Vets Dinner Dance and Prize Presentation

The annual Vets Section Dinner Dance and Prize Presentation was held last night at The Village Leisure Hotel and was well attended with 70+ attending this super night. Lots of ladies in sparkling dresses and gents in bow ties added to the glamour of the occasion and following a Christmas menu of roast turkey, the presentation was hosted by the Vets Chairman, Alan Naisbitt. With Linda and Brian Woof presenting the prizes, an array of members received their rewards for the season. The evening was rounded off with dancing, a superb raffle and then more dancing til midnight .... an excellent event and congratulations to all those hard working organisers.

The range and bar opening hours

I had the attached wording today from David King via email .....

"After careful consideration I have amended the opening hours during the winter as follows

Please note that last balls are dispensed at 7pm or 8pm the range will close 45 minutes later.

If anybody has any kind of function or there is a committee meeting we will keep the bar open. These are guideline hours and can be flexible if it is worthwhile justifying keeping the bar open."

Ladies AGM

The Ladies AGM was held last night in the Clubhouse and was well attended with around 40 members turning up to listen to the reports and cast their votes for the election of the Committee Members. The evening included reports from the Chairman, Treasurer, Handicaps, Competitions, Junior Liaison, County Delegates and the Captain. The handover of the Captaincy from Maureen Jenkins to Deborah Welch (see photo) was followed by Deborah announcing her Vice-Captain as Yvonne Welch. Good luck to them both in the coming year. Maureen and Deborah were presented with gifts form the First and Second teams respectively. The election of the committee was 6 candidates for 3 places and the successful members were Audrey Barker, Betty Bainbridge and Ann Hope. Good luck in your appointments for the next 3 years.

Weather Forecasting

So when the rain started yesterday evening, I was not surprised because the BBC website showed a few hours of rain early in the night and they then forecast a few light showers for today. It has now been raining for 15 hours!!!! The course is closed, the Sunday competition cancelled for the second week in a row and I'm sat at home thinking of all the forecasting tools, including weather satellites and the results don't leave me with any more confidence than the proverbial pine cone or string of seaweed .....

New Winter Tee on the First

I am sure that if you have been to the Club lately, you will have noticed that there is a new tee box being constructed on the first which will have an artificial surface and therefore it can be used throughout the winter months and will protect the existing tees in periods of the worst weather. A number of members have commented that the position of the box changes the characteristics of the hole and makes it into a slight dogleg. The comments (a nice word for complaints) is that they will not be able to use their driver off the tee. My answer was to remind them that one of the principles of golf is 'to play the course as you find it' and this is most apt in the winter months. It may not be ideal, it may not suit your game, it may disadvantage you more than others, but it is done with the best intent ... to ensure the course is in the best possible condition for the beginning of the new season.

Congratulations Brian and Joan

Congratulations to Brian and Joan King on reaching their half century anniversary. 50 years of wedded bliss (Joan told me to say that). The happy couple celebrated their anniversary with a cake and a glass of wine with the Vets section on Friday, before setting off for a few days of luxury living at Gleneagles, the 5 star hotel resort set within its own estate in Perthshire, Scotland. Well done to both of you .....

Placing in the Rough, Good and Bad News

Picture the scene ... We hit a super shot onto the fairway and now must apply the Local Rule that all fairways are classified as GUR. We must lift our ball and place it in the 1st cut of rough within 1 club length of the nearest point of relief, no nearer the hole.

The good news is that we can clean the ball and we can ensure a perfect lie each and every time because we can place the ball.

The bad news is that if we forget to move the ball and play it from the fairway, we incur a 2 shot penalty!!! (Rules of Golf - Appendix I - page 128). That's 2 shots for every occasion .... so stay focused.

Protect the Fairways

For the first time, Parklands GC is attempting to preserve the fairways through the winter to ensure that the course is in the best possible condition for the start of the 2010 season. We considered two methods. One was to purchase and carry pieces of matting to place on the fairway for each shot (as Blyth and other clubs) and the second was to move the ball from the fairway and place it in the 1st cut of rough (as Ponteland and other clubs). The second method was agreed with the management as being the easiest to administer and we have being using this method for over a week. Please ensure that you remember for all occasions and if you see other members or visitors playing from the fairway, don't be shy; remind them of the rule. It's for our mutual benefit to ensure the course is protected.

Wet start to November

I'm sat at the PC on a Sunday morning when I should be out there swinging a club and having fun ..... and all I can hear is the drumming of rain on the carport and I'm watching the rain form pools in the garden .... I trust Steven Quince's new drainage on the 8th and 10th will stand up to the test.