Random Golf Thoughts

Constitution lists honorary positions and it's in the minutes of the previous years AGM. I don't think it's fair to say it has the stench of a cover-up.

Even the Treasurers report was removed from the e-mails, not just the actual figures. On this, I suspect the club doesn't want to show off it's riches. We had a jubilee year last year and the prizes for these events were absolutely insane. No golf comp in my view should ever offer prizes of this monetary value. I got an e-mail about the Captains dinner coming up today - €50 a head which covers all food and drink. For a normal club, this sounds like throwing money away.

I think there are a lot of clubs with a somewhat similar setup to ourselves in that there's a club who play out of a private course. Ordinarily, I think the members pay a membership fee to the course owner and the Sunday comp fees go to running the members club. In our case, we pay full green fees and a membership fee to the members club. So 600 people pay around €210 each (and a joining fee has been introduced). If you were to get similar revenues from the Sunday comp, you'd need to be taking in about €2,500 every Sunday. If you've a hundred entrants, they'd need to pay about €25 in comp fees each.

I don't agree with the financials being redacted from the communications to the members who weren't at the AGM. Lots of people can't make it for plenty of reasons, I was hoping to go myself but it just didn't work out. I can understand not wanting the questions which would inevitably follow, but that doesn't mean they're not legitimate questions. Or at least, the members are entitled to ask them.

I'd have expected to see them at the AGM and be distributed after. Or at least the top level figures.

I had another look at the constitution. It just says they've to be presented at the AGM for approval by the members. No requirement to distribute.

What is particularly unusual I would think is that the entire treasurer's report is removed from the document circulated. Now I haven't received this year's one yet, but that's the way it was last year.

Club world be too small to require audited accounts. And as regards distribution - I think that's up to the club and whatever is in their constitution. In ours it's that they're available on request.

I suggested that to Senor Duff and it is being looked at.

How were the accounts? Am I right in my assumption that the club is very healthy financially?

Yes it's completely normal.

When you've 2 pairs like that you'll generally find that you each spend most of the time talking to the person you know. But it's still a fourball, so there will be that dynamic too.

Facehugger your timing is impeccable. Was going to ask a similar question.

I've only just joined a club, don't even have a handicap yet and have played only 2 x 9 holes on my own as I don't know a sinner around here. Another reason is I'm so bad I don't want to infuriate any playing partner when I'm duffing 8/9 shots on every hole.

If it was a high handicapper I wouldn't mind too much but I'd hate to get paired with a good golfer and really show myself up.

The good golfers focus on their own golf, that’s how they reached and maintain their low handicap. As a beginner, you will find that other players are more than tolerant of your efforts, provided you know and play by the rules.

I’d avoid stroke play for now, when playing Stapleford pick up your ball when you can no longer score, that will keep you going at a steady pace.

If you were to drop back 50 minutes, there’s always the possibility that others will join you.

Enjoy your round.

Low handicap players are actually the best to play with, as a beginner you learn so much from them. Not just shot wise but little bits around etiquette and rules.

The majority of golfers would have no issues playing with anyone. I'd play with anyone of any ability. The only people that turn me off are those who have regular meltdowns during a round, effing and blinding, banging clubs into the ground after a bad shot , that type of thing is something I don't want to see during a round.

I’m pretty sure I read that the club can pay a fee which will cover all their members and choose to pass it on or not…. It’s significantly lower than the individual fee they would charge.

We are going back to club v1 soon but not sure what the plans are. We never really used the app as such. It was just there to check results really so you can just do that on the web

mybsecond club though used it for entering comps and you had to put your scores in via app. It was a royal pita, I’m not rejoining so won’t miss it 😂

Can’t locate the information I had before but that sounds about right and ties in with my comment above.

I do know the charge is £3 for the app to include adds and £10 for the add free version if you buy it yourself.

So yea, way better value if the club picks up the tab, but I don’t think they should be passing it on like that as a line item to the members. It’s a cost of running the club and should be left at that.

The kick point is key to how good a fit a shaft it. That and flex. Head etc is so far behind that. I wonder if analysis has been done on importance of head vis a vis shaft characteristics. I'd guess head is maybe 10% relevant, max.