Seniors Committee meeting Friday May 3 2024
Present: Richard
Westergreen-Thorne (RWT), Jonathan Lean (JL), Algy Grimes (AG), Nigel Underwood
(NU), Dave Wood (DW), Tony Lloyd (TL), Peter Wade (PW)
1 Minutes previous: accepted
2 Peter Wade
A discussion was held with Peter on a range of topics
including:
·
Issues around thunder and lightning, the
Seniors’ response to the storm that interrupted the Jock Allan Prostate Cancer
Day and how to improve the club’s reaction to such extreme weather events
·
Progress on the new structure of governance at
the club
·
The Senior Section’s ambitions for a staggered
start for matches
3 Matters Arising not
elsewhere on agenda: None
4 Captain's Update (RWT)
The golfing season is now in full swing with matches and
competitions every week until the end of October.
At the time of writing, we have played five matches so far
this year and it has been really positive to see seven members new to inter
club matches taking part. There have been several constants in our matches so
far, they have been good fun, played in good spirits and we have given a lot of
shots to the other club. I look forward to the upcoming matches and hope to see
even more ‘newbies’ taking part.
It was a pleasure to be involved in the Prostate Project
Charity Day and it was its usual well organised success despite the weather on
the day. The concerns regarding the thunder and lightning soon after we set off
to play have been raised with the club for future reference for any other event
that encounters a similar issue. There will also be a review meeting of the
organising committee shortly to look over the arrangements with thoughts for
tweaks for next year. It feels right that it is now officially part of the
Senior Section annual calendar of events.
The new arrangements for the management of the club and the
role of the Club Captain mean that there will now be a Captains Committee that
is responsible for much of the arrangements that relate to our golf such as
charities, house and social, handicaps, etc. The first meeting of this
committee has been set for 13th May and, as I nor Tony are able to
attend on that date Jonathan has kindly agreed to represent us.
As I am going to be away a couple of times before the end of
May I am particularly keen to sort the arrangements and publicise the Longest
Day Challenge as it is not very long before we need to be letting people know
about it. I can update you on progress at the meeting. It would also be good to
set some of the planning arrangements in place for coordinating charities for
2025 before the end of the year given the lead time required for things like
fourball vouchers.
I have also liaised with the club regarding an event to
unveil the boards and Gordon and Paula are keen to help to make the
arrangements when we are in a position to fix a date. They are happy to support
whatever we set up.
All I now need to do is fix my golf and I am all set for the
rest of the year
Note: Further discussion was held on the section’s
representation on the club’s Captains’ Committee, Charities Committee, Handicap
Committee and House and Social Committee. JL to attend the next Captains’
Committee on behalf of RWT
RWT also reported verbally that he had responded to a recent
request for information from the club regarding the use of the Honorarium and
the costs associated with being the Seniors Captain. This was part of a survey
and review involving all those who receive an honorarium. He had also recently
attended the funeral of Richard Aubigne on behalf of the seniors.
5 Vice Captain's Update (TL)
(TL) had contacted
the family of a member who has not been seen for some time and our concerns
were allayed.
6 Immediate Past Captain's Update (JL): JL outlined a potential
issue concerning on course etiquette during a recent competition.
7 Treasurer's Update (BD)
All comps and Matches up to date ( to Camb Country Club).
Aspley Guise Home not yet processed .
New process with Clubhouse and Finance seems to be working
well.
Cash position - Bank Balance £1693.61. Debtors £768. Potential
debtor ( Camb Country Club non reciprocal arrangement) - awaiting confirmation.
Cash reserves depleted due to Home matches - but manageable.
Pleased to see 4BBB back in the schedule - helps with the
overall year position.
No other changes to budget expected at this stage
8 Honorary Secretary’s Update (TL)
The 2025 calendar is almost complete, with all the
competitions and all but two of the matches agreed with Nigel Tarn and entered
on the calendar. The two outstanding match dates – Cambridge Country Club and
Leighton Buzzard – are tacitly agreed but awaiting confirmation from them. I
don’t anticipate a problem.
I will be sitting down with Tom Simm in the next week or two
to discuss the Senior Captain’s Day and input from the Pro Shop.
The Rules Seminar with Joan Cocksedge was well attended and
went very well. It provided a good talking point for the newsletter and blog
and, once again, puts the senior section at the forefront of club activities.
I have had little feedback to speak of following our
decision to maintain the status quo with regards to the Tuesday/Thursday
roll-up. One suggestion put to me was to have a WhatsApp group for the roll-up
but I remain concerned that WhatsApp chats can become a vehicle for unsavoury
jokes and I think that, for the time being, the newsletter is the best vehicle
for spreading information.
I have signed up one new member into the senior section –
John Gibson – who seems to have been a member at John O’Gaunt for about 12
years.
9 Competition Secretary’s Update (JL)
Since the last meeting there has been just one competition –
the Ken Robinson Scramble. 84 entrants
which was perfect until we had one very late withdrawal the day before. Many thanks to George Burnham for stepping in
at the last moment.
Modesty forbids me from reporting the winners in full but I
had worthy partners who played to their full potential.
The draw for the Annual Medal and Jubilee Trophy has now
been done. There are 89 entries. Medals are not quite as popular as Stableford
competitions.
I have also done the draw for the Holmwood Plate now that
the first round of the Green Tilley has been completed. First round to be played by 25th
June.
The first Individual Stableford Roll-up had to be abandoned
because of the weather. The next one is
scheduled for 23rd May.
Entry for the Rex Cleaver is now open and at the time of
writing we have 70 entrants.
10 Match Secretary’s Update (AG)
Since the last meeting we have played four matches, two
home and two away. The first of these saw our first win of the season, at home
to Wellingborough by 5 – 3, well done to the team. However, we didn’t fair too
well in the other three, at home to Cambridge Country Club we lost 5½ - 2½,
followed by a very well fought draw away at Aspley Guise 4 – 4 and then our
worst result so far away at Brocket Hall, another 12 a side match, where we
lost 6 – 0. It does seem that we are always giving more shots than we receive,
for example the difference in the Cambridge match was 112 shots in their
favour. We have had some members playing in their first Interclub matches and
all so far report how they enjoyed the events.
Note: It was agreed to bring the menu and price
for our home match against Brocket Hall into line with our other matches.
AG said Tranche 4 matches would be opened soon when a
“Matches Special” newsletter would be sent out
11 Staggered Start Update
Discussion was held on the best way to advance the section’s
ambition for staggered start in matches against other clubs. It was agreed that
proper procedure should be followed in putting the proposals to the relevant club
committee.
12 Events
- Member and Guest Day – NU confirmed final plans for the
day which were agreed.
- Senior Captain’s Day – TL outlined progress on his
planning for the event
- Christmas Fayre – to be discussed at the next meeting
- Presentation Dinner - DW outlined his proposed menu and
costings which were agreed
- Swap day and Away Day: TL to publicise both events in the
newsletter
13 Honours Boards informal "unveiling". The new
boards were almost ready and further plans were laid for an informal opening
ceremony to which past winners would be invited
14 54-hole challenge - Jonathan to attend charity committee
meeting on our behalf
15 Joe Ogunremi's funeral: DW to attend on behalf of the
Seniors
Any Other Business: AG to seek a supplier for a new batch of
ties
Dates of future
Meetings
18th July /22nd August /3rd October /5th November /14th
January
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