Captain's Corner


At the AGM on November 24th I was honoured and felt very privileged to be elected Club Captain and I should like to thank everyone for all the kind words of support.

The course has managed to soak up the rain from a very wet December and unlike many other courses in the UK members are still able to enjoy playing golf on proper tees and normal greens. Sometimes it is easy to forget how lucky we are to be members of Weston super Mare golf club!

 Our New Years Eve Party was a fantastic success and I should particularly like to thank Steve and his team of caterers for a first class buffet and Amanda and Josh for providing the bar facilities. Jacqui Hall-Scott, who has volunteered to be our Events Co-ordinator this year, booked Jason King to perform and he was brilliant!  Thanks Jacqui for all your help and thanks also to Alison Whitewood for providing the table decorations and organising the very amusing 'New Year Resolution' game!!


Seniors Snapshot

As we go to press the Seniors section activities are well underway, our annual changeover being the 1st November. A superb Christmas Lunch attended by over ninety with Captain Trevor and Professional Mike as our guests, started the year with fun and style.
Monday competitions are now in full swing with the first of many coveted trophy events coming up soon and matches against the Juniors and the Ladies are already arranged. Incidentally, we haven't been challenged by the Men's section – some excuse about having to work to pay our pensions – but I think they are more worried about our tactical experience and downright cunning and can't face losing!
When the spring newsletter is published we will have begun the first of forty plus inter-club matches that will take us through the remainder of the year interspersed with major events of which more later.
Add to the above regular friendly roll-ups and social activity and you can see what a busy and lively section we are. If you are 55 or over and get £2 - yes £2 - per year pocket money you can join us. We don't mind if you are working blokes - just don't talk about it!
Enjoy your golf and the Club
Frank Burns
Seniors Captain

From the Lady Captain




We are looking forward to a full and exciting year of golf in the Ladies' section. Our two Alliance teams are ready for action and we shall be entering teams in the scratch foursomes, the handicap foursomes, the Centenary Plate, The Mail on Sunday and the Rogers Cup. There is a fair amount of social and mixed golf on the calendar and we hope that these competitions will bring all sections of the Club together, and will be well-supported by the ladies.





WESTON'S TOUR TO SPAIN

 Weston super Mare Golf Club's inaugural mixed pairs tour to Spain took place last weekend with 32 golfers travelling to play in the competition.  Antequera, thirty miles north of Malaga, was a very challenging golf course featuring both narrow fairways and very fast greens.  Individual winners were Dave Garrett and Tilly Ferrari. The daily pair's winners were Carol Harris and Dave Garrett, Alysia Rees and Freddie Ferrari and Carol Harris and Freddie Ferrari.  John Whitewood, Club Captain, said ' The tour was a fantastic success and much of the credit is due to the hard work of tour co-ordinator Bobby Ferrari.

 A wonderful weekend was capped by David Dodgson who scored a hole in one on the notoriously difficult 18th hole.

 The weather was great and Antequera is as difficult a golf course as I have ever played................. but I cannot wait to play it again!'

John Whitewood
Captain

June Newsletter

Weston Golf Club hosted its annual Captain's Charity Day on May 14th and there were a record number of team entries with over 200 players taking part in the event. The total sum raised for Brainwave was in excess of £6k, which was an absolutely fantastic achievement, and I should like to thank everybody who supported the day.

Many congratulations to Freddie Ferrari who won the Richardson Trophy with an impressive 65 (gross 70). Freddie, who was last year's Junior Captain, won on count back from Chris Evans and Nick Cook who are also both past members of our successful junior academy. Paul Turner won the Pentagon Trophy with a very credible 65 (gross 82). Sue and Dave Radcliffe, who have been the Club's Junior Organisers for the last 3 years, won the Mixed Greensomes Open with 42 points and have qualified for the Claude Lalonde quarter finals along with Pam and Ian Hudson, and two visiting pairs from Came Down and West Wilts.

Another junior in the news is Nathan Bateman who recorded a record breaking gross 63 in last week's junior competition. Congratulations Nathan!

All our teams have been involved in club matches. The First team have played 2 matches and remain unbeaten. The Second team have won two matches including a 5-0 win over Bristol and Clifton and lost two matches. The Avalon team have won 3 matches and are currently lying in second place in the league table.

 A wet and windy Wednesday at Clevedon was the setting for a convincing victory by the Ladies Rogers Cup team against Lansdown and this took our Ladies team into the 3rd round of the competition.  The team were well supported by the Lady Captain and caddies and cruised to victory with a convincing 6-1 score line.  Good luck in the next round Ladies!

The Seniors have returned from another successful tour to France where the overall winner was Nigel Long. Well done Nigel!

Tim Rees, Vice Captain, and Alysia Rees, Lady Vice Captain, hosted another very successful Club night, which was followed by supper in the clubhouse and they plan to hold further club nights – see the notice board for details.

 

June and July Golfing Events

June and July are very busy golfing months and please find listed below the major events –

07/06/2008 CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS
08/06/2008 CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS
09/06/2008 Seniors Championships
10/06/2008 Ladies Championships
14/06/2008 Excelsior Cup
15/06/2008 Dawn Shotgun Start
21/06/2008 Captain's Day
29/06/2008 GRAND ATLANTIC TROPHY
05/07/2008 Medal
06/07/2008 Bader Cup
08/07/2008 Lady Captain's Day
12/07/2008 4BBB Open
26/07/2008 Stableford

Social Events

19/06/2008 Quiz Night
21/06/2008 Captain's Day, which includes Paul Barrington's golf show, barbecue and music from Dave Radcliffe and band – please add names to the list on the notice board and buy tickets from the bar.
05/07/2008 Summer Ball – tickets are available from the Secretary's Office.
17/07/2008 Quiz Night

 

With every good wish

John Whitewood
Club Captain

Closing thought-'What other people may find in poetry or art museums, I find in the flight of a good drive" – Arnold Palmer

 








Captain's Newsletter

3rd March 2008

March 2008

 

January's wet and mild weather was followed in February by a series of very heavy overnight frosts and sadly both the monthly Stableford and Medal competitions had to be cancelled. However the Course has remained open throughout the whole month, and Course improvements, in particular, work on the bunkers on 17 and 18 are progressing well under the watchful eye of Simon Cresser, Head Greenkeeper.

The popular annual O50's v U50's match was a keenly contested affair which ended in a nail biting 4-4 draw. The Over 50's took the early initiative and opened up a 3-0 lead, which included a fine win by David Twigg and Roger Thompson against former County Champions Roger Giles and Stuart Wyllie. However the Under 50's, fielding 8 players with first team experience and captained by the ever youthful Aussie Denison fought back to ensure that the match ended in a tie.



Roger Thompson scored a hole in one on the 7th, which was Roger's 2nd hole in one - his first coming in the Club Championships in 1998.

Valentines evening was a complete sell out and it really was a fabulous evening! Steve Williams and his catering team excelled and singer Peter Phillips was at his brilliant best.

Robin Webb hosted the Club's regular monthly quiz night and this month the winning team was Rainey's Raiders (again!!).

Mike Laband has opened his new indoor teaching studio, which is situated opposite the Clubhouse entrance, and the studio is fully equipped with the latest video analysis and golfing software package. To book a lesson telephone Mike on 07809 243830.

 






An advertising campaign will run throughout March to recruit new members to the Club. A £25 reward voucher for Bar card will be paid to any member who introduces a new member – further details available from the Secretary's Office.

 

March and April Golfing Events

The Club's mixed away trip to Antequera takes place on the 6th March .The Paterson Salver Semi Finals take place on Sunday 2nd March and are followed by the Winter League 4BBB on the 16th March. The Bob Riddell Bowl takes place on the 15h March  – the start sheet is in the Pro shop. The Club is hosting the Somerset County Foursomes on Sunday 13th April and the Course will be closed. However courtesies may be available for members who would like to play elsewhere locally.  Please see the Secretary for further details. Other competitions include –

01/03/2008 Monthly Stableford

15/03/2008 Bob Riddell Bowl

16/03/2008 Winter League 4BBB

22/03/2008 Stragglers Invitation Day

24/03/2008 Social Golf -Texas Scramble

29/03/2008 Monthly Medal

05/04/2008 Blackheath Trophy/Champion Cup

12/04/2008 Monthly Stableford

19/04/2008 4 Ball Cup

20/04/2008 Winter League Singles

26/04/2008 PGA Medal

 

Social Events

14/03/2008- Captains Charity Sports Quiz

20/03/2008- Quiz night hosted by Robin Webb

08/04/2008- Wine Tasting Evening

Please come along – you will be made very welcome!

 

Future Events

Captains Charity Day will be held on 14th May and there will be lots of great prizes! There will also be a 'Beat the Pro' competition, a silent auction and raffle, bacon sandwiches on the 7th tee and champagne on the 18th green.

Captains Day on the 21st June marks the return to the Club of one of its prodigal sons, Paul Barrington, who will be performing his world famous golf show prior to the prize giving, barbecue and music performed by Dave Radcliffe and his band.

With every good wish

John Whitewood

Club Captain

 

 

Closing thought-'Drive for show, but putt for dough' – Bobby Locke