Captain's Weekly Update
Thursday, 3rd November 2022
Fellow Vets
Winter golf is well and truly upon us now with the recent wet and windy weather making the course a challenging one for us all.
Please be careful walking on the slippery grass slopes and don’t take short cuts up onto the tee boxes. There’ve been some nasty slips & falls already!
Please also respect the course at this time of the year, don’t push your trolleys into areas that are marked prohibited, nor onto the collars around the edges of the greens as this will damage them and make it even more difficult to get up and down from just off the putting surface! It looked pitiful on the left edge of the 2nd green on Tuesday with many muddy wheel tracks almost on the green itself!
On Tuesday this week, a reduced field of 64 Vets contested the November Stableford Medal but the inclement weather took its toll with half the entrants electing not to complete their rounds. Unfortunately, the club rules require the imposition of a one “like competition” ban in such cases. Given the numbers involved, we will arrange an informal competition to run concurrently with the next medal, so you’ll still be able to play some competitive golf. I was fortunate enough to win this month’s Silver Medal (my first for the Vets!) and congratulations go to my fellow medal winners, Richard Perkins and Geoff Coad (photo shown below).
Well done to all those that completed their rounds in tough conditions. My full competition report will be available on the Vets website here:
Our final trophy competition; Clarkies Foursomes is slated for next Tuesday, the 8th November. It’s a drawn pairs stableford format event with 44 booked in already, so still plenty of room for more!
On Tuesday 15th November is my Captains Choice Competition which will be a "3 in 1" pairs event. Some more revisions to the format; choose you own partner for 18 holes of pairs strokeplay. Now off the RED tees - there's a men’s measured red course available which we’ll use for the first time in a Vets competition. The first 6 holes is played as a Foursomes (i.e. alternate shots with one ball, alternating off the tees, so 3 tee shots each), the middle 6 holes (7 thru 12) played as Greensomes (select the best tee shot then play alternate shots) and the final 6 holes (13 thru 18) played as a pairs scramble (with 2 tee shots minimum to be selected for each player). Handicap will likely be 70% of joint course handicap. A special rule for this competition only, in that out of bounds will be treated as a red penalty area (to keep the pace of play moving and avoid any cricket scores on holes) - it’s a bit of fun after all! 28 pairs signed up so far and one single, so still plenty of room!
We'll again be joining the Mens & Ladies sections for Awards Night which will be held on Saturday 19th November. Please attend if you can, partners/guests are welcome too. If you are a winner of one (or more!) of the 18 trophies that are played for this year (not medals) and are going to attend, you (and your playing partners if applicable) will be formally presented with your trophy in front of your peers and the club will also provide you with a permanent memento of your success, but you must be there to receive it! Details around the club and on the website too, pay at the bar for your tickets.
No competition slated for the 22nd November so it will be a roll up that week.
The December Stableford Medal, the last of the year is on Tuesday 29th November and a last chance to try and clinch the Consistency League Trophy. Still spaces left!
Our traditional Vets Christmas 12 Hole Stableford & Lunch will be held on Tuesday 6th December. This will also be played off the red tees with a two course Christmas lunch to follow. Roast Turkey with all the trimmings, followed by Christmas pudding and mince pies with your coffee. There'll also be a small raffle too giving me one last chance to raise some money for Prostate Cancer UK. Your match and lunch fee (£27) will be taken together when booking. Entries open very shortly. Christmas outfits optional, on the course and at lunch!
Finally, the postponed Vets v Ladies Trophy match will now be held on Tuesday 13th December. No lunch included but losers buy the drinks! They’ll be some prizes too! Booking open soon. A £2 match fee and played as 4BBB drawn pairs stableford match play. Details on the notice board and website.
See you in the club house soon.
Kind Regards
Keith
Keith M Vaughan Williams
Cherry Lodge GC Veterans Captain 2022
Tel: 07767 665317
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