all competitions.
Thank you to Ashley Mansell, our out-going captain who has done
a brilliant job over the last year. We wish him well in his future.
MONDAY CLUB NIGHTS
These started on Monday 20th April and take place from 6.30 to 7.30
pm. Any members of the Club, who are free on any Monday evening
and would like to help out, will be most welcome.
JUNIOR COMPETITIONS
These take place most Sundays when there is not a league match.
Entries are either by signing up on the Junior notice board or by
contacting Tony Brown.
JUNIOR MATCHES
Last season saw the Juniors become League champions. We wish them
good luck in this season's fixtures.
Tony Brown - Junior Co-ordinator
Newsletter Editor - Paul Middleton