I hope you are all able to enjoy our golf course and your handicaps are reducing.
We continue to attract new members and, as ever, a warm welcome to all.
Well done to all who took part in the recent Club Championships with some great golf played over 36 holes. We have two new worthy Club Champions. For the Ladies - Katie Beard just pipped runner up Rachel Turner by one point! And for our Men a great win for Club Manager Martin Betts, with a dramatic last putt on the 18th, again just pipping runner up Russell Caldecott.
I had the privilege of representing the Club at the funeral of Victor Stanley recently, a record of 63 years membership and playing golf into his 90’s, proving that the game of golf is good for everyone.
Our 71st Annual General Meeting was held in July with 61 members attending. A summary is given below.
Happy golfing!
Wendy Anscombe
Chair
In late July, the Club’s 71st AGM was held – an opportunity for the Members to understand the developments and financial position of their Club; to elect individuals to represent their interests and to hold the Directors to account for how the club has been run.
Along with presentations at the beginning and end of each season, the AGM is the Members’ opportunity to ask questions of the people who are managing the Club and spending their subscription fees. The Board and Management are responsible and accountable to the Members.
These open events are the principal opportunities to meet face-to-face, to ask questions and express opinions and are an important part of the Club’s Governance.
Key points from the AGM
The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and reported on the expanding affairs of the Club during 2023/24. The Club remained financially solvent, but there were spiralling costs in utility bills, staff wages and pensions, the necessary replacement of course machinery and essential clubhouse repairs that included the refurbishment of the ladies’ locker room facility now nearing completion. There was the usual loss of members during the year, but this was offset as we continue to attract a record number of new members in all categories. The Chair was particularly pleased to see the positive development of the Ladies Section, due in no small part to our GM Phil Beard and our lady volunteers. A similar recruitment scheme was planned for Juniors in 2025.
The golf course continued to be the primary focus with continued bunker rebuilding and refurbishment, further drainage works, the 10th tee re-build and removal of trees necessary for root invasion and to increase light/airflow to poorly drained area. The new short game area and the driving development now had the end in sight. The Chair thanked members for their patience and support during the inevitable disruption.
The Halfway House would be replaced funded by a generous donation given by the 300 Club now, sadly, at an end. Thanks were recorded to John Gray, the organiser for several years, for keeping the 200/300 Club ticking along during some difficult times.
The Chair recorded some very necessary thanks to the staff and her fellow directors for their collective commitment and personal contributions to the management of the Club, with particular thanks to Jenny Hunt standing down to concentrate on her new role as Lady Captain in 2025.
Colin Heritage, Finance Director, presented his report and took questions covering the year 2023/24. A copy of the annual report of the Directors and Accounts of the Company for the year ending 28th February 2024 was made available to members at the meeting with copies previously available on the website.
There were 3 vacancies for a 3 year term. and with 3 nominations, Stephen Wright, Mark Flanagan and Peter Roberts were duly appointed.