AN OPEN INVITATION TO COME AND JOIN US
The drive is on in earnest to boost club membership – and YOU are urged to play your part on Membership Open Day on Saturday, 21 June.
On this day Porters Park will open clubhouse and course to members’ guests and invite them to experience for themselves just how much we have to offer.
If you know of any golfer or golfers - perhaps new to the area, perhaps eager to play the game they enjoy to a more demanding standard and in more attractive surroundings - this is the day to introduce them to Porters Park and show off our much enhanced course.
Although details have yet to be completed, the day is likely to kick off with a drink and a bite to eat, followed by some form of a fun competition, probably with a shotgun start so that everyone can get together for a barbecue lunch.
There will be no green fee payable for any guest you bring along, just the hope that what they see they will like so much that they want to join us.
Younger golfers will be especially welcome as new members – one reason why the club offers a generous discount on the entry fee to those aged 18-24.
WHY WE MUST FIND NEW MEMBERS
As you all know, in financial terms last year was a very good one for the club, fuelled by buoyant applications for membership. Unfortunately, this year is showing strong indications of being much more difficult. After the first four months (to January 31), almost all income sources are well down on the same four months a year ago.
We lost a net 25 members on renewal last October and applications from potential new members have been few. As a result, entrance fees to date are down by almost £24,000 on last year.
With two greens out of action, we had anticipated some reduction in income in the winter months, but income from societies and green fees is down more than a third.
Bar profits continue to drop, with turnover down another 10% on last year, leading to a fall in profit of over 200%. All in all, not a pretty picture.
The committee are actively looking at various ways of raising additional income, and there is no doubt that some of the action that might be taken will not suit some members. However, other options are equally unappealing, such as substantially increasing subscriptions or cutting expenditure.
Hard decisions must be made if we are not to lose an appreciable amount this year. You will of course be advised and consulted where appropriate.
However, the best way for all of us is to fill the existing 40-plus vacancies we have in the 7-day restricted category. I would therefore urge all of you to do what you can to encourage friends and colleagues to join Porters Park.
You all know what a good course we have and it’s time to let a few more in on the secret.
Jeff Cloke, Hon Treasurer
THE CAPTAIN NAMES HIS CHARITIES
For my year as Captain, I have chosen three local charities to benefit from our fund-raising activities.
They are:
a) The Peace Hospice, in Watford
b) The Harrow MS Therapy Centre
c) Totally Different Playscheme, in Bushey
The Peace Hospice needs no introduction. It gives comfort, peace and dignity to both patients and families facing the crisis of cancer and other terminal illnesses. It focuses on enabling patients to live every day to the full and providing the best quality of life when a cure is no longer possible. The hospice needs to raise over £3m each year to keep going and receives only a quarter of its funding from the Health Service.
The Harrow MS Therapy Centre offers a range of therapies to benefit those suffering from multiple sclerosis. It gives day-to-day support and advice both to those who are newly diagnosed with MS and those for whom it is a continuing long-term condition. It is entirely self-funded and the £150,000 needed annually to keep the centre open is raised from donations.
Totally Different Playscheme is designed for children with a physical disability, which is why all but a few of those who attend are in wheelchairs. It operates from Meadow Wood School in Bushey, and runs for one week in the Easter holidays and for three weeks during the summer break. It cares for and entertains – swimming is on offer – children between the ages of four and twelve. Even though staffing is supported by a team of volunteers, the scheme costs around £1,000 per week to run and again relies totally on donations to survive.
All three charities benefit our immediate area and give their services free of charge. Supporting them fits in with my old Round Table ethic of ‘what you raise in the community is donated to local causes to benefit that community’.
I commend the charities to you and hope you will give generously at our various fund-raising events during 2008.
Lionel Cooper, Club Captain
ACTION ON MANY FRONTS
To keep members informed of what is happening on the course – hopefully before it happens, although this may not always be possible – I can report that over the next few weeks the following are scheduled:
1. As part of the bunker maintenance programme already set out by Martin Smith, the right greenside bunker on the 5th is to be modified so that it is more in keeping with its new counterpart on the left hand side.
2. Following the introduction of the new temporary green on the 16th, turf has been lifted from the former short temporary green on the same hole. The treatments applied to this turf over the last few months have greatly enhanced its quality allowing its use to improve other areas, such as the putting green.
3. The ball washers on each tee are being refurbished. While this work is carried out, some tees may temporarily lack this facility.
4. The stream has suffered from some bank erosion, particularly by the 14th green and 15th tee. Work to divert the flow to prevent further damage has included the careful placing of slabs and landscaping.
5. Some 40 new trees are on the way. A detailed list will be posted on the Greens notice board. Varieties include pink and white cherry, Norway maple, birch, ash, walnut and golden sycamore.
Although it may not be evident, the surround of the new greens on the 6th and 16th is actually greens-quality grass. This grass will be incorporated in the green on the right and back of the 6th, as will much of surround on the 16th, thus making the greens somewhat larger than they might appear at present.
Nigel Weekes, Chair of Green
THIS AND THAT
New trophy: The club is pleased to announce the start of a new annual competition – a knockout fourball better ball, sponsored by past captain Jas Arora. The competition will take place during the summer months and will be open to all male 7-day and 7-day restricted members, irrespective of handicap. Juniors with handicaps of 9 or better are also eligible. Jas has established this competition in memory of his father, who was a keen player of this form of golf.
Diary date changes: Friday, 15 August - Bangkok Trophy; Saturday, 21 June – Membership Open Day (see earlier item), replaces Dawn Mixed + Breakfast, now moved to Sunday, 1 June and Equality Cup cancelled for this year.
As part of a reassessment of every golf course in Hertfordshire, our course is to be remeasured. Changes are likely at the 6th and the 16th, which will both measure longer as the greens have been set back and their centres are now farther from the tee. At the same time stroke indices are to be reviewed.
With a fortnight to go – and much less than that when you read this – only half playing ladies had responded to the survey asking for their views on the future running of their section. If you are eligible and have not yet registered your opinion on this key issue, please take the opportunity to do so before the survey closes on February 29.
Club competitions will remain non-qualifying until the end of this month. From March onwards, even though the new greens will not be in play, competitions will qualify for handicap purposes.
Extra stablefords and an extra medal will be held in the summer months to give members further opportunities to play competitive golf.
Tee markers are being replaced. Letters have been sent to members who sponsored the markers currently in use giving them the option to continue sponsorship on payment of £70 a tee. The aim is not to make money but simply to cover costs. Not all tees will be spoken for, so if you are interested in sponsoring a tee, please get in touch with the office.
Home for Easter? There’s plenty going on at the club. The course will be closed on Good Friday morning for a members’ fourball alliance. So don’t miss out on either this, or the fish supper and quiz that follow in the evening. There’s golf on Easter Monday, too – a mixed competition with a shotgun start and supper afterwards.
Men’s invitation - 18 holes followed by dinner - is on Friday, April 11. Although a notice has yet to be posted, the office will be happy to accept entries as soon as you have arranged your guest.
READING THIS VIA EMAIL?
If you are, a big thank-you to you and to the many members who responded to the club’s request last month for their email addresses so that Tee Times can be sent to you this way. Your co-operation will save the club both office time and money.
If you are on email and have not yet given the club your address, please consider joining the many who have.
With phase one of the up-grading of the club’s website effectively completed, we are now looking to its continued development under phase two.
It would be helpful if members would make known their views on what has been achieved so far and, importantly, what additional facilities they would like to see available as part of phase two.
Please send your comments via Denise in the office, either by e-mail (denise@porterspark.com) or letter.
Ron Culnane, Chair of Communications
COURSE CORNER
Work on the pathways will be completed shortly, once the sand infill has arrived. If the result proves successful we will consider doing this on all paths.
Spring bunker maintenance will start the first week in March. This will include cutting back the edges front and back, new sand wedges, and redistribution of sand as required. Drainage in the 7th fairway bunker and 12th left greenside bunker will also be improved.
Owing to early February’s mild weather, fusarium is still active on some greens. We will spray this as soon as conditions are favourable.
Off course, over the next few weeks we intend to install a watering system in the shrub bed down the side of the car park, and also a new machinery wash-down area coupled to a water re-cycling plant outside the sheds. Both these jobs will be done in house.
Once soil temperatures have risen in mid-March we will be multi-coring and over-seeding the 6th and 16th with pure fescue. This will be repeated in mid-April ahead of opening the new greens. Pure fescue will establish itself much more quickly than the bent seed that we normally use.
Martin Smith, Course Manager
SINGLES GOLF: CONGU LAYS DOWN THE LAW
Full handicap difference in singles matches? Or three-quarters of handicap difference? Until this year, individual golf clubs have been allowed to make their own choice.
This no longer applies.
CONGU has now directed all clubs to use the following handicap allowances: singles = full handicap, fourball = ¾ the difference, foursomes = ½ the difference.
Handicapping itself has also come under scrutiny. Handicapping committees are now required to conduct an annual review of handicaps and are allowed only in exceptional circumstances to adjust the handicap of a member between annual reviews. For this to happen, there must be exceptional evidence that a golfer’s handicap no longer reflects his current playing ability.
Members who wish to do so – perhaps because their opportunities to play in qualifying competitions are limited – may submit up to ten supplementary scores a year. However, before they mark such a card they must previously have signified their intention to do so. Format may be stroke play or stableford.
A CALL TO ARMS
Contrary to popular belief, Commandos are a really peaceful and unwarlike group. They do have well-polished shoes, but are dedicated first and foremost to good golf and enduring friendship.
It is therefore a pleasure, as the days lengthen and more golf beckons, to announce that the Commando fixture list is on the board and the lists for the first matches are already filling with names.
What a prospect we have this year! There will be 28 matches played, both home and away, with the added delight of two matches with the ladies. The season opens with West Herts on March 7th and runs right through until Northwood on October 20th. We will be playing Ashridge, Denham, Moor Park, Sandy Lodge and many other fine local courses, the golf being followed by lunch.
If you are a male member over 55 and able to play midweek, you are urged to join us. Try out the company on our Monday, Wednesday and Friday “roll-ups” at 0800 on the 10th tee, and do put your name down for matches. You will always be welcomed, and enjoyment is guaranteed.
Malcolm Menzies, Commando Captain
HATS APLENTY
A busy social scene lies ahead as follows:
Saturday, 1 March: Mad Hatters’ Evening, with a prize for the most unusual hat for men and for women. A jazz band will help the evening go with a swing.
Friday, 21 March: Good Friday fish supper and quiz
Friday, 25 April: St George’s Night Dinner followed by stirring songs from Hilary Dollamore and, of course, The Charge from Alan Lambert.
Wednesday, 18 June: Ascot. The closing date for this outing has been extended until February 29. So there’s still time to put your names down and say whether you’re up for the champagne breakfast too.
SCRATCH TEAM TAME TIGERS
After a highly successful 2007 season, in which we won both the Hertfordshire Champion Club and Division 2 of the Scratch League, the Scratch
Team has a lot to live up to in 2008. We started in fine form, though, with a decisive win over the Porters Park Tigers, 2½ - 1½.
Early excuses were cited on arrival by the Tigers complaining that a number of their players had been “stolen” by the Scratch Team but this jibe did not put the Scratch Team off.
However the Tigers captain, Colin Robinson, led from the front, playing arguably the best shot of the day by holing from a bunker for a net 2 on the last to clinch the Tigers’ only win. The rematch will be a game of Power Play golf at Northwick Park Golf Centre in March.
If you’re interested in playing for the Scratch Team, there are number of events that anyone with a handicap of 7 or less will be considered for. Even if you were regularly selected in 2007, please add your name to the list on the Scratch Team board with email and mobile number if possible, or contact Gordon Forster for more information (07855 955984 or email gordonkforster@yahoo.co.uk).
Gordon Forster, Scratch Team Captain
PULL A FAST ONE (OR MORE)
April 8 marks the start of a full programme of home and away matches for the Foxes and Social Team (FAST). The Social Team is open to all men members, the Foxes to those with handicaps in the range 10-19.
We’re looking forward to some competitive and companionable golf with ten of the better clubs in the county, including Berkhamsted, Hadley Wood, Moor Park and Sandy Lodge. Fixture details are already on the notice board and in your diaries.
This year we’re adopting and adapting Commandos’ practices (well, some of them!) by appointing a team captain for each club who will run both the home and away legs. This will help to develop our relationship with each club and to spread the management load.
Getting a game will be as easy as it has been in the past. Availability sheets will be posted about five weeks before the first leg. Sign up for the home and away legs (preference will be given to those who can play in both). And do remember to add your email address, as we’ll be using email, as well as the usual notices, to distribute team selection details, etc.
The availability sheets should appear from the beginning of March, so keep an eye on the noticeboard.
John Hedges, FAST Manager
CONGRATULATIONS TO…
David Tomblin who won the February stableford (Div I) with 38pts from Jai Raja with 35pts. James Gold won Div II with 35pts from Malcolm Wildridge with 34pts
Tex Uwins who won the February midweek stableford with 37pts from Sandy McCallum with 36pts
Anita Healy and Janet Longhurst who won the January foursomes stableford with 31pts (back 9) from Angela Davis and Fiona Crampton-Smith
Anita Prosser, Angela Davis and Carole Sharp who won the February roll-up stableford with 75pts from Janet Hardy, Sue Lean and Sandra Mackenzie with 63pts
Rena Delaney and Meera Patel-Schelleken who won the shotgun 18-hole foursomes stableford with 37pts from Janet Hardy and Myra Wilson with 36 pts