August 2024 Web Notes

President Ilona Madden’s Prize

Plans discussed for this golf competition and the evening event on 31st August. Posters will be designed and displayed giving details of same. It was agreed that the unveiling of President Ilona’s main prize will take place on Wednesday 28th August during the evening prize giving presentation. We hope that our members will support these social and golf events, which are a way to meet other
club members and support our President.

July Prize giving

The 31st July prize giving was a happy event, where we had the opportunity to thank our sponsors and share in each other’s achievements, which is an encouragement to us all. We even had some members dancing in the Young at Heart Regatta event held in the club on the same evening.

New Members – Welcome to WGC

We are delighted to see that we have so many new members over the last couple of months. We look forward to meeting you all in the near future. All new members have been added, or sent an invite request, to both our main WGC WhatsApp group and the new members WhatsApp group. These, along with our web notes with a summary of Committee meetings are our main sources of communication.

Key Dates for remainder of year

These dates were formally agreed in this August meeting and a poster of same has been displayed in clubhouse and sent via WhatsApp. The committee look forward to celebrating these dates with you all.

Communication Received

Two pieces of communication were received from members in relation to following:

1. Lesley Hopkins Salver – A committee decision was made earlier this year based on an understanding that this memorial Salver had originally been donated for presentation to the overall medal winner for each competition year. The understanding was that only the
monthly medal winners competed for this Salver. However, we received a communication from a long-standing member who informed that, from inception, the qualifiers for this competition were those who were placed 1, 2, or 3rd in the monthly medals. In this knowledge the committee reverted to the historic entry requirement and all persons qualifying for entry in this competition based on the results of the April, May, June and July medal results were informed of their qualification for entry in this competition which will be held on Saturday 28th September 2024. We wish all participants for the August and September medal competitions luck in qualifying for the Lesley Hopkins Salver competition. We hope that other members come to the clubhouse to see entrants play the 18th hole of this competition and celebrate with all competitors and the overall winner.

2. Matchplay competitions - The Competition committee organised for 3 women’s Matchplay competitions in 2024 seasons.

1. High / Low mixed Matchplay

2. Ballycurry Cup

3. Nine Hole Plate

The women’s competition committee tried to accommodate all its members in these competitions and capped the Ballycurry Cup entry for members with a playing handicap up to 36 and the nine hole plate for members with a playing handicap of 37 or more. This decision was based on WHS rule 7.2a as below:

7.2a Terms of the Competition

The Committee in charge of a competition may set entry/ eligibility requirements within the Terms of the Competition relevant to a player's Handicap Index or calculated Playing Handicap. For example, the Committee can:

• Set a maximum Handicap Index for entry or use in the competition.

• Set a maximum Playing Handicap.

• Reserve the right to adjust the Playing Handicap of an entrant where there is evidence that the player’s Handicap Index does not reflect their demonstrated ability.
  
  However, we were challenged by a long-standing member with a query based on the ethos that WHS means golfers of all abilities are able to compete on a fair and equal basis and enquired as to the grounds that allow a WHS be capped for competitions. As we, could not answer a query based on a WHS Rule, we referred this query to the R&A a governing body of WHS. This led to a number of communications and resulted in a face-to-face remote call with a representative of the R&A Handicap team. During this call and from our communication we were made aware that the WHS wording for rule 7.2a pre-dates WHS. Therefore, we could not provide an answer to our member’s query as to what grounds can a capping of a handicap be applied under WHS. In view of the information received from the R&A, the committee made a decision to extend the entry deadline and remove the handicap restriction for both the Ballycurry Cup and Nine Hole Matchplay to all eligible women members. Although this delayed our Matchplay competition draws we feel that the effort taken to research the well-intended members query was very worthwhile.
  
  Nine and Dine Friday 26th July
  
  This was agreed as a very successful and well supported event, which even had a waiting list.
  Unfortunately, some participants on BRS could not make the competition and had not removed their name from BRS which meant that members on the waiting list did not get a chance to play. Please remember to remove yourself from BRS if you are unable to play and as a courtesy also inform your playing partners.
  
  New members opportunity for cards to be marked for Handicap
  
  The committee agreed to organise for 3 lines marked as Handicap Card Marking to be put on the BRS on Tuesday evenings. A rota whereby one existing members will be put on each of these 3 lines will be set up which will give new members an opportunity and dedicated person to join for card marking. We ask that you input your names into these tee times ASAP so that the card marker can
  know who they are meeting.