Notes of the Senior Section Committee Meeting 5 October 2023

 

Attendance:

Barry Donovan (BD), Jonathan Lean (JL), Richard Westergreen – Thorne (RWT), Algy Grimes (AG), Tony Lloyd (TL)  Andy Shilton (AS)

 

Apologies:

None

Minutes previous 

Accepted

 Matters arising

All actions were completed or found elsewhere on the agenda.

 

Justin Thomas

 

JT joined the meeting to discuss items of mutual interest. These included the progress with the patio area development, subscriptions for 2024 and various club events and activities.

Captain (JL)

Since the last meeting I have played in 7 matches, one away day and one competition. Little time for social golf but great fun.

I have also hosted the past Senior Captains' lunch. A great opportunity to meet Peter Morris and Colin Poole who were Senior Captain long before I joined the club.

There has been a Golf committee meeting in September. The main issue discussed concerning the Senior Section is the number of matches that we are allowed to have each year. After some discussion, it was agreed that we should be allowed 15 matches but any additional clubs that we want to play will require us to drop one of the existing matches. Although this was agreed in the Golf committee, it still needs to be ratified by the General Committee.

There was some discussion also about whether or not the home matches should be held on Mondays. This is because kitchen staff are already on duty on Tuesday afternoons but not so many on Monday afternoons which is generally quieter. No firm instructions though.

The issue of honours boards was held over until the next meeting, but clarity is still required as to which boards we would like to have.

I have given Rob Earles a copy of our position paper on ‘staggered starts’ for matches but told him that I don’t want this to be on the agenda until after the next Club AGM. I am just doing a bit of lobbying.

Further to the report JL has held a telephone conversation with Rob Earles regarding the agreement on matches going forward and there are a couple of points to be finalised.

The committee agreed that if the club agrees to additional Honours Boards then the preference would be:

GOTY

Annual Medal

Rex Cleaver

Reg Batson

 

This discussion, and the siting of any additional boards, will be continued with the club.

Vice-Captain (RWT)

RWT outlined the recent engagement with fellow seniors who are unwell and/or not playing and the cards that have been sent on behalf of the seniors.

Immediate Past Captain (AG)

 Nothing to report.

Treasurer's Report (BD)

As there has only been a short period since the previous meeting there was no update on the overall financial position for the meeting.

 BD discussed issues with tracking, paying and monitoring match fees with the club and there followed a discussion regarding the processes involved. BD will pursue and update the committee as appropriate.

 There was also a discussion regarding the use of the Honorarium and the amount remaining this year.

 

Action point: JL to follow up on the balances with the club to aid the use of the remaining funds during the rest of the year.

Hon. Secretary (RWT)

Not a great deal to report this time.

There has been no contact with other clubs since the last meeting apart from Jonathan and I meeting and playing with the Luffenham Heath Senior Captain and Vice Captain when we took the opportunity to discus the arrangements for the matches next year. These arrangements will be included in the documents I will pass on to the Match Secretary the information about contacts at each club and the arrangements for the matches that have been made as we prepare for the new year.

I have not received any recent enquiries for membership of the seniors and expect it to be quiet until the club admits new members for 2024 and some existing club members may wish to become involved in what we do for 2024.

The roll up single stableford trial went well and Bill Walker is ready to come forward with dates and arrangements for 2024 once we have had the second trial and considered the feedback from it.

The calendar for next year is completed and I will bring one possible suggestion for a switch, prior to finalising, to the meeting.

Lorna Jerome proposed an informal meeting between the three club Captains and Vice Captains to share and get to know each other better. I attended and Jonathan was unable to come along as he was at a match. It was suggested that an opportunity such as this to meet each other was repeated in the future.

After the massive, for us, feedback from members regarding the roll up trial the feedback from members following each subsequent newsletter has fallen back to the usual trickle.

Finally, my thoughts are now turning to the arrangements for the AGM and Officers for 2024 and this is covered elsewhere on the agenda.

Competition Secretary (TL)

Only one competition since our last meeting – the Gordon Percival Team Trophy, which attracted 87 entries.

The individual winner of the Martin Ives Trophy was Phil Odell with 38 points. Winning the hidden team trophy were Chris Saunders, Phil Armstrong and Terry Domagala with a total of 98 points. But the highlight of the day was a hole in one on the 16th by Chris Walker using a hickory club.

Coming up on October 10 is the Three Clubs and a Putter competition which currently has a field of 61 followed by the Autumn Stableford on October 17 (90 entrants) and the seniors scramble with the ladies on October 24. Senior entries currently stand at 43 with only 27 ladies signed up.

The new score cards are now in use and, as promised at our last meeting, I asked Gordon how gender neutral tees would affect senior section competitions. In particular, could ladies and seniors play from the same tees? My inquiry has been passed on to the Golf Sub Committee and the Handicap Committee but I am not aware of their deliberations.

Since then I note that the Roy Davies Memorial has been billed as the first mixed competition to be played from the same (yellow) tees.

I have also been advised by Nigel Tarn that we can move to “same tee” competitions for competitions which have not been already set up for this year as reds and yellows, so we might like to discuss how this affects next year’s events.

The arrangements for forthcoming competitions were discussed. Based upon current entries there may be fewer Ladies entering the Mixed Scramble than Seniors. Should we have teams of three males or limit the field to get equal numbers are matters to be agreed with the Ladies.

It was agreed that, following guidance from the club, gender neutral tees will be in place for all seniors’ competitions in 2024.

Action Points:

·       TL to make all seniors competitions gender neutral tees set up for 2024 on IG

·       TL to share this with the Ladies Captain and Vice Captain.

·       Communications on this matter to the membership to be an item for the next agenda

Match Secretaries Report (AS)

We have now completed all our matches for 2023.  Since the last report we have played 7 matches, winning 2, losing 4 and drawing 1.  The results were as follows: 

 

 

 

Millbrook                         (A)         Lost 7-1

 

Gog Magog                      (A)         Lost 5.5-2.5

 

South Beds                      (A)         Draw 4-4

 

Harpenden Common      (A)         Lost 5.5-2.5

 

Bedford & County           (H)         Won 4.5-3.5

 

Leighton Buzzard            (A)         Lost 5-3

 

Northampton                  (A)         Won 4.5-3.5

 

 Player turnover remained high for this last group of fixtures with us struggling to field teams for South Beds (a), Bedford & County (h), and Leighton Buzzard (a).

 Overall, our season performance was Played 28, Won 11, Drawn 6 Lost 11.  As with last year the final group of mainly away games took the shine off our bright start to the season.  But it was positive to finish with an even number of wins and losses especially as we lost both of the ‘extra fixtures’ to Brocket Hall.  It should also be noted that this was an improvement on last season’s 9 wins, 4 draws, and 13 losses.

 The season will also be remembered for some cracking jokes (was this an improvement on last year – I can’t remember).

 Costs

 At £24 (and not charging a match fee), we were easily the most expensive club for match fees and meal costs with Leighton Buzzard, Northampton, and Saffron Walden still only charging £17 and seeming to be able to supply a meal of equivalence.  And others charging £18-£20.

 Next Year

From the findings of the player survey there is a majority in favour of returning to a batch-based approach.  My suggestion would be to do it in 5 batches, March/April as the first batch, then because of the frequency of fixtures, monthly a month in advance.  I think that this would help with communication and management of the availability. 

 The downside of the multiple batch approach is being able to make sure that equitable distribution has been made, especially because we do have a front-loaded home match bias.  I think that the Match Secretary should be able to manage this and avoid any suspicion, albeit historical, of organisers picking their friends.

 All the matches have now been set up in IG for next year, the only question is the start time for the Northampton match at home which I have set up as 9:30 but this needs to be confirmed with Northampton.  There are now 30 matches to be played.

 Various matters were discussed regarding the arrangements for 2024 and the matters outstanding that need to be confirmed and agreed. These included the cost of meals for home matches and the fee to play in matches which will be followed up prior to the next meeting.

 The Match Survey suggested that members preferred a batch selection system for matches in 2024 and this was the advice of AS as well. It was agreed to move to a batch availability and selection system for 2024 and to explore greater use if IG in the process.

 Action Points:

AG to follow up with the club the costings and menus for 2024 and consult with BD

  f

· BD, AG and AS to consult with the club on payment arrangements and processes for matches in 2024

·       AG and AS to explore various sign up and selection options for 2024

·       AG to discuss with Alban Macdonald the use of the matrix in 2024

·       To be an agenda item at the next meeting

 

Roll Up Proposal

 A paper was circulated from Bill Walker (BW) and RWT regarding the first trial roll up and lessons learned. 21 players had taken part of whom 17 submitted a card.

 It was agreed the first trial had been a success and to proceed with the second trial on 26^th October and to send people out on the 26^th asap on arrival in 3’s to aid speed of play and the time spent waiting to go out.

 It was also agreed that, subject to the success of the second trial, BW be tasked to find 6/8 dates on which single Stableford roll ups could take place in 2024.

 

Action Point:

 

-          To be an agenda item at the next meeting

 

Handicap Presentation

 

Keith Howlett (KH) attended for this item and presented a paper regarding handicaps. KH had done some research on the qualifying rounds played by seniors and club and national averages for comparison. He also analysed handicaps and cards submitted in a variety of ways to give a background to the current position.

 There was a discussion of the role of the Club Handicap Committee and how the Senior Section Committee could liaise with it. It was agreed that the committee should encourage members to submit cards so that their handicap is based upon their current play.

 Encouraging members to submit qualifying cards was debated and the new individual  stableford roll ups will help get more cards submitted so that members have a more accurate current handicap.

 KH explained that England Golf do not allow qualifying cards to be submitted via 4BBB rounds as these rounds are played under different conditions than singles. You play with a partner and shots that are played may be tailored to your partner's play on that hole and also the play of your opponents. For example, if you have to sink a putt for a half on the hole, or lag a putt to win a hole, this may influence your score.

 KH also recommended the England Golf Volunteers Facebook Page as a source of information.

 KH was thanked for his presentation and contribution to the meeting.

 

Action Points:

 

·       KH to produce a note regarding playing a 4BBB round and submitting a card for RWT to circulate to members

·       KH to be invited to future committee meetings

 

 

AGM

 

RWT outlined that arrangements will soon need to be put in place for the 2023 which will be held in February 2024.

 

Action Point: After discussion it was agreed that this item should appear on the next agenda.

 

Seniors Annual Presentation Dinner

 

Dave Wood (DW) had presented an outline of the arrangements for the Dinner prior to the meeting raising a number of matters to be agreed.

 

The meeting agreed to all of the suggestions made by DW and also agreed on:

-          The names of JOG staff and Captains, etc. to be invited as our guests

-          The cost to members of £28 per head which is the cost of the two course Xmas meal

-          Timings

 

BD will liaise will DW re the cost of the event and any section subsidy from funds.

 

Action Points:

-          RWT to confirm what was agreed with DW and ask him to proceed to invite winners and guests and then open it out to other section members

-          To be an item on the next agenda

 

Christmas Fayre

 

Arrangements were discussed, particularly regarding the prizes, costings and the arrangements on the day.

 

Action Points:

-          BD to start looking at prize options and sources for the meat

-          TL to look at the options for the arrangements on the day

-          To return to at the next meeting

 

Volunteer assistance    

 

The discussion at the previous meeting was continued and the committee will seek to encourage other members to help with the running of the section, matches, competitions and events, roll ups, etc.

 

Calendar 2024 

 

RWT circulated the latest draft. Since this had been produced the Juniors had asked for a switch of dates for the TSB Trophy and this has been agreed. It was also agreed to switch the date of the Autumn Stableford to get a better spread of competitions across the two courses during the year.

 

These points and a couple of other minor amendments will be made by RWT and the new version of the calendar circulated to the committee.

 

AOB

 

It was agreed to look to offer a Rules of Golf session for seniors and to make enquiries with Joan Cocksedge about the possibility of running one.

Date and time of next meeting 

Tuesday 7^th November

Tuesday 16^th January 2024