Welcome to my first newsletter as your club captain. It gives me great pleasure to be your captain after playing at Clays for the past 21 years! I’m still discovering new parts of the course from which to play recovery shots even after all these years, Talking of the golf course, our vice-captain, Don Wraight, has been making a few “essential” visits to tend the various flower beds. Don has also made a few videos showing the excellent condition of the course and the continuing good works of Mark and his team. The videos have been posted on the ‘seniors blog’ available via the club website.
As you will appreciate, it is quite a challenge to convey news when there is no actual golf taking place currently. However, I have a few issues to bring to your attention.
Cancellation of DGU Events
The Denbighshire Golfing Union have taken the decision to cancel many of the planned events for 2020. It is difficult to plan for events without knowing when the current social distancing restrictions will be eased. In an earlier email, I asked those members who had paid the entry fees for the DGU Spring Meeting and the Jubilee Plate, to forward me your banking details so I can facilitate a refund of the entry fees. If you have not already done so, please do so at your convenience.
World Handicap System (WHS)
As many members will be aware, the WHS will be introduced in early November 2020. During the lockdown period, Wales Golf have been doing webinars (seminars via the web) to explain how the new WHS will work in practice. The presentations used in the webinars are available for viewing on the Wales Golf website and YouTube using the links below. A heads up, these are not the most riveting presentations you will ever view however, they do provide a lot of useful information and de-bunk some of the mis-information circulating about WHS. Happy viewing!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLz4YC67pokRVx7-lmRAb8xuXQSsPruSjG
https://www.walesgolf.org/world-handicap-system/.
Members levy
Yes, it’s that time of year again. Many members will have already paid their club membership fees, it is also time to pay the club levy of £30. The levy contributes to the maintenance of your handicap, fee payments to Wales Golf and golfing unions. If you have on-line banking, you can pay the levy directly into the members account, detailed below. We are investigating other, non-contact, means of paying the levy.
Account no.42557584
Sort code. 40-47-26
Ref. “your name”
Captains Charity
Lady Captain, Cristine Evans, and I have agreed to have a joint captains charity this year. Many members, including Christine and I, have been adversely affected by the impact of Alzheimer’s disease on close relatives. Therefore, we aim to raise funds to support the Alzheimer’s society that provides support for sufferers and carers locally.
There is a charity day planned for later in the year. Please do your best to support the charity day and other activities throughout our captain’s year. All the money raised will help the charity provide critical support to people affected by this awful disease.
March medal winners, don’t worry your winnings are safe. We will pay you as soon as possible after the golf club re-opens.
Finally, like myself, you have probably been inundated with adverts for online golf lessons. Somehow swinging a club in the yard, garden or on the patio does not quite do it for me. I tried chipping into a net in the garden, which was fine until the first shank: the ball smashed an ornamental pot pig! Wife not pleased….
Please stay safe.
Dave Palferman
Captain 2020