Captain's Newsletter - 27 May 2019

As the sun rose over our beautiful Chesfield Downs Golf Club last Tuesday, the news broke that the Club had been sold to The Club Company. After a few weeks of speculation, it was reassuring that things had been finalised and we would be in the safe hands of owners with a highly respected reputation within the golfing world. The Club Company previously operated and developed the original Chesfield Downs some years ago, so they know our club and what makes it special! As time goes by, we will get to know the key players and see some small changes around the club. The staff, who we rely on, will remain in post and for the time being, we have been reassured, little will change. These are exciting times and like many of you, I am keen to see how the new owners develop our much loved club. The Section Captains will be meeting the new owners for a second time this coming Thursday evening and it goes without saying that I will keep you informed as things progress.
This time next week, many of us will be at Stoke by Nayland enjoying their courses and hospitality. Fingers crossed for some warm and sunny weather! It will be a welcome break from the planning that goes around the Charity Day!! In saying that, the Charity Day sign-up sheet will be coming down after this Thursday's game, so please do sign-up if you haven't already done so. Rogie and I will be sorting out the tee times while we are away!! Other reminders - don't forget the Sponsorship of a Hole, where there are still a few gaps and the Halfway House food goodies list.... can you ever have too much to choose from after playing 9 holes?? Mary H and Jean P have kindly offered to run this for us, so lets try to give them the nightmare of sorting out how they will get all the food on the table!! Finally with regard to the Charity Day, can you please make sure that your payments are clearly marked so that Pat can see what you are paying for e.g. 'Sponsoring a Hole' etc. Thank you for all your support to date.

We have had lots and lots of responses to the GDPR Privacy requirements, so a huge thank you for doing that! However, as part of our GDPR obligations, at the end of the month, we will be deleting from our mailing list anyone who has not reconfirmed their mailing list subscription. If you wish to remain on our list and have not reconfirmed your subscription, you can do so using the 'UPDATE YOUR PREFERENCES' link at the bottom of this newsletter email. Please do not miss the deadline!!

The Ladies Section Committee will be meeting after golf this Thursday, our agenda is fairly full; discussing the news of change of ownership of the Club, Charity Day arrangements etc. If you have anything that you feel needs to be discussed by the Committee please feel free to talk to one of us and we will try to include it during the meeting. Going forward, I am hoping to get the minutes of these meetings out to individual members electronically if they so wish. Please let me know by email if you would like to receive an electronic copy of the minutes, once they have been agreed by the Committee. I know some of you would prefer this! Paper copies will continue to be available in the locker room.

Strangely the results this week have not been high scoring, rather bizarre when you think back on how good the weather and the course have been! Tuesday saw the first tranche of competitors in the Australian Spoons competition. Don't forget you are able to enter as many times as you wish, with a different partner each time, as long as you notify Pauline H beforehand, complete your card, have it signed, leave it into the locker room box and you pay the required entry fee (usual system). The final winners from our club will go forward to the Eastern Region Final at the Thetford Golf Club on Thursday 18th July. Good Luck everyone.

Thursday saw the ladies enter the Ping Pairs competition. The highest score on the day came from Kathy M and Debbie F but unfortunately due to handicap restrictions laid down by England Golf, they were ineligible to win. Pauline H and I, who were next in line, will be keeping our fingers crossed that our 39 points will get us through to the final at Gainsborough in September, but experience tells us it is very unlikely the score is good enough!!

Saturday saw 8 ladies compete for the Weekend May Medal with Nikki B coming in with a Nett 73, an excellent result after a handicap cut very recently! Second place went to Lin G with a Nett 76. Well done to you both and all the ladies who competed in what I understand was a very slow game of golf!!! The Maximum Score element of 5 over Par in Medal games is designed to help avoid just this scenario!!! Its very frustrating I know!!

Its the time of year when the diaries come out and we struggle to find those dates for our single and pairs knockouts. Please keep an eye on the deadline dates so you don't run into trouble. Enjoy your matches and the spirit in which they are played when amongst friends and good luck to you all!!

Get the sun tan lotion out and enjoy this lovely warm weather!

Yours
Margaret Gentle
Ladies Captain 2019
e.mail….chesfielddownsladiescaptain@gmail.com

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Captain's Newsletter - 20 May 2019

This week's newsletter is slightly different as I am going to cover the reminders FIRST and then let you know how the results have gone this week as we go on! Over the next 10 days or so, we will be competing for the Australian Spoons, the Ping Pairs and the Coronation Foursomes. If you haven't put your name down yet, or are unsure about joining in, particularly whether you are eligible to play, please talk to Lin or email her. She will be able to find you a tee time, if at all possible. The format for the Australian Spoons can be found on the Tuesday noticeboard but if you are unclear please do ask Kathy M.

On Sunday 2nd June, many of us will be heading to the Essex/Suffolk borders for a few days of golf. Fingers crossed for some fine weather and perhaps slightly less water than last year! If in doubt, pack some extra sleeves of balls, just in case!! Its going to be a great few days and Nikki and Nicola have worked really hard to make everything go to plan. Don't forget to bring along a photo of yourself as a toddler or young child though please. NB.,There will still be a sign-up sheet for the Tuesday 4th June, if you are not away with us.

Thursday 13th June sees our annual Charity Day, this year raising money for MIND in Mid Herts and Tilehouse Counselling, so please do come along and bring a friend or two!! The sign-up sheets for playing, lunching, contributions to the lovely food on offer in the Halfway House and the Sponsor a Hole are all in the locker room. There will be a bottle tombola, a star prize table, as well as Amanda's special hampers to be won. Have you bought something golf-wise that still has the label on, perhaps it is still in the bottom of your wardrobe from last year! Are you are happy to pass it on to a new owner following a contribution to the charity? We will try to find a new home for it for you and see your contribution help the funds for our great charities. If you have anything that might contribute to these, please do let me know or leave it in the box provided.

There will also be an auction of four-ball vouchers from golf clubs such as Redbourne, Veralum, West Herts, Heydon Grange and Bourne, so do get together with friends to consider how much you might bid for one or more of these. If you are not going to be there on the day, you can still take part by emailing me your bid and the course you are bidding for, you may well be the top bidder!!! As always, there will be an 'Over the Pond' challenge of £1.00 so please do bring some change with you.

Now on to the past week's news and what a week it has been for many of you!! A huge well done to the Scratch Team, who, as I suggested, did complete the double over Ashridge on Friday! A really brilliant achievement ladies and well done to you all!

On the previous day Sarah had competed in the England Golf Medal Eastern Regional Final, coming a very impressive 8th out of a field of 80 competitors!! She is currently keeping her fingers crossed for a place in the National Grand Final at Woodhall Spa in August. Lauren very ably caddied for her and has been booked again for that date! Will keep you informed!

Playing on Saturday in the Weekend May Stableford/Spring Salver and still very much on a high from the Ashridge win, Olive C came in with an amazing 42 pts and a well deserved handicap cut, slightly ahead of Nikki B on 39 pts and Linda B on 38 pts. Great results for them all - well done ladies! Thursday had seen the May Stableford Division 1 go to Anne L (38 pts) and in second place Sally W (37 pts). In Division 2 and taking top position was Karen M (37 pts) and Maggie T (36 pts). Some great scoring all round - well done ladies!

Finally a note from the Head Greenkeeper to say the Ladies 9th tee is now open also the greenside bunker on the 14th is now open with just some of the perimeter being GUR - all clearly marked!

A great few days of golf for many ladies, keep it up and lets see those handicaps tumble!

Enjoy the fine weather!
Yours
Margaret

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Captain's Newsletter - 13 May 2019

Last Thursday saw us celebrating after our Spring Meeting when over 40 ladies joined in the fun of the golf course and then later a fine lunch where Cups and Trophies from the previous few months were awarded to the talented winners! Well done to all the ladies who took part on the day and to those who also came away with prizes. Winners on the day were Linda B, Jackie S, Jan K and Olive C, with Julie P, Lin G, Hazel and Kathy M close runners-up, well done ladies. (Hazel was very pleased indeed to achieve an Eagle on the 18th - amazing!) It was lovely, as always, to see our Luncheon Ladies join us looking as glamorous as ever. A massive thank you to you all for raising over £170.00 in the raffle towards our charities!

It has been a busy week all round for a lot of our ladies. Rogie and Vicky travelled to Girton Golf Club near Cambridge for the 3rd round of the Mail on Sunday Foursomes. Unfortunately, this was the end of a wonderful run for them, but they should feel proud for getting so far in a national event. Well done! Eight ladies travelled to Colmworth, north of Bedford on Saturday, for the second of the season's friendlies. Whilst most of the games finished very close, Chesfield Ladies came away seeking revenge when the return match is played next year. It was a lovely day, when old acquaintances caught up with one another and great cake was worthily eaten at the end of a friendly day! For those of you who remember Roz McKenzie, this is her home club and she ensured everyone was made to feel welcome. While these ladies were playing, several ladies joined John Dench's Men's Charity Day. While the hail came down at times and conditions were somewhat difficult, thank you for supporting a fine charity in aid of the Fire Brigade's Trauma Support Services.

As I said at the beginning of this newsletter, it was a busy week! Sunday saw six of us compete in the Ken Bird Trophy! A trophy close to our hearts and one in which all sections compete. Whilst us ladies tried our hardest, many of us did not have the best of days and we were solidly beaten by the Juniors, who played brilliantly and seemed to have flexibility that I certainly can't ever remember having!! Well done to them, of course, a great group of Juniors, who Chesfield are, rightly, very proud of, but also to our team of ladies! Some of you will be pleased to have been able to put your feet up over the next few days!!

Apologies to anyone who has played in other competitions that I have missed! Now to a few BIG reminders!!! Unfortunately due to ill health, Barbara J has had to drop out of the Away Weekend and that now leaves a spare place!! If you now find you are able to come please do get in touch with Nikki B asap. A reminder from Clare B that you will need to either send or bring a toddler photo of yourself along with you!

It is only a month to THE CHARITY DAY!! Argghh!! The sign-up sheets are now up for the game (Pairs Betterball) and the lunch only option! So please get your name up there as soon as possible. Also in the locker room is a sign-up to SPONSOR A HOLE and to contribute to the HALFWAY HOUSE (kindly being run on the day by Jean P and Mary H). Don't forget you can invite your friends along from near or far, the more the merrier! There is also a box to contribute suitable gifts for either the BOTTLE RAFFLE or the STAR RAFFLE!

I will be reminding you over the next few weeks of other arrangements for the BIG DAY!

Lastly, we mustn't forget to wish the Scratch Team good luck on Friday when they are at home to Ashridge, can they do the double on them!! YES they can.

Enjoy the fine weather, this week!

Yours
Margaret
Ladies Captain 2019

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Captain's Newsletter - 6 May 2019

My goodness the weather was cold enough to be at the Arctic at times this week particularly at the weekend when four brave ladies ventured out to play the second round of their Eclectic. Conditions were challenging to say the least, but well done ladies for getting out there and hopefully improving on a few holes!

Conditions on Thursday had been slightly better and the scores were much closer to the course par. Vicky T came out on top for Division 1 with a nett of 72 just beating Anne L by one point. In Division 2 Pauline H came in with the highest score and a well deserved handicap cut with a nett of 72 just beating Debbie F by again one point! The players within the Pearson Squad were also competing for their Trophy and I am pleased to say Pauline H will be presented with the beautiful glassware at the next opportunity.

Earlier in the week the ladies were competing in a Split Threes game. The winning team were Vicky T, Debbie F, Kathy M and Katy C with a team score of 91, beating the nearest team by an impressive 8 points. Well done ladies.

This coming Thursday, forty ladies will be playing in the Spring Meeting with a team alliance game followed by a lovely lunch. Seven ladies will later join us for lunch and the presentation of cups and trophies won so far with year. Hopefully if you have had a great first 5 months of the year and are a winner, you will be there to collect your glassware or prize. We will be selling tickets for our Charity raffle at the registration table.

Saturday 11th May sees the Friendly Squad travel to Colmworth for their second match of the season. Kathy M is always looking for ladies to join in these matches, so please contact her if you are interested. It certainly helps to improve your game, being challenged to play courses you are unfamiliar with, so do get involved.

Sunday 12th May, a team of six ladies will be trying to bring the Ken Bird Trophy home to the ladies section! This competition sees each of the four sections competing for the said tankard, so wish us luck and for some kind weather!!!

We are sometimes asked about what things the committee are discussing at the moment. To enable you to keep up to date with this, two copies of the most recent minutes are now on the section noticeboard for you to peruse. Our next meeting is on Thursday 30th May, so if you have anything you would like to raise, please do let me know on chesfielddownsladiescaptain@gmail.com. I will remind you again nearer the date.

Lastly, there are still a few ladies still to return their GDPR preferences, if I could politely ask you to get this completed as soon as possible. Thank you.

Lets hope the weather warms up soon!!

Yours
Margaret
Ladies Captain

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