The Glen by JJ

Doubles Championship Venues

 

Haddington and The Glen, North Berwick. Many members will be familiar with Haddington having played a practice round last year before the freak deluge which wrecked our arrangments. We are delighted to be going back there for one leg of the doubles. It is a fascinating course built into a large Estate on the banks of the Tyne with a great variety of flora and fauna.

Maybe less familiar to you is the Glen G.C. North Berwick. Your Captain John Johnston took the opportunity to play it recently and met up with Club Captain Mike Currie. John reports as follows on what the course and clubhouse have to offer.

“As Captain I decided to do some early exploration at The Glen recently in advance of the Tullibardine Doubles - and what a day I had. I just thought I’d whet your appetites and encourage you to get fixed up sooner rather than later.

 It was the Saturday of the Club Championship finals and the course was presented beautifully – fairways were running, greens firm and fast and the sun was out with a slight hint of breeze. (Mike Currie tells me it’s like that every day in North Berwick!!). The course was in great condition and the views were spectacular – my memory is of a 3 iron flying to the heart of the long par 4 12^th,  dominated by the sea and the Bass Rock in the background – and 2 putts for a 4. The 13^th is a par three and turns back towards Edinburgh …. 130 yards with the beach within yards of the pin was spectacular – thank goodness the tide was out for the second shot!

 I didn’t realise the course was so old – golf there since the 1700’s but more formally in the 1890’s with Ben Sayers and James Braid formalising the design a few years later.

 The Clubhouse is new and in keeping, and what a view from the lounge upstairs – 20 yards from the beach looking out across the Forth to islands and of the Kingdom of Fife. There’s another beautiful upstairs lounge which we might have use of overlooking the 18^th green – with balcony for those who want to keep the pressure on their pals – or just watch them suffer.

 Hope you can make it for a sociable event – and an ideal recruiting opportunity to keep the SSGS vibrant.”

 

 

Retiring Captain Keith Howie welcomed a good turnout of members to the AGM, held in the Windlestrae Hotel, Kinross.  The following business was discussed:

 Order of Meeting

 Adoption of 2009 AGM Minutes. Duly adoped and seconded.

Outgoing Captain's Remarks

Keith Howie said it had been an honour to serve as captain and to help the further development of Gordon MacDonald's vision for the Society. He felt he could not hand over without updating the meeting on the position of DMDs. In his view the fact tthat the English Golf Union had broken ranks and were contractually tied to Sky Caddie had created an untenable position. The World Amateur rankings, jointly administered by  R&A and USGA, including ranking points gained from English Golf Union administered events, supported by Sky Caddy. This in itself appears to represent an anomaly which effectively dismantles the Committee's staunch support ffor the positions of R&A and SGU. He made mention of the positive elements of maintaining close ties with the national body but said the Committee would not resist the motion before the meeting and members should vote freely.

He also paid tribute to the administrators, Bill and Dorothy Crighton who had brought a very professional and friendly approach to running events and who made a difficult function look easy.

Election of honorary positions. Jim and Peter Kinloch were proposed to continue as jjoint Secretaries and Treasurers and were returned unopposed.

Election of incoming Captain

Keith Howie proposed that Vice Captain John Johnston, Royal Aberdeen, should succeed him and this was passed by acclamation.

Secretary/Treasurers Report

Jim Kinloch reported a healthy position and that the Society had invested in a three year bond as a reserve for future contingencies. He did warn against complacency as the entire surplus to date has accumulated from Sponsor funding from Abbeyfield and from the rebate offered by Hacienda del Alamo.

 Election of 2010-11 Office Bearers-

Captain John Johnston proposed that George Rodaks should be the incoming vice-captain and this was passed by acclamation

Member vacancy. Committee were returned unopposed with the vacancy created by George Rodaks' election to Vice Captain being filled by Ian Brotherston (Dumfries & County)

 Incoming Captain Comments: John Johnston made reference to the massive progress made by the Society in three short years and paid tribute to the Committee, the perseverance of Life President Gordon MacDonald,  and to Bill and Dorothy Crighton. He was proud of the status achieved within Scottish Golf and is confident that SSGS will go from strength to strength.

 AGM Business

 

1. Extent of Programme- present and projected.

Committee proposes that the existing programme of events is sufficient for the meantime.

Members agreed that we should let the two new events bed in and break even before contemplating any more additions

 

2. Overseas Tournament- venues now and future.

Outline of our options for 2010 and beyond and decisions by vote

Committee awaited a couple of alternative quotes and members agreed to leave decision in Committee's hands

 

3. Order of Merit rules, administration and eligibility.

Committee Proposes the status quo.

Agreed

 

4. Funding, sponsorship and expenditure and Fees

Following submission of the Secretaries and Treasurers' Report Proposal is that Membership Fee remains unchanged at £25.00

A variety of proposals for increased membership, tournament fees and new member entry fees were brought forward which resulted in a vote-off. This culminated in a decision to increase strokeplay tournament entry fees from £25.00 to £30 with effect from the beginning of next season.

      

5. Proposal by Derek Sim seconded by Jim Roy that DMDs be allowed for use in     all SSGS events with effect from the first event after the AGM and ongoing.

        There was a lengthy discussion resulting in an unopposed vote  for introduction. The Proposer consented to a variation whereby DMD use would be permissable for all SSGS events starting with the West of Scotland Seniors at Lanark 

AOCB  There being no other business the Captain thanked the members and closed the meeting.

Feb '10

We are still short of some email addresses and others are being rejected as inaccurate. If you didn't receive the following email could you please send one to khnextlevel@aol.com just to confirm the up to date address. Just head it email address and stick your name on it

Those of you who made the trip to Hacienda del Alamo again voted the week a great success. If any of you have a free week in February you could do worse than go out there- with or without better halves, and take part in the St Valentines Festival run by our intrepid press agent Colin Farquharson of Scottish Golf View. Full details can be found on http://www.gilliankirkwood.com/ercn86/labels/HDA%20FESTIVAL.htm

The membership voted at the 2009 AGM for an unchanged annual subscription of £25.00. This is sufficient to cover our administrative needs in the short term.

 

Administrator Duties:

• Receive the draw sheet from the Secretaries and set up the competition on laptop within the Club2000 software system.
• Email Euan Mordaunt (Scottish Golf Union) before and after each event. Beforehand to send him the draw and afterwards the results, both on the SGU template. Euan will then send back the updated Order of Merit
• Prepare scorecards for the event.
• Arrive at venues the previous day to meet with club representatives (complimentary round usually included.)
• Set up check-in/recording area for first tee time (8am)
• Check-in, hand out cards, record scores in Club 2000 with periodic prints of leaderboard, scratch and handicap
• Handle merchandise sales
• If required, one adminstrator to use buggy provided to monitor pace of play ( Standard time 3 hours 50 mins)
• Phone leading scores in to Colin Farquharson ( our press man) after each round and before 7pm if poss. eMail full scratch results and CSS to him.
• Transmit scores to Howdidido.com (included in Club2000 software)
• Results and CSS for upload to the website
• Maintain player database on Excel

Because of increasing entries we can no longer offer flexibility in starting times (e.g. requests for different times on each day) and hope you will observe that condition. We took soundings and the system of one starting time for both days suits most of our members.

Late entries have been accepted up until now to balance the books. However these do cause an administrative burden, within our own organisation, our website management, Scottish Golf Union and for Colin Farquharson. Hopefully progress towards full fields will allow the closing date to mean just that so please remember to get those entries in early.

We are aware that the cancellation of Haddington caused a deal of inconvenience and we are constantly looking to attract venues which are the most weatherproof. However the going at Haddington went from "good to firm" to Tsunami in the space of a few hours.  Office bearers spent time  trying to contact entrants who might be travelling the furthest. We did intercept some but there were equally quite a number who arrived at the course. Can we suggest that it is always good practice to check weather conditions for the destination area before you leave.

Entry fees for Haddington have been retained and will be credited as annual subscriptions for season 2010.

GPS, Laser range finders are not permitted in our events at present. If and when SGU decide to take the plunge we shall follow suit. That means consistency throughout the Order of Merit events.

There has been an approach from the President of the American Seniors Golf Association and we are looking at areas of mutual benefit. Their President Henry A (Sandy) Wise 11, MD, has Scottish connections and is a member of Royal Troon.