Captain’s Corner

Let me firstly say how privileged I feel for having the captaincy of our association bestowed upon me. I have only been a member since 2009 so to have risen to these dizzy heights so quickly is quite daunting.

My tour this year will be to South Wales. We will be staying at the Vale Resort and playing there on their championship course and will be following that with rounds at Cardiff, Radyr and Whitchurch. I have played a number of courses in South Wales but not any of these four. I am however assured that they are all good courses offering a fair test for golfers of all standards. Over the three nights of the tour I plan to test your knowledge of the rules, so start swatting now so as not to embarrass yourself.

Our season tees off on 28 April with our Spring meeting at Berkhampstead and concludes with the Autumn meeting and AGM on 12 October at Harewood Downs. Sandwiched between are fifteen other events including my Captains Day and Annual Dinner on 21 July at Burnham Beeches Golf Club. At this meeting I hope to have an ex professional footballer as our guest speaker. This will be an opportunity for you to introduce your current club captain or other past club captains to our Association if you feel there is a possibility of them joining. We will on this day be entertaining the Captains and Secretaries from the other counties we play against throughout the year.

At the AGM, as well as the light hearted mirth, there was a positive response from you to have a competition with our wives. It will not be restricted to our wives, girlfriends, fiancées and mistresses will all be welcome. The event will be on Friday 1 September at Temple Golf Club and will probably take the form of a four ball better ball competition followed by a two course dinner.

For those of you that were at the AGM or have subsequently read the AGM minutes, you will be aware that after many years of valued service, Derek Williams has hung up his pen and calculator and resigned from his role as treasurer. Derek was unable to attend the AGM so we were unable to thank him in person, but I hope he will be able to participate at our Spring meeting when we will be able to give him the send-off he deserves.

I look forward to working this year with my vice-captain Gerry Cotter, our secretary Peter Short, our treasurer Doug Ebdon and our two committee members David Liston and (the new boy on the block) John Mannering. Derek gave the committee a number of months’ notice of his intention to retire and at that point Doug offered to take on the job as treasurer if no one else stepped into the breach. Needless to say we didn’t try very hard to find a replacement. How does the saying go, “one volunteer is worth ten conscripts?” Brian Rodgers remains on the committee for a further twelve months as the immediate past captain. Brian did a sterling job last year as a combatant and ambassador for our Association. If I can follow in his footsteps and achieve just a fraction of what he accomplished I will be very happy.

Over the past three years our past captains John Pettitt, Doug Ebdon and Brian Rodgers together with our secretary, Peter Short have been very successful with the recruitment of new members. However we should not be complacent and I would ask that you all an active role in encouraging your present club captain or other past club captains to join our association. The definition of Association in the Oxford Dictionary is, “a group of likeminded individuals or friends that get together to promote their joint interest and friendship,” I think that sums us up very nicely.

I hope to play with as many of you as possible during the year. All I ask is that you bring your ‘A-game’ with you. On closing I would like to wish you a very happy New Year and good golfing throughout 2017

Rob