Captain's Log

Sylvia Dunne

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS. We had a fantastic week of weather and some fantastic golf too. I was a bit anxious about refereeing the final but settled down soon and enjoyed a feast of good golf from both ladies.

Congratulations to all the winners - Fiona Hastie, Iris Kerr and Chloe Goadby. Also well done to the runners-up - Alison McDonald, Hazel Crane and Janet Thompson.

The Jamieson Cup resulted in a win for Dharini Balasubramaniam with Rhoda Wilson as runner-up. Congratulations to both!

This leads on to the date of the ANNUAL DINNER & PRIZEGIVING which has been fixed for Friday 12th November in The Scores Hotel.

THE CAPTAIN'S PRIZE competition took place on Saturday and was won by Anne Wilson with a better inward half from Karen St Amant who won my Vice-Captain's prize last year - nearly a double. Hard luck Karen! Most players returned to the club and enjoyed a snack lunch. For this I thank Past Captain Margaret McQueen for all the delicious baking she did (including her famous Clootie Dumpling), Meroe Wilson for appearing with a surprise batch of her speciality soda bread and Grace Wright for rolling up her sleeves and acting as head waiter. I now realise that being Social Convener is not easy and definitely not for me! Irene Ray could not be with us because she was laid low with some sort of bug. Best wishes for a speedy recovery, Irene. We missed you.

THE OPEN. St Regulus was given some entry tickets from the R & A specifically for Captain, Secretary and Committee use. These have been shared out so that each member of the committee can have some time watching the golf.

OFFICE HOURS. Michelle has been on holiday for a week and a half but returns on Tuesday 6th July. You may have noticed that her usual activities are a bit late. However, she will be catching up this week and all will soon be back to normal.

PLAYAWAY. entry sheet is now on the board. Please pay a £10 non-refundable deposit as you enter your name on the list. Only 24 spaces available. The price is even cheaper than last year. Full details on the board.

CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP OF NEW CLUB. As you already know this has been suspended till the end of July. As a result the entry cards issued for St Regulus members should not be used during The Open. Only the Family Member ticket will be recognised. T&Cs for those are available from The New Club.

GOLFERS CAR PARK at the seventeenth green is now CLOSED till after The Open.

Enjoy the atmosphere in the town during the next couple of weeks. Golf will be back to normal soon!

REMINDER: BEST TO LEAVE MOBILE PHONES AT HOME.

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS. Well done to all the ladies who qualified for the three matchplay stages. They take place on Monday 21st June, Wednesday 23rd with the finals on Friday 25th June. After the finals members are invited back to St Regulus to congratulate and toast the three winners. It would also be great if some of us were to watch the matches and give encouragement to the players. Please come and support your favourites.

NOVICES 9. For ladies who are just beginning to take up the game of golf we had thought of organising a group friendly of 9 holes to be played at non busy times, perhaps summer evenings, when the courses might not be so busy. This might encourage new members to get out on the course without the extra harassment of keeping up to time with the more experienced members in a competition. If anyone is interested then please contact Michelle in the office who will organise a list of names. Other members who have started to play in competitions may also like to join in. Just let Michelle know.

QUIZ NIGHT. Thanks to Jean Allan, we all had a great time at the recent quiz night. There was much laughter and enjoyment. The photos are on the club website. The refreshments, always very welcome, were served by the Social Convener Irene Ray and her helper Ann Holliday.

NEW MEMBERS NIGHT. This was also a success. The new members were introduced to the committee, got some useful information from the Handicap Secretary then were shown round the club. We all enjoyed it and the glass of wine went down very well!

RAFFLE PRIZES. No, I am not asking for more at the moment! However, we, the committee, were overwhelmed by the generosity of members. The number and quality of the prizes was fantastic. Some were drawn at the Quiz Night and the bulk drawn at the Mixed Foursomes. MANY, MANY, THANKS.

SCRATCH FIVE RESULTS. Both teams have made a good start to the season. The A team has played 2 and won 2 and the B team has played and won the first match. Well done ladies.

KRYSTLE. Our professional member Krystle has had her best win to date coming second in the Dutch Open and even bagging a 'Hole-in-One' on the final round!

REMINDERS:

PLAYAWAY. Saturday 21st August at Glenisla. Entry sheet with details will be posted on the board by the middle of June.

DINNER & PRIZEGIVING. This is in the final stages of planning. More news next time.

THE OPEN. On entry to the course during The Open everyone will have to pass through security. This will mean long queues. No mobile phones will be allowed inside the fence. The R & A has asked the local clubs to help in this by encouraging our members to LEAVE their MOBILE PHONES AT HOME. All phones will be collected and tagged on entry. This will be a slow process and consequently another slow process on exiting.

FINALLY. There is an information notice from the University which will be pinned to the notice board. It is about a special graduation ceremony. Details at this link.

It is time that I mentioned the PUTTING SECTION. The summer competitions are now in full swing. All our 'mature' members are battling the elements and the intricacies of the courses set up by Neil Moore. Just when we think there are no more options for the pin positions, up he comes with something even more testing. We love it! The section is growing in popularity as shown by the increase in numbers - but there is always room for more. Contact Ann Gray or just come along on a Tuesday morning to the Himalayas. The fixture list is on the Putters notice board.

The MATCHPLAY competitions are under way but here is a reminder of how to book a time on the Eden, New and Jubilee courses. First, telephone Advance Reservations and make a provisional booking to suit, then contact the Vice-Captain, Iris, who will confirm that with the Links in writing. You then pay the club £2. Put the money in an envelope with your names and competition written on the front and deposit that in the usual place - letter-box in door in the locker room. Times for the K.P. Dunne trophy on the Strathtyrum cannot be booked this way. Just do so in the usual manner either by phoning the day before or by booking a 'Local Time'.

JUNIORS: The junior members continue to shine. Their names are regularly appearing in the winners list of competitions played away from St Andrews. Photos and achievements are listed on the Junior Notice Board.

Those MEMBERS who play golf regularly on all of the courses may want to comment on the condition of the courses or make a suggestion of how to improve a particular aspect. The next ICLC/Green Sub-Committee meeting is at the beginning of June. If there is anything you would like to be mentioned there please let me have the details.

THE OPEN On entry to the course during The Open everyone will have to pass through security. This will mean long queues. No mobile phones will be allowed inside the fence. The R & A has asked the local clubs to help in this by encouraging our members to LEAVE their MOBILE PHONES AT HOME. All phones will be collected and tagged on entry. This will be a slow process and consequently another slow process on exiting.

PAST CAPTAINS A date for your diary. Monday 14th June. Official invites to attend the Past CaptainsÕ Lunch will be sent out in the next couple of weeks when the catering arrangements have been made and the price decided on. We have an earlier date this year because of all the squeezing up of other events due to The Open Championship.

QUIZ NIGHT Wednesday 12th May - a fun night in the club organised by Jean Allan. There is a sheet on the board to indicate your intention to participate. No need to enter as a team - teams will be organised on the night. Just put your name up next on the list. This is purely for a number count so we can offer tea/coffee and biscuits. RAFFLE PRIZES GRATEFULLY RECEIVED. Hand to Michelle in the office.

MIXED FOURSOMES Sunday 23rd May. We have yet to decide on where to congregate after the competition for the prize-giving etc. Notice of this will be given on the entry sheet or the draw sheet when we have the venue in place. RAFFLE PRIZES GRATEFULLY RECEIVED. Hand to Michelle in the office.

YES. MANY RAFFLES! We are trying to spread out the raising of money for the Centenary celebrations in 2013.

GLENMUIR COFFEE MORNING Tuesday 1st June at 10am. There will be a chance to view the collection, try on for size and place an order. Coffee and biscuits at the usual club prices.

Finally a reminder of some GOLDEN RULES

Before play If you are the person to book an 'own time' you should telephone your playing partners before doing so to verify a suitable time for all three players. Then after you have booked let the other two know the tee time.

During play Here are a few more that allow all competitors to enjoy their game and concentrate on scoring well.

1. If a hole has opened up in front of you please let the group behind play through at the first opportunity
2. If you suspect that your ball may be lost then play a provisional
3. If you did not play a provisional and you cannot find your ball you may go back and play another. In this case, if the following group are ready to play they must be allowed to play through. Your group must stand aside till they have gone past
4. Whoever is first to tee off must do so before marking their card. There is time for you to do this when players number 2 and 3 are teeing off
5. At all times think how you would like to be treated by your fellow competitors and act accordingly

PS. We hope to arrange the Dinner and Prizegiving for Friday 12th November 2010. This is a likely date that is not yet confirmed. Next Captain's Log will give the details.

First the Good News: the Links have allocated an extra 10 times to us for the Castle Invitational. We should now be able to give a time to everyone who has asked for one. 10.00 till 13.10 Sunday 2nd May.

And more Good News from the JUNIORS. At the Scottish Champion of Champions on March 21st Rachel Hanlon came 3rd and Lauren Whyte 5th. The Spring County Junior Meeting was won by Chloe Goadby. WELL DONE GIRLS.

Relocation of Office: It has been obvious for some time that the wee office in the back of the building downstairs has become too small for purpose. So, last week, a big flit took place. Michelle is now in the large lounge downstairs where there is more space, more light and better accessibility for visitors. The door to this room will not be locked so that members may still use it for TV viewing. All drawers and cupboards containing confidential data/files will be kept locked so members can be assured of the security of personal information held by St Regulus. The score entry computer and the small library of books are now in the former office which looks better now that all the other furniture has been moved out. The SCORE CARD BOX will also be moved into that room when detached from its present position on the table in the passage.

Marshalling at Open Meetings have taken place but still no news to pass on.

Social Evening in Club Wednesday 24th March. This event was well attended and very enjoyable. Those of us who had a treatment were very satisfied. There was a raffle to add to the excitement! Irene, our social convener and Janet (CPO) are to be praised for the success of the evening which raised a bit of money for club funds.

Quiz Night Our next entertainment is scheduled for Wednesday 12th May when member Jean Allan will host a Quiz Night. This should be another evening of fun. A raffle is planned so if anyone would like to donate a small prize please hand it in to Michelle in the office.

New Members Evening As listed on the fixture list new members will be invited to meet the committee on Wednesday 19th May in the Clubhouse. If 'old' members who acted as proposers or seconders would like to attend you will be very welcome. Just let Michelle know so that we have numbers for drinks and nibbles.

Catering It is good to see that so many swipe cards have been issued for use of the New Club dining facility after our competitions. However, it has been very difficult for their chef to judge how much food to prepare. He would like a rough idea of how many will be there and what sort of refreshments are required. A new drawsheet is printed so that members can indicate their preferences. If the chef knew how many scones would be sold he could bake a fresh batch to be ready as we come in off the course. Similarly with the soup - does he make a big pot or just a small one? Those of you who get the draws by email please send in your preference to Michelle when you get the draw. She will keep a note and send the totals to the New Club in good time. Similarly, those of you who see the draw on the notice board please just write your preference in the relevant column as indicated. It should become easier for the chef as he gets used to our habits. The New Club intends to put comment cards on the tables to get first hand feedback on the day. Please use these so that the service can be improved.

Casual Coffees As the town gets busier over the summer don't forget that St Regulus is a good place to sit in the lounge and have a coffee and biscuit. When the cafes are full St Regs is the place to sit and sup and the price can't be bettered! (Honesty box in kitchen.)

Pitch Marks & Divots In order to keep the courses in tip-top condition the Links has asked us to repair pitch marks and replace divots even if they were not made by us. One or two by all players would make a big difference.

Playaway: The date and venue for the Playaway has been fixed for Saturday 21st August at Glenisla.

Golf Evening @ the Links: Wednesday 10th March. Full details from Michelle and the notice board.

Social Evening in Club: Wednesday 24th March. Various demonstrations on health and beauty. Limited spaces available, names to Michelle.

Captain v Vice-Captain: The summer season begins in earnest on Saturday 20th March with the Captain v Vice-Captain match. GOLF: own times on optional courses. New this year: PUTTING match in downstairs lounge at 2pm. Entry sheets for both golf and putting are on the notice boards.
Tea in clubhouse in the afternoon - please indicate your presence.

Reminder: The swipe cards for entry to The New Club for refreshments after competitions are available from Michelle. They can be used after all our competitions but not after playing bounce games. You will not be able to sign in anyone else. Comments good/bad about the service to me please. We can improve any shortcomings only if we have documented statements of shortcomings.

From Sunday 21st February till Monday 8th March I shall be out of the country. I leave you in the capable hands of our Vice-Captain Iris Kerr who will be in charge while I am away.

Catering: The Committee has concluded arrangements to allow members to socialise together over drinks and snacks after our competitions. In order to keep good relations with both of the men's golf clubs we will divide our custom in the following manner. On competition days we shall use the New Golf Club and for inter club matches we shall use the St Andrews Golf Club.

Because of new licencing laws each club has to comply with these within their own club rules and in fairness to all their categories of membership. This means that St Regulus Ladies Golf Club (as a club) will have to become a Corporate Member of the New GC. A Service Agreement has been worked out and we shall have a six month trial period with an interim check on progress, usage and suitability after three months. The cost to St Regulus will be £600 (inclusive of VAT) annually, payable in two equal instalments. This compares favourably with the cost of our previous arrangement of last season when the club was down in the takings by an average of £55 per competition.

The Basics

1. Entry to New club will be by swipe card issued by Michelle just as our own fobs and car park cards. A £10 deposit will be taken for the card but refunded on giving it up. CARDS AVAILABLE NOW.
2. Food and drinks can be ordered from the menu in the main lounge where you can be seated at the window end to watch the world go by or you can choose to sit at the bar end and watch sport on the television.
3. The dress code is - no waterproofs, no blue denim trousers, no golf shoes or trainers and no beach shorts. Ladies golf shorts are acceptable.
4. Starting date - February medal days - 11th and 13th February.

If you have any thoughts or comments that you would like to share, please contact the office and Michelle will pass them on to the committee.

Juniors: On Sunday the Junior Convener organised a very successful social evening. The Juniors and some parents were treated to pizza, cake and nibbles before listening to talks given by Krystle on her experiences during the first year of being a Professional and Elaine Moffat on the joys of golf at club level, county level and upwards to Scotland level. Gary (the juniors' winter coach) was also present encouraging the girls to keep practicing. Finally the trophy winners from last season were presented with their cups and vouchers. The speakers were excellent and a very entertaining and informative evening was had by all. Many thanks to Claire Whyte for all her preparatory work.

Car Parking on Links Road: Fife Council has issued its proposals to charge for and limit time to 4 hours per stay for cars parked on Links Road and the Scores. A copy of the coloured map showing all new parking plans for the town is available to view in the Club. If a golf club writes to the council to protest that is counted as one letter so we ask that members write individually to protest. This arrangement could cause a big knock on effect. One really worrying outcome would be that shoppers and workers could soon fill up the free Links car park and golfers would spend all day trying to get somewhere to stop where they can have a round of golf without worrying about the four hour deadline. Anyone wishing to have a sample letter can contact Michelle.

Team Events 2010:
Our KINGSBARNS day has been changed to Sunday 6th June this year. Same competition rules as in the past. Entry sheet will be put up sometime in April.
This year we will have two dates on the CASTLE Course. Our usual team event for the CASTLE QUAICH is on Sunday 26th September.
We also have a new competition on the Castle on Sunday 2nd May. This is a MEMBER/GUEST event where each member entrant can invite a non-member to play free of charge with no points being required. However, all St Regulus entrants must hold a Links Ticket but not necessarily a full ticket (residents special fee applies as normal). The format of this new competition will be worked out before the entry sheet is available sometime near the end of March.

Obituary: Last week we learned of the death of Past Captain and Life Member Mrs Cath Connah. She has been a good servant of the Club doing several years as Handicap Secretary during her time on Committee. For many years she was the St Regulus representative helping to do the draws and check the score cards for the St Andrews Day Tri-am. She was a good Silver category golfer who as her handicap went up still managed to win the Bronze Championship in 1992 when she was 69 years old. In 1989 she won the Herkless Trophy with her partner Dorothy Low (now Dorothy Scott).
At her own wish the funeral is to be private.

The Toast to the Club went very well on Saturday. There was an excellent attendance in spite of the Arctic weather. My thanks go to all the committee who rolled up their sleeves and did a splendid job of serving the wine, tea, coffee and snacks. Irene Ray, our Social Convenor, arranged the catering and deserves special thanks. She treated us to another delight giving us a surprise ‘goodie bag’ to take away ­ a shortbread biscuit in the shape of a golf club and iced with the club logo.

A plea from the Treasurer. “Could all members who attended the annual dinner on 13th November please check relevant bank statements in order to clarify if their cheque for £26 has been cleared through the system? Somewhere along the line there appears to have been one cheque for £26 which has not been cashed. Thank you for your help in this matter.”

As a result of changes agreed at the AGM the updated Rules of the Club will be printed and made available soon.

It has, of necessity, taken quite a while to formalise arrangements for Catering after the competitions. We have made good progress and a notice will be issued soon.

The first medal of the year is on Saturday 23rd January. For that day only, our Social Convenor has volunteered to make soup and sandwiches in St Regulus so that we may socialise together after the game. Weather permitting, of course!

I look forward to meeting the Juniors and perhaps some of their parents on Sunday 31st January when Claire Whyte, Junior Convenor, has organised a social evening to kick start the season. She is tempting us with the promise of pizza and nibbles!