GILLINGHAM GOLF CLUB: REPORT TO MEMBERS SUMMER 2019

Club Playing Membership

(as at 22/7/2019)Full Male – 328Full Female – 3111 Hole – 34Off Peak – 32Life Members – 16Intermediate (18-25) – 23Intermediate (26-34) – 39Juniors – 10Social Playing - 248

(as at 18/5/2018)Full Male – 387Full Female – 4511 Hole – 18Off Peak – 25Life Members – 16Intermediate (18-25) – 29Intermediate (26-35) – 29Juniors - 8Social Playing – 226

(as at 15/5/2017)Full Male – 291Full Female – 4611 Hole – 14Off Peak – 31Life Members – 16Intermediate (18-25) – 11Juniors – 10Social Playing - 164

CLUB CAPTAIN’S COMMITTEE

(CCC)

Club CaptainCaptain ElectLadies CaptainChair: GreensChair: Competitions+ 6 Elected MembersClub Manager

GILLINGHAM GOLF CLUB LTD.

COUNCIL (GGC)

Club ChairmanChair: FinanceClub CaptainCaptain ElectChair: GreensLadies CaptainClub Manager

GILLINGHAM CLUBHOUSE LTD.

BOARD (GCL)

Club ChairmanChair: FinanceClub ManagerImm. Past CaptainGCL Manager(Lay member co-opt)

Low membership conditions in some playing groups results in periodic ‘special offers’ to encourage joining.

Green Fees 2018-19

Month Members VisitorsJuly £6,645 £2,440

August £5,583 £1,505September £3,891 £1,927

October £4,760 £1,775November £2,560 £565December £1,493 £394

January £2,861 £801February £3,399 £1,127

March £3,946 £1,285April £5,659 £2,821May £5,990 £2,236June £4,184 £1,908

TOTAL £50,971 £18,704TOTAL GREEN FEES £69,755

Members = guests of members or social playing members paying a green fee

Entertainments Programme 2018-19

Date Event Attending Eating31st August Suspiciously Elvis 187 132

29th September Soul Kinda Wonderful 165 14420th October Beached Boys 144 120

24th November Celine Dion 159 12515th February Roy Orbison 150 121

1st June The Choos 146 10929th June Karen Carpenter 141 114

Club Quiz Programme 2018-19

The Monthly Quiz Company run our quiz which takes place on the second Wednesday of each month. They are very popular, no need to book, just come along and take part. £2.50 per person, teams of no more than 6. Cash prizes on the night. There is also the option of food before the quiz at just £6 per person, this could be Fish and Chips or Curry etc, again, no need to book. Food from 6.30pm, Quiz starts at approximately 8pm.

EatingAug 2018 31 Feb 2019 39Sept 2018 32 March 2019 51Oct 2018 26 April 2019 40Nov 2018 51 May 2019 26Dec 2018 27 June 2019 12Jan 2019 48 July 2019 27

Club Administration

Visitor Bookings – We have regular bookings from various groups – NHS/Diabetes Services, Haart Estate Agents, Green King Brewery, Target First Aid, Animal First Aid, ABC Networks, Medway Rotary, Strood Rotary, Gillingham Scouts as well as ad hoc bookings for various meetings, 1-1s, interviews, client meetings etc. Most of these are in our smaller meeting rooms. We also have funeral wakes, weddings, birthday parties, anniversaries and annual/corporate dinners which are mainly held in the larger function room.

Public Licence – We have a public licence, i.e. we are open to the public, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. On other days of the week non members may use the facilities, i.e. hire a room, for a pre-booked event. This licence is applicable for the Clubhouse only. Members guests are welcome on any day of the week, but must be accompanied by the member. Visitors can play the course on any day of the week on payment of the relevant green fee.

Meaning of NR on your scorecard - NR stands for No Return and should only be used in a Medal Strokeplay round if you have commenced play and failed to record a score on one or more holes. If you have made a score on all 18 holes, regardless of whether you think the score is very high or not, you must submit the card as a valid card. Your score will count towards the CSS if you enter a score or enter a NR. It can also be used to adjust your handicap. A NR can also be used if you do not return your card in any qualifying competition under CONGU Rules, however, failure to return a scorecard in a competition is a Disqualification under the R&A Rules of Golf.

Environmental Health Grade – We have an environmental health grade of 5/5. You can view gradings of any food outlet on the Food Standards Agency website, www.food.gov.uk

Competitions Cancelled – We try not to cancel competitions unless absolutely essential. Since the 1st January 2019, we have cancelled 3 days of Men’s competition play due to bad weather, and unfortunately virtually all the Mixed matches to date due to lack of numbers.

Team News

Congratulations to the East Kent League Team who are through to the final of the East Kent League Knockout Cup in their first season. They are due to play Canterbury on August 24th at Broome Park. A mini bus will be available for the team and supporters.

Course Planning News 2018-19

1. We have started work on the sand and soil bays to allow us to have specialist bunker sand for the bunkers. This is advancing well.

2. The old bunker on 13 has been excavated, refilled with topsoil and seeded. This is already growing so hopefully the GUR will be gone before year end,

3. We have a new greens iron which is improving the playability of the greens, even though the weather is hampering attempts to speed them up.

4. We also have a device which measures moisture in the greens which should also help the green staff to ensure the greens are maintained at the “Goldilocks” level (not too dry, not too wet but ‘just right’).

5. We are proceeding with the bunker revamp trial and hope to announce dates when the work will be done shortly.

6. We have identified a tree surgeon who specializes in transplanting trees, we will be meeting with him in the next couple of weeks to discuss our options.

We will provide a further update in the Autumn and hold a meeting to explain our plans in late September or early October.

Guidelines for Greenkeeping staff – player interaction

1. Greens staff will attempt to keep ahead of players2. When a shot is being played forward to a green that the staff are working on they will remain

stationary in that vicinity. If work is behind the shot they will continue to work. Machines will remain running (start up makes more noise across the course)

3. If the staff are working on a green and the flag is not in the hole then golfers must not play towards the green until it has been reinstated.

4. Tee and hole positions will not be changed during any competition (unless allowed due to flooding or damage)

5. Staff will continue to work on the course during weekday competitions keeping disruption to play and changes to the course to a minimum, as greenkeeping requirements permit.

Remember that Greens staff have priority on the course until 8am

Gillingham Golf Club Review

The GGC Performance review i.e. providing evidence and promoting progress in the role of Committees, workforce support and the Club future has been summarised for Managers and members in the ‘Growing Golf in Gillingham Golf Club’ report (distributed and available from the office). Activity highlighted in Club records includes the following:-

2013 o In-house catering process undertakeno Newsletters and reports to members escalatedo 11 Hole membership (Flexible membership) trial with members

2014 o Subscription renewal date change from Jan – July proposedo Personnel mentoring plan negotiated with employeeso Financial priorities planning introduced regularly

2015 o New dress code and club history exhibition providedo Members exit survey and machinery lease reviewso New practice nets funded

2016 o Golf Gear collaboration piloted and extra Health and Safety training providedo Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC) status retainedo Carpet cleaning completed

2017 o Solar panels implementedo Bond holder arrangement completedo Official documents reviews and Club Officer Training

2018 o Course financial allocation protected (AGM)o Fencing project completed with Medway Councilo Club Captain’s proposals for Committee change taken to members

2019 o Upgrading of Clubhouse facilities agreed e.g. Chairs/curtainso Committees planning group established for AGM report

o Course improvement plan and projected spend for 2020-21 agreedForward Look and Looking Better

As a result of careful saving, member support and Council planning the long awaited upgrade for part of the Clubhouse premises is realistically underway. The Finance Chairman is currently negotiating with leading trade distributors of quality retail furnishing products and draft quotations exchange. Areas projected for improvement are the function room, the lounge, the conference room, the spike bar, the stairwell and part of the ground area. Flooring, seating and curtaining are agreed items. Further details and prospects will be shared with members via the Bulletin news sheets. Sample goods will be exhibited to members. AR

Course View 2018-19

Please recognise that 2020-21 is the year for a maximum possible spend on course improvements.

Finance Chairman’s Report: 2019In the last six years Gillingham Golf Club has developed into a business with positive cash flow. There is the capacity to pay bills on time and a projected surplus to improve both the clubhouse and the course to the sum of £150,000 for the coming year. Membership subscriptions, in that time, has only increased by £62 per annum. We have purchased (not leased or rented) solar panels, air conditioning, course machinery, boilers, kitchen equipment, led lighting, new tables, and improved washroom facilities in the men’s changing room. Most recently we have purchased a new greens iron, tractor and of course the fence; we have paid for all of it, no loans and no monthly commitments.

Through careful planning, marketing, the help from members and various committees over that period we have managed to create a more prosperous business for the benefit of all members. In the current season, with the clubhouse refurbishment and a budget of £50,000 for the course there will be further; visible improvements. Again

there will be no loans to facilitate this activity. Next year the bunkers will be a top priority for the Greens chairman with a healthy projected budget for implementing this and other changes to the course.