Club AGM's - Do you attend?

Wichita Lineman

I've been on both the Men's Committee and Executive Committee in Moate for the past few years. It's the Men's Club AGM on Friday night and the Executive AGM will be just before Christmas.

Does anyone on here attend their club AGM's at all? I'd be interested in getting opinions as to why you either attend or don't attend.

Nozebleed

Wichita Lineman wrote: »

I've been on both the Men's Committee and Executive Committee in Moate for the past few years. It's the Men's Club AGM on Friday night and the Executive AGM will be just before Christmas.

Does anyone on here attend their club AGM's at all? I'd be interested in getting opinions as to why you either attend or don't attend.

Yep..ill be attending ours to bitch and moan about corruption on club teams. Sick of it..the price of golf is goin up in my place for 2015 so ill be having a go about that too. I went to tje mens agm 2 weeks ago and out of 100 members I was the only person to have a rant..laughable.

cairny

Nozebleed wrote: »

Yep..ill be attending ours to bitch and moan about corruption on club teams. Sick of it..the price of golf is goin up in my place for 2015 so ill be having a go about that too. I went to tje mens agm 2 weeks ago and out of 100 members I was the only person to have a rant..laughable.

Have you put your name down for a committee? More productive than bitching and moaning perhaps. Mens committee for example doesn't take too much time at all (as long as you manage to avoid Comp Sec).

Nozebleed

cairny wrote: »

Have you put your name down for a committee? More productive than bitching and moaning perhaps. Mens committee for example doesn't take too much time at all (as long as you manage to avoid Comp Sec).

No I have not..and I dont have any plans to do so. That doesn.t mean the sitting committee shouldn,t do their job correctly. The teams in my club seem to be run by the committee members for the committee members..its really annoying. I would,nt want to be associated with that sort of behaviour.

cairny

Nozebleed wrote: »

No I have not..and I dont have any plans to do so. That doesn.t mean the sitting committee shouldn,t do their job correctly. The teams in my club seem to be run by the committee members for the committee members..its really annoying. I would,nt want to be associated with that sort of behaviour.

Everyone should do a little bit at some stage, bitching and moaning doesn't count.

slave1

I've been on two society committees and always attended any meetings as I'm reasonably involved, but for regular golf I skip. My belief is there is a time of life where time can be made for events of this nature, I'm not there yet with a young family and other commitments.

GCW

cairny wrote: »

Have you put your name down for a committee? More productive than bitching and moaning perhaps. Mens committee for example doesn't take too much time at all (as long as you manage to avoid Comp Sec).

cairny wrote: »

Everyone should do a little bit at some stage, bitching and moaning doesn't count.

I find this typical of the attitude that prevails amongst incompetent Men's Committee members. They feel like they are above criticism and the stock response to thick decision making is 'well do it yourself then.' No, I won't do it myself, because I don't have the time in my life right now. Perhaps I will in the future when circumstances change but in the meantime, I'd like if people who do put their names forward did so because they do have the time and are willing to treat the position with the respect and effort it deserves... rather than swan about the club like some kind of royalty.

Before you ask I have spent time on Committees and disagree with the assertion that it 'doesn't take too much time at all'. Maybe if you want to do it half assed, it doesn't.

benny79

No I don't mainly because I see the committee's as a big click and I think its the same for most clubs plus you have them swanning around thinking they own the club, god forbid you bitch or moan about something!

Senecio

I've never attended a club AGM as I don't believe I have anything to contribute. I'm happy to pay my fees, use the club facilities and leave the running of the club up to those who have volunteered their time to do so.

GreeBo

Senecio wrote: »

I've never attended a club AGM as I don't believe I have anything to contribute. I'm happy to pay my fees, use the club facilities and leave the running of the club up to those who have volunteered their time to do so.

Have to say I think thats a short sighted viewpoint.

I'm sure there are lots of votes held at your clubs AGM and by not being there you are not giving yourself a voice.
In a members club its the members who make a large number of the decisions about the running of the club.
Have there been no decisions made that you disagreed with?

cairny

I'd agree that there is a problem with Golf Committees in general. My thinking is that it's inevitable that the "us" and "them" attitudes will build up if the same people always stay on them. There's fault on both sides for letting that happen, the incumbents for over staying their usefulness and the members for not volunteering.

As a rule half of every committee should change every year.

Of course it's a hobby and only those with some time to devote to it should; but everyone has the time at some stage in their lives.

GCW

GreeBo wrote: »

Have to say I think thats a short sighted viewpoint.

I'm sure there are lots of votes held at your clubs AGM and by not being there you are not giving yourself a voice.
In a members club its the members who make a large number of the decisions about the running of the club.
Have there been no decisions made that you disagreed with?

Inclined to agree even if it's somewhat out of line with my previous post on this.

Cliques can be challenged/removed if you have enough disgruntled people willing to step in and reclaim 'control' in a club and it can be done legitimately while upholding the club Constitution.

Assuming it's a clique that is damaging the club, that is. Probably not uncommon for the 'old guard' to step back in to try and break up a damaging clique in control of a club... but you could argue the old guard are themselves a clique too

The point is, while I do thing members should feel entitled to their opinion and are entitled to have their voice heard, it's not constructive at all to just opt-out completely.

GCW

cairny wrote: »

I'd agree that there is a problem with Golf Committees in general. My thinking is that it's inevitable that the "us" and "them" attitudes will build up if the same people always stay on them. There's fault on both sides for letting that happen, the incumbents for over staying their usefulness and the members for not volunteering.

As a rule half of every committee should change every year.

Of course it's a hobby and only those with some time to devote to it should; but everyone has the time at some stage in their lives.

Well said.

cairny

GCW wrote: »

The point is, while I do thing members should feel entitled to their opinion and are entitled to have their voice heard, it's not constructive at all to just opt-out completely.

That's pretty much what I meant in my original response but you put it much better.


Edit: Our posts crossed, shortest argument in this forums history.

GCW

cairny wrote: »

That's pretty much what I meant in my original response but you put it much better.


Edit: Our posts crossed, shortest argument in this forums history.

Damn you for being so reasonable.

Anatom

I've been to almost all AGMs in the two clubs I've been a member of. We had ours the week before last and out of 502 members, there were over 100 in attendance which compares well with the turnout in my last club (the membership of which live much more locally than my current one).

I'm a member of the "don't give out about something if you didn't bother your ar*e to vote for or against it" camp and while I share the circumstances of Slave! and GCW above (young family etc.) I will volunteer my time at some stage. I just can't manage it yet.

Anyway, to address the OP's question - yes I do attend the AGM and I think its important that, where possible, members get involved - even if that's just to attend the meeting and find out first-hand what's happened in the club over the past year and what the plans are for the next. Its a good opportunity to meet other members as well...

Letree

Some members go to them to just stir up trouble.

Senecio

GreeBo wrote: »

Have to say I think thats a short sighted viewpoint.

I'm sure there are lots of votes held at your clubs AGM and by not being there you are not giving yourself a voice.

Must say I'm a bit surprised by this post and the support it received from others.
I know absolutely nothing about running a golf club and I'm happy to leave it up to those that do, or at least are willing to put their hands up to do a thankless job.

GreeBo wrote: »

In a members club its the members who make a large number of the decisions about the running of the club.

Surely you would prefer knowledgeable members making those decisions rather than someone who doesn't have a clue about how to run a golf club and keep it financially viable?

GreeBo wrote: »

Have there been no decisions made that you disagreed with?

Of course there has. A committee needs to represent its members. Doesn't mean I will agree with every decision they make. However I do believe they are always acting in my best interest as a member.

What is so bad about having members that are happy to pay their subs, use the facilities but leave the difficult stuff up to those who know what they're doing?

Russman

Senecio wrote: »

What is so bad about having members that are happy to pay their subs, use the facilities but leave the difficult stuff up to those who know what they're doing?

There's nothing "bad" or necessarily wrong about it per se. But it does seem to run a little against the ethos of a club where there's maybe a sense of solidarity and everyone pulling together for the good or betterment of the everyone (ie the club as a whole). Surely that's the whole idea of a club in the first place ? Maybe that's a bit old school of me, I dunno. But I'd argue that being a member of a golf club isn't like being a member of a gym where you're basically purchasing the right to use the facilities.

I'd never accuse committee members of knowing what they're doing though !!:D:D
But, in all seriousness, the bulk of them are just ordinary Joes who feel they can contribute, most aren't experts in anything !

GreeBo

Senecio wrote: »

Must say I'm a bit surprised by this post and the support it received from others.
I know absolutely nothing about running a golf club and I'm happy to leave it up to those that do, or at least are willing to put their hands up to do a thankless job.

You dont need to know anything about the running of the club to have an opinion on things.
Maybe you want to complain about the lack of lockers, the temperature of the water, the selection behind the bar, the area to clean your golf gear...who knows. But as a member, they are spending your money so you are entitled to an opinion and to express it.

Senecio wrote: »

Surely you would prefer knowledgeable members making those decisions rather than someone who doesn't have a clue about how to run a golf club and keep it financially viable?

What makes them knowledgeable? Probably serving on committee and going to E/AGM's

Senecio wrote: »

Of course there has. A committee needs to represent its members. Doesn't mean I will agree with every decision they make. However I do believe they are always acting in my best interest as a member.

What is so bad about having members that are happy to pay their subs, use the facilities but leave the difficult stuff up to those who know what they're doing?

But they may not be, there are some decisions when it comes down to plain old choice, do we want to spend capital on redoing the car park or rebuilding the 8th tee for example. There is no right or wrong answer.

There are less people who "know that they are doing" than you might think, people (mostly) just do what they think is best, you dont have to be on a committee to voice an opinion at the E/AGM.