The club is to invest in CCTV in an attempt to strengthen security. Four cameras, along with recording facilities, are to be strategically positioned to cover entrances and key areas within the clubhouse, with monitors in the bar and office.
This month’s committee decision follows a raid on the club on October 27, which was a repeat of one carried out exactly a year ago.

Fourteen lockers in the men’s changing room were forced and golfing gear to the value of some £2,500 was stolen. As last time, the thieves made off with leading brands of equipment, which included two full sets and several expensive individual clubs. The club is covered for such incidents and has contacted its insurers.

In a further effort to combat theft, D-bars are to be installed inside lockers allowing members to secure their clubs with a padlock and chain. Other clubs say this has proved a worthwhile measure.

Reports from other clubs which have suffered similar thefts indicate that the thieves, probably dressed at golfers, may well have been carrying out their raids using a Nissan X-Trail with LX55LWN plates.

Members are also urged to play their part in tightening security. Please do not open clubhouse doors or give access codes to people you do not recognize. Entry doors should not be left on the latch or propped open, as has often been the case hitherto.
These precautions are not just to prevent theft but also, come winter nights, with an eye to the safety of club staff.

The winter programme is now in full swing. This year it is particularly extensive, and has been made more so because the grass has continued to grow at a spring-like rate and many leaves have yet to fall.

As well as drainage work (see Course Corner), Martin Smith and his team will be repairing damaged areas now that the contractors have finished the major watering works. There are numerous track marks and I urge members to be generous with themselves and opponents and take a drop if this seems at all justified.

Bunkers, too, are receiving attention. Several are being refaced and further mist sprayers have been added where necessary. Soil wedges are also to be inserted at the foot of front faces, the aim being to ensure the ball does not settle under a grass lip.

Where faces have been returfed, bunkers have been defined as GUR and members are asked not to play out of them.

Fairway watering has been installed in those areas earmarked by the greens committee as most under stress in dry conditions. Bigger sprinklers around the greens will help to water the heavily used walkways. These measures should improve the condition of the course even further.

The new pump is due to be connected very shortly. All tests requested by the Environment Agency have been completed and it is hoped that permission will granted to put it to full use by next spring. Should the go-ahead not be given, we are
are advised that the club can legally extract 4,500 litres per day.

Neil Coles’s plans for the proposed new greens (the 6th, 11th, 16th and the putting green) have been studied and discussed by the general committee (see Greens Refurbishment below).

If there are any questions you wish to ask on course alterations, I will be happy to answer them at an informal meeting arranged for 12.45pm on Monday, November 28. All members are welcome to attend.

Alan Pountney
Chair of Green

The five-year plan voted for at last year’s EGM included a capex spend on three greens and the putting green in 2007/8.This has now been reviewed, reports Treasurer Lionel Cooper.

At the committee meeting on November 14, approval was given to proceed to tender stage for the refurbishment of the 6th and 16th greens, plus consequential changes to the 6th tee. Plans for these two greens will be displayed in the clubhouse in the next few days for members to view at leisure.

The committee also decided to postpone any more work on the 11th and putting greens following information and advice received since the presentation of the five-year plan last year.

This means that the five-year plan will need to be revised and updated in depth over the next few weeks for presentation to members at an EGM as early as practicable next year.

The Autoflow irrigation engineers have now completed this year’s upgrade of the watering system. They will return in March to test the system in readiness for its use.

Our drainage programme is under way. The secondary drainage in front of the 18th tees is now finished. Next will come the areas to left of the 17th green and 17th practice ground. Improvements to the drainage in the middle of the 9th green will complete the programme.

As usual around now, much of our time will be spent clearing leaves. The green staff will try to keep on top of this.

Artisan winter work will commence shortly. This will include rewiring the boundary fence from 14th to 17th tees, rebuilding the car park entrance wall, and erecting a new shelter between the 5th and 10th. All bridges will also be checked
Due to the wet warm October, fusarium - a common problem for many golf courses - has reappeared on the greens. This will be treated with fungicide.

Martin Smith
Course Manager

The following untraceable subscription installment payments have been made to the club bank account. £130.91 – credited by Freedom, £111.83 – credited by P217820202, and £83.74 – credited by Woolwich 246348529. If you recognize any of these sums or sources as yours, please contact Cathy in the office as soon as possible so that she can credit them to you and sort out her accounts.

A big thank-you to Dave Fennessy for sending around a gang of workers to tarmac the trench, just outside the gates, as well as an area adjacent to the first tee. This was done at Dave’s own suggestion, at no cost to the club at all. A crate of Magner’s to him, surely?

Planning a business lunch? Why settle for a busy roadside restaurant or pub when you and your fellow diners can eat in pleasant surroundings and in comfort at the golf club? Members are welcome to bring guests along midweek when you can enjoy special menus offering three courses for just £10.

The Captain is pleased to welcome as playing members: Pauline Beck (ex Ladies’ Academy) and Andrew Boyd.

Our intention is that, year by year, we plant more trees than we lose, writes Alan Pountney. We are guided as to type and placement by Neil Coles.

Some members have already donated to the tree fund and, thanks to them, with some £1,500 in hand we are intending fairly major plantings this winter. Further donations, however, would be most useful. So, if you do have a person or an event that you would like to commemorate, kindly send a cheque to the office by way of a contribution. For large trees, or small copses, we will gladly arrange a plaque.

Twenty-two matches were played during the summer on a home and away basis against 11 local clubs, reports organizer Roger Morgan. All our visitors, who included Batchworth Park and Brickendon Grange for the first time, appreciated the quality of our course.

Over the season, 55 members represented the club – 10 for the first time.

Fixtures are open to all categories of member, and it is hoped that even more newcomers will play next year when it is planned to repeat the entire 2006 programme.

Fixtures comprised six fourball better ball matches and usually teams won at home and lost away. Excellent hospitality ensured that results soon took a secondary place to other conversational topics, which always involved a comparison between “ours” and “theirs”. It is remarkable how similar the issues are.

Thanks to the greens staff, catering and bar staff for all their support. And to the members who played in the matches, I hope that you enjoyed yourselves.

Juniors Callum Shinkwin, William Gallimore and Benjamin Lawrence did themselves and Porters Park proud when they represented Hertfordshire last month at the Junior Champion Club competition at Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire. Competing against some 35 teams from around the country, the trio achieved a tied 8th place finish.

Despite a 38pt-round from Callum, the first day’s play left the team outside the top 20. But the next day Ben managed 41pts and William 36pts to shoot Hertfordshire up the leader board.

Thanks from the team go to junior organisers Gerri Warnes and Peter Crawford and all who supported throughout the weekend.

Well over 100 Porters Park rockers - many reliving their Sixties’ youth – enjoyed another great night of dancing to the iconic classics of the Kinks. Particularly impressive were various interpretations of the twist and the fact that most of those who attended could sing along too, so imprinted on the psyche of the age have the songs become.

Tim McCrae’s expansive dinner did nothing to slow down the revellers and a wonderfully energetic evening was had by all.

Forthcoming Events:
November 24 - Alcoholic Quiz Night
December 15 - Carol singing with St. Peters Choir
New Year’s Eve – Book now

It’s not just on the golf course that Porters Park players shine. Give some a cricket bat and ball rather than a golf club and they can turn in a useful performance, as Radlett Cricket Club discovered this summer, writes a Special Correspondent.

Invited to play a match against a regular Radlett CC Sunday afternoon XI, PP fielded a pedigree side made up of three father-and-son combinations – Vice Captain Jas Arora and son Manjeev, Bob and Jamie Longman, Jay and Kayur Patel. They were joined by Richard Paffley, Phil Pinkham, and skipper Kevin O’Donnell, who also invited a couple of well chosen ringers.

Before a highly expectant main-ground crowd, Radlett, batting first, soon faltered at 64 for 3, thanks to a devastating opening spell by former Herts Under-18 fast bowler Jamie Longman.

On a prime July batting surface, PP continued to plug away with steady bowling performances by Pinkham, Paffley, Jay Patel and Manjeev Arora (Jas was talking a good game from slip).  Radlett eventually declared at 228 for 8 at tea – a challenging total for a scratch side.

After tea, Pinkham and O’Donnell put on 100 for the first wicket, laying an excellent foundation. With Kevin out for a fine 76, Kayur Patel (another Under-18 Herts player), Bob Longman (Under-50s Herts), Jamie Longman and Richard Paffley all made valuable contributions with the bat and a resilient tail saw the golf club triumph with just a few balls to spare.

An appreciative crowd enjoyed an excellent afternoon’s cricket and the generous hospitality of Radlett Cricket Club.
To crown the short PP cricket season, the golf club followed up with a resounding win in the regular annual 20/20 (actually 18/18) evening game in late July. Jamie Longman gave another excellent bowling performance, with fine spells also from George Copley, Richard Paffley, David Jubb, Jay Patel and Club Captain Ken Hannah.

The PP fielding was a highlight, with Tony Fielden and Jai Raja outstanding in the deep and skipper and wicketkeeper Kevin O’Donnell excelling with a number of fine stumpings and catches.

A classy innings from David Robinson and excellent supporting knocks by Richard Paffley, Bob Longman and Kayur Patel saw Porters comfortably home.

Both games were played in the very best of spirit, but it is unlikely that our opponents, with all their resources, will take any prisoners next year.

A little late perhaps, but may we take this opportunity to congratulate Radlett CC on an excellent season with all their sides doing so well.

(This report was held over due to lack of space in earlier editions – Ed.)

Bill Tweddle who won the President’s Cup with 81-11=70 (last 9) from Norman Mitchell with 82-12=70 and Jayendra Patel with 77-7=70

George Copley who won the Humble Salver. Geoff Hawkey was runner-up

Peter Chisholm who won the November midweek stableford with 38pts from Michael Mancini with 37pts and Justin Saunders with 36pts

Ros Lake who won the Dorothy Johnson Cup with 98-23=75 from Constance Marriott with 88-11=77

Christina Lye who won the Erica De Courcy Salver with 33pts from Carole Sharp with 30pts

Margaret Nelson and Rena Delaney who won the ladies 4BBB stableford with 46pts points from Janet Hardy and Anita Prosser with 43pts

Rena Delaney who won the silver division of the November stableford with 37pts from Judy Williams with 35. Yvonne Frankland won the bronze division with 34pts (back 9) from Diana Samuels