Members
Firstly, as I do each year, I would like to acknowledge the tireless work of the committee who have assisted with scoring, updating golf link with your scores (and now MiScore), presentation of golf balls, chasing up members to collect weekly prizes. There is so much that goes on behind the scenes to run this event week in and week out. We rely on annual membership renewals, your ball comp fee as well as sponsorships to provide you with prizes and golf balls for 50 weeks of the year. Also I would like to thank the committee and all the volunteers who spent an exhausting number hours to ensure that the National Championships went off without a hitch (or maybe one or two).
Secondly, I would also like to thank all of the staff in the pro-shops, at all the clubs, who have who have assisted us by collecting the green fees, starting the events, being flexible with our program, liaising with their green keepers to set up the courses and making us welcome.
In addition, I would like to thanks all of you members who turn out week in and week out in support of the golf clubs where we play.
Membership
I would hope that all those members who wish to remain a member of the ACT Vets, are now financial. An audit of the system will be conducted and those members who are un-financial will become ineligible to make bookings and be deleted from the system. This will also remove your access to be a Vets member and make you ineligible to play Vets organized games around Australia.
MiScore
As you will be aware MiScore has been part of our golfing lives for over a year now. With a couple of clichés experienced by members (like getting a new phone!) the scoring system has led to a simpler method of scoring for members and myself, reducing the computer time for doing the results and getting your scores into Golflink. MiScore was very effective for producing instant results during the Championships last November. It has also adding interest with the availability of “side events” which are held during the last round of every month.
Program For 2025
Now to the 2025 program.
Because we lost the access to two clubs in 2024, you will find that we are visiting most available clubs a little more regularly than in previous years. With the unavailability of Gold Creek to provide post round refreshments on Mondays, and at their suggestion, we will be playing there on the Tuesdays after any long weekend. Confirmation of dates and prices is still being sort.
The 9am start has been maintained from April for the winter months for clubs in the local area. However, for Braidwood, Goulburn and Yass 9:30am will be the start time during the summer months and 10am during the colder months. Our summer months extend between 1 January and 31 March, and 15 September to 31 December. Our winter months extend between 1 April and 14 September.
A copy of the 2025 program will be available from the committee when we have all of the club’s responses, however it will definitely in print at our annual Christmas/Presentation day and also on the website.
AGM and the Christmas/Presentation day
Due to the pace of play with Ambrose events, the committee has come to the conclusion this format is too slow for these two golf days. On both occasions the committee needs to get back to the club house and organize the post round event for members, so we have decided to play Foursomes which we believe will be quicker.
Last Minute Cancellations and No Shows
Again this is still happening to the detriment of the whole playing group especially when groups of four are reduced to three, two or even one. If your group member has entered your name without consulting you and you know that are not playing please remove your name before the closing time of 12pm the Sunday prior to Monday’s round so that I can rearrange players into timeslots on the booking sheet to make up a three or a four. Removing your name also allows others to play when there is a waitlist.
I am gathering a list of no show names, and those members who don’t turn up regularly, after four rounds they will be made ineligible to make a booking on the system.
Please don’t assume that when you put your group in that all members are available to play. Please check!
In Conclusion
A warm welcome to all the new members who have joined this year and hope that you are enjoying your golf in the Vets ranks and also playing on the various courses around Canberra.
At the end of the day we all like to have a good even paced game (score or otherwise), however it is only a game and the next one is just around the corner.
All the best to you and I trust you keep playing well.
Chris Morgan
Captain
23 September 2024