Notes for members - Senior Section Committee Meeting
9th December 2020
In Attendance
Bill Walker (BW), Algy Grimes (AG), David Gauge (DG), Les Bolland (LB),
Jonathan Lean (JL), Richard Westergreen – Thorne (RWT), Peter Horlock (PH) and Gordon Macleod (GM) (for item 1)
Notes
PH and GM joined the meeting and discussed a range of topics including the works being undertaken on the course, current playing arrangements, pro shop, Captains Charity and clubhouse/catering.
These were accepted as a true record.
All actions from the previous meeting had been completed or were on the agenda for this meeting.
The 5 weeks since our last meeting has been relatively quiet on the active golfing front given that we were locked down for 4 of them. However, a number of important matters have been highlighted to the members through the weekly newsletter 2 of which contained rather lengthy Captain’s Corners.
The main topics covered were as follows:
1. Section Finances for 2021 proposing a reduction to £5. This received some push back
proposing that it remain at £10 with any surplus being used to support the Juniors’
Section. The way forward has been agreed ex-committee and needs endorsement at
this meeting.
2. Section Status. Evidence of our work looking into the formalisation of the Seniors’
Section provoked a small number of responses (10). The majority were supportive,
although a few expressed concern about the potential increase in membership causing
management difficulties in organisation of competition, match and social activities as
well as diluting the level of camaraderie and ethos of our group. If all members of 55 and
above became Seniors’ Section members, the Section would stand at 599 which
represents over 50% of the Club membership. I have been in contact with members of
The Elders at Gog Magog GC (considered a Club of similar size) to compare best practice.
I am currently looking into the Club’s archives to clarify details of our original
inauguration leading to our current status and working with the Club to clarify details
and agree a way forward.
3. Due to a misunderstanding regarding dates the exchange day with Northampton GC for 2021 has had to be cancelled. A date of 18 July 2022 for this event has been tentatively agreed . I have invited the 2 representatives of Northampton Seniors’ Section to visit us as guests next year as a means of keeping in touch and they have responded with a reciprocal invitation.
4. A short note was included in my last Captain’s Corner to highlight the relocation of the
Seniors’ Section’s Honours Board to the alcove opposite the main bar
Following discussion it was agreed that BW should continue to liaise with the club regarding Senior Section status.
AG reported on the members of the section with whom he has been in contact and their progress back to playing golf.
The state of play as of today (3rd December) is as follows.
Cash in the bank £5117.60
Of this £2085.30 is captain’s charity money
Leaving a balance of £3032.30
At present we are all square with the club with just the Xmas Fayre to come.
There are 81 signed up to that which gives an income of £405 of which £243 will go to the captain’s charity leaving an income of £162. The prizes and raffle will be £290 meaning that I will subsidise the event £128.
If the subs are £5 with any payments over that going to charity then I am subsidising the subs by £850 (assuming 170 sign ups). That gives a total subsidy for Xmas Fayre and subs of £978
The Xmas Fayre last year spent £800 on prizes plus subsidy for the senior’s dinner was £400. Total £1200 (figures rounded up)
Three decisions need to be made on our usual gratuity to the F & B staff, our donation to the Juniors, and our gift of wine to the admin staff. For the last 3 years we have given the F & B staff £200. We have given the Juniors £100
and the admin staff a bottle of wine each. That is 6 bottles as I include Richard and the gardener.
My recommendation is that we do the same this year.
I also propose that we give a nice bottle of something to Lee and Sue. They have been very good to us over the discounted vouchers and it would be a one off.
The recommendations by LB were agreed and LB will distribute the presents and donations over the next few days.
Not a great deal has taken place since our previous meeting and my focus has been on
moving things forward for next year.
I still receive a small but steady number of questions, queries and observations from
members usually following a ‘prompt’ in the Newsletter.
With the calendar now fixed I am about to enter the matches with other clubs on to the club diary to go alongside the competitions that Jonathan is putting on to the system. It is the start of the AGM season and I have already heard from South Beds about their new officers for 2021. Like us they seem to be waiting to see what happens over the coming weeks with regards to fulfilling matches and the arrangements for them if they do take place. I will pass on any comments from other clubs that may be of interest regarding their plans for 2021.
Further to the comments by Bill Walker in his report Northampton have agreed a provisional date for 2022 but this would be a Carthagena day unless it was 3 balls from 11.00am. This will need to be further discussed with them and, hopefully, that can be done over a game with their Captain and colleague in the new year.
I have been in contact with Dave Wood and he is doing a very good job trying to keep track of the trophies. We will need to make sure that trophies are engraved with the new winners’ names and I have asked Dave to let me know the current position as I believe some have already been engraved by winners.
Once we have had this meeting and made a number of decisions regarding 2021
arrangements, including those for the AGM, I will go ahead and circulate to members.
No competitions have taken place since the last committee meeting since the Powerball competition had to be cancelled.
There is one remaining competition this year with the Seniors Christmas Fayre and Baz Backhouse Trophy on Tuesday 22 nd December. Currently the entry list is full with 81 players and there are 16 on the waiting list. Proving to be very popular despite the weather and lack of the usual prizes.
I will start to put the 2021 competitions on the system now that the calendar is finalised. I will attempt to complete this job before Christmas.
There is still a fair amount of uncertainty about the format for these competitions because of Covid. Michael Grace is keen that we continue with a 1 tee start to maximise the number of players that can enter. He is happy to block off tee times from 7.30am up to around 1pm which would allow 102 players playing in threes. Using 2-tee starts would limit this to the following:-
JOG and CAR 3-balls – 69 players
JOG and CAR 4-balls – 92 players
If you look at previous competitions such as the Autumn Stableford from 2019, it used a 2 tee start from 8.30. The field had a maximum of 81 people playing at 9 minute intervals. That is the minimum gap you would go to. R&A recommend 10 minutes (3 balls) and 12 Minutes (4 balls) but Michael advised that we don’t follow that too closely as it would seriously reduce capacity.
A One tee start from 7.30 – 12.54 @ 9 minute intervals would get up to 111 golfers playing. The recommendation is to insert gap times at 9.00; 10.30; 12.00 to keep a better pace of play meaning 102 golfers would be able to play. Far better numbers realistically.
Pace of play is far harder to ascertain in a 2 tee start. David used to provide a finish time on the card too which acted as a good guide. There is an issue and expectation with pace of play at JOG which can be unrealistic but we should be targeting 4hours on CAR and 4hours 15 on JOG as realistic expectations.
We are maintaining 10 minute tee time gaps for social distancing purposes and to optimise course capacity. Most of our competitions are 3 ball playing groups where theoretically we can go down to 9 minutes but having to leave ‘gaps’ to keep a better pace of play. This results in virtually no change in maximum numbers who can play.
Traditionally we have had the presentations immediately after finalising the competition which, with a 2-tee start would be around 2.30-3pm. With a 1 tee start this would be delayed until 5 - 5.30pm so none of the early starters would still be there.
JL to enter the competitions for 2021 on to the system as a one tee start. When we are able to return to holding presentations in the clubhouse we will review this arrangement. The alternative, once presentations are allowed again, is a two tee start which makes it easier to hold a presentation but which limits the numbers able to play.
Nothing to report.
The subscriptions arrangements for 2021 were agreed in item 6 above.
Two tee start for competitions for 2021 is part of the ongoing discussion with the club led by BW and noted in his report.
Both Knockout competitions have been entered on to the system for 2021.
It was agreed that RWT will offer to those members due to organise individual matches in 2020 first refusal to organise the same matches in 2021. It was agreed that match fees for 2021 will remain at £20 subject to a final check on catering costs and menu choices by RWT. Arrangements for recruitment of players would remain the same as planned for 2020 with an expectation that members play Home and Away against the same club. Selection over the season to be based on the fairness criteria used in 2019 to give everyone roughly the same opportunity to play.
It was agreed that we will publish a paper version of the Senior Section Calendar for 2021alongside an electronic version.
Once the arrangements for 2021 are confirmed and officers appointed at the AGM RWT will circulate a revised entry for the Senior Section segment on the club website to be uploaded.
11. AGM
It was agreed that the AGM would proceed on 2nd February as a ‘virtual’ meeting. The arrangements for publication of notice of meeting, nomination for Officers for 2021 and the invitation to members for agenda items, etc. would proceed as normal.
DG will investigate Survey Monkey as a means to canvas members views on any topics where a vote is needed at the AGM.
It was agreed that there would be no changes proposed at the AGM in the Constitution (latest version 2017). If there was a need to discuss changes to the constitution at a later stage then an EGM of members would be held.
A report from Dave Wood had been circulated in advance of the meeting. This report included an audit of the status of each of the trophies, their condition and where they are held at present.
RWT will contact Dave about the engraving of the trophies and he will report back at the next meeting.
19th Jan time to be agreed
The committee will meet at 2pm (provisional time) to conduct the business of the AGM.
