NNL Match 5

There's a concerning trend developing. I've watched 4 of the 5 NNL matches so far; the only one we've won was the one I didn't watch. Tonight at Percy Wood all the matches were again close, the last one finished in the dark, and too many slipped away. The good news was that they gave me supper and I found a golf ball.
Result: 7-5 loss. Next match Burgham Park at home.

Finance Committee: May

Attending committee meetings is obviously the best part of being involved at the golf club - certainbly it beats playing the way I did in the competition on Saturday; the conditions were glorious but someone had put cellophane over the holes so putts did not fall. Or at least mine didn't: the winner had a net 60, but of course he played earlier in the day.

We had a finance committee in the morning to review the latest results. April had continued in the same vein as the first quarter, with visitor fees being well down on last year, partly the weather and partly a lack of visitors in the area generally. We'll need to watch this carefully. Having put up the subs a lot last year, we don't want to do the same this year (although the waiting list has stayed at a similar level) - but we do need to recognise the fact that inflation is increasing.

NNL Match 4

I wasn't there. We beat Alnmouth Village 10 - 2.

Must be a co-incidence.

Next match: Percy Wood, away.

Blackheath Trophy

I've always liked the relative informality at Bamburgh. But it relies on a degree of mutual respect so people don't take advantage.

There was an example on Saturday of the difficulty in balancing informality with the best result for most members. Although Saturday is competition day, and we do not allow visitors, we do let people play without entering competitions and members can bring guests. A member had booked in three guests and although he didn’t play he accompanied them. The three played very slowly, and held up the afternoon groups in the competition. This just wasn’t fair*. To make matters worse, having had a very cheap round, they then drove off without coming in the bar. Although perhaps that was good judgement on their part.

I’d hate to change the rules to prevent members bringing guests on a Saturday, and I’m sure we won’t, but this example was so bad we will have to consider it. We’ll have to enforce, perhaps, a maximum of two guests and say the member must play with them. At the end of the day, though, a golf club relies on people having respect for others. Fortunately members generally do.

*(I am biased: I write with a score of 25 points; I can’t blame the slow play for most of my poor performance but I’m sure it contributed. But others who did well were also held up and annoyed).

NNL Match 3

I arrived at Warkworth fresh from a London train to a glorious sunny and fairly wind free evening just as the matches were starting on the 2nd nine. I'd never been to Warkworth before: it looked great and I'll definitely be back.

The view of the first and second holes must be one of the best panoramic views of golf I've seen, and the quality of golf from our team was as good as the view. I must not have been paying much attention however because although we usually seemed to be winning, we actually halved:

Score 6-6.

The Europa cup final was on TV in the lounge afterwards, also a disappointing result. Does this suggest TVs and golf club lounges don't mix?

Next match: Alnmouth Village at home.

The Importance of Team Selection

I'm pleased to report that my partner in the McAdam Foursomes has been selected to play for England Golf Club Managers against Ireland at Hillside Golf Club.

Congratulations, Mike, and good luck.

North Northumberland League: Match 2

A grey evening, with the mist rolling in so again it was almost dark for the final shot of the day (a lost drive at the 17th). It was tight all the way until the end, nip and tuck, one team leading then the other. No clear result obvious. And that was just the election.

On the course each match was close but we didn't quite close them out. Whether that was because Goswick's team had an average age about half of ours, or because the lack of wind put us at a disadvantage, is not clear, but we lost 9-3. It's good to start the season leaving something to do by the end. Isn't it?

Next week: Warkworth away.

North Northumberland League: Match 1.

The sun shone. The wind blew. Magdelene Fields looked fantastic (except for the caravan park). It was the first NNL match of the season, featuring a first time start for Robbie Redpath, the man in form. And as always, Bamburgh had the most support – about ten hangers on compared with Magdelene Fields’ one.


The course looked to be in good condition but the greens were very slow compared to Bamburgh – which was a disadvantage for our team, one we always seem to find at this course. It was a close match till the end, with the final put determining whether we would halve or lose 7-5. Unfortunately, the sun didn’t delay its setting for the match to finish and the only two groups which went to the 18th were the last two. Which meant the final putt was in the dark and failed to drop.

7-5 is a good result for us at Magdalene Fields; for some reason the NNL matches are always played in the same order each year (alternating home and away), so institutionalising any unfairness in the draw. When we won the league in 2008, we started with an 11-1 defeat at Magdelene Fields. So a 7-5 loss is OK.

The next match is Goswick A at home, starting 5.30 to 6.00.

Ponteland

My first act as Vice Captain was to captain our team for the friendly match against Ponteland at Ponteland. We lost – and badly: one group won, one drew and six lost. It also rained. I noted in my speech that it was the taking part that counted, not winning, and that the art of good captaincy was mainly about selecting a good team and being lucky with the weather. But the weather this year could be put down to John Taylor.

Come Spring, we had the return match at home. I had to go to a family wedding in Edinburgh on the Saturday, and left there early on Sunday morning in torrential rain. I phoned the club to see if people wanted to cancel, but no-one believed me: it was nice at Bamburgh and nicer still at Ponteland. Slowly the rain came – but this time there was a crucial difference: our teams were winning, and my game in particular got better the wetter it was. Three teams went for an “honourable” draw, but Bamburgh won four of the five others. The weather, I hope, can still be put down to John taylor.

I played (with David Chrimes) against the Chairman and Vice Chairman (as their Captain/Vice Captain were competing in a tournament in the dryer South); it was the 30th anniversary of the Vice Chairman, Chris Forster’s, first appearance in this match, and his family had donated the cup we play for in these matches. Which we won back.

Introduction

One of the biggest surprises of my life was when John Cairns came to see me to ask if I’d like to be Captain in 2010-11. My first response was YES!! But my second was more doubtful; I’m not particularly good at golf, and as Treasurer I had just pushed something good for the club that members had not approved. I talked to a couple of people – who said don’t be stupid, enjoy it - and went with my first response.

Our captain is selected by the last five captains, so not including the next year’s captain, the one who would have to put up me as vice captain. I think this approach is good; it provides a thread of continuity but minimising chances for a clique to develop. Fortunately John Taylor was happy with me, but it will be interesting to see in August who will be my Vice Captain. I have some ideas about who I would pick; they’ll have to remain private. Clearly being called "John" is an important requisite.

I have three main fears about being captain: the Drive-in, making speeches and lastly not having the time to appreciate it during the year. This blog is to solve the third problem – it’s designed to be a record for me to look back on afterwards, but I hope it will also give members a chance to get some details about what’s going on at the club. I’m going to warm-up by periodically posting during my Vice-Captain’s year.