Mr President, Madam Lady Captain, past Captains, Ladies and Gentlemen.
It is a great honour and privilege to be your Captain and I hope I will maintain the standards set by Tony and all the previous Captains of the club. I would like to reflect on my excitement back in 1988 coming for interview with Sean Woodcock, the then Captain of the Golf Club, together with George Haynes his Vice Captain. I recall the old clubhouse and locker rooms – how times have changed!
I would like to pay tribute to all the former Captains and committees over the years who have worked tirelessly to develop the club and the course we have today. I would like this year to continue with this in mind. I am here to support my colleagues on committee. Budgets are difficult and this is not easy, we are operating in difficult times, but as you will hear, if we do not invest money and energy we will stand still, or in reality fall behind, and I suggest that we should strive to maintain and improve our position, and be proud to be members of Leamington & County Golf Club.
We have a club motto “The friendly club – with a Century of History”. We are a friendly club and I shall be working hard with the members and staff to keep that happy atmosphere.
Over a quarter of our members have joined in the last 5 years. We must all make our new members welcome, we are a golf club, not just a place to play golf. I believe there is a difference. There seems reluctance by some new members to play in club competitions. I will be encouraging them. Two of the men’s board competitions have been earmarked for a draw with times and partners. An ideal opportunity to meet new members and perhaps some old ones who you haven’t played golf with for some time. In that respect I intend to play with as many different members as I can in club competitions.
Slow play is the bane of most golf clubs. In the new club diary you will all see a page dedicated to guidelines set out by the R & A into advice on alleviating slow play. The usual ones are there, keeping up with the match in front etc, plus one or two others. Please read them. This will all go to the enjoyment we all have in playing this wonderful game.
“Enjoyment” is a word I like and I would encourage all to enjoy our course and facilities. Members, the committee, the staff and particularly our guests and visitors alike.
Finally, before closing, together with Jan Lloyd our Ladies Captain, we would like to announce that the Captain’s Charity for this year is the Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance. A number of golfing and other events have been pencilled into the diary. I know that once again we can rely on your generosity to support this local cause.
I am excited at being given the opportunity to be your Captain; a once in a lifetime opportunity, to wear the jacket with pride.
This is without question the proudest moment of my golfing career.
Thank you.
Phil Halford - Club Captain
Leamington & County Golf Club
CAPTAIN’S NEWSLETTER – MAY 2011
Dear Members,
It has just been over a month since being elected to office and taking over the helm from Tony Partridge. What a month it has been, with the weather being warm and sunny, greens running fast and praying for overnight rain.
The playing season is well under way with Men’s, Ladies and Junior Competition’s together with the Mixed Open being played this weekend. Before we know it the Town Bowl and other competitions will be behind us, how time flies.
Both Des Bowen(vice-captain) and myself have been kept very busy interviewing new members, with more to follow. A testament to the hard work made in promoting the club through our open day held recently. Another open day is earmarked for late September.
In October 2010 the Equality Act became law. This affects all golf clubs. A small working group has been set up to look at this and further details can be seen on the notice boards and on the web-site.
Plans are in hand to improve the ladies and gents locker rooms. No firm details are yet available, but once known I will keep you all informed.
Finally, the Captains’ Charity this year is the Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance, with events at the end of June and beginning of July. Jan Lloyd and I have been working hard to make these events as successful as ever. All the Charity Events are published in the club diary and we hope as many of you as possible will support us with your generosity. Donations to the Bottle Raffle to be held on the Charity Fun Afternoon (2/7) would be much appreciated.
So far, so good, a brief newsletter, but I do hope that the weeks ahead are kind to us and that all members, both old and new, enjoy their golf at the club, and I would like to re-enforce a comment I made at the AGM. “Leamington is a golf club for members, and not just a place to play golf.” I believe there is a difference.
Phil Halford
Captain
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