Letter from Barry Dare reference Seniors Section July 30th 2020

Senior Kitty Competitions

Good Morning Everyone – You are receiving this e-mail as a member of the Senior section at Clays with a view to re-commence Kitty Competitions.

We believe they are the lifeblood of the section and that it is the best way of getting new members involved in our section.

Our dedicated Tuesday and Thursday morning tee times remain essential to the Seniors and the following is our proposal for returning to something closer to the normal. It is worth bearing in mind that this virus has not gone away and caution is still the operative word in all actions around the golf course.

Some members may not wish to rush back immediately to four ball golf in Kitty Competitions – that is entirely up to the individual and we completely understand. We look forward to welcoming you back as soon as you are ready.

The Senior committee have debated at length on how we may safely re-introduce Kitty Comps for those members who do wish to participate. We have already started by Don pre-booking all Tuesday and Thursday mornings for our normal Seniors block tee times, beginning on the 11^th August. You will already have had notice of the Memorial Trophy on the 4th August and Senior medal on the 6^th August. This facilitates a resumption of Kitty comps. to follow on.

Let me apologise for the length of the following but if you read it thoroughly, you will notice that ultimately, the changes we have made are around single timed tee starts, score checking away from the club, pre-payment of kitty money with winnings held in the kitty and all remaining within current guidelines. It would be prudent for all members to re-read the management guidelines, especially concerning illness on the course (ie ring 999 not reception – lack of PPE etc).

Enjoy Reading and Playing soon

Barry

 

How will it work:

In line with the current ban on large gatherings and distancing, our normal tally draw is a non-starter – even meeting on the car park would cause problems. After a great deal of deliberation, we are proposing that those wishing to join the Kitty Comps. would advise Mike Healey via e-mail (preferable) or phone the day before the comps. by 4.00pm Monday and 4.00pm Wednesday. Contact details:

mjhealey@talk21.com or    07716 527332

Anyone not on e-mail would have to buddy up with someone who is able to get the information to and from Mike or alternatively ring. 

Entries:

Mike will make the draw at home from entries received but will be strict with the cut-off time of 4.00pm on the previous day.

The game format will be decided in advance and can be found on the attached monthly calendar.  The random draw and tee times will then be e-mailed back as a Starter sheet to all members (whether playing or not). It would be up to everyone who has expressed an intention to play, to check the Starter sheet for tee time, who they are playing with and more importantly, turn up having committed.

Mike will arrive before the first tee and post the Starter sheet for checking (in case some members forget). Respective groups of players should make their way to the first tee in good time, but leaving a ten-minute gap between groups, keeping a social distance from each other and also from other groups. There are no starts from 14 or 16 at present.

Scorecards:

Scorecards will be left outside Reception for collection prior to the round.

Ideally there should be one scorer (unless pairs). Scorers must be accurate, include all handicaps and record as clearly as possible, whether it is two/three or four ball. Try your best to be accurate and write results clearly as Mike will be sorting out all results at home – no chance of questioning scribble/omissions etc.

Completion of Round:

A Seniors box will be left under the sanitising table in the foyer.

Mike normally goes out first but will be placed in a later group and collect the cards (with gloves) at the end.

The Starter sheet will be left by the box and should be ticked as you drop the completed card(s), indicating that all groups are back at the clubhouse.

At home, Mike will oversee all scores, place in order and advise all Seniors before the end of the day of their individual/team results via e-mail. Results will also be posted to the Senior’s Blog.

Money for Kitty Comps

Once again, social distancing and group meetings make collection difficult, so in order to minimize the handling of cash, members would become eligible for inclusion by paying for their first 10 comps all together, up front. The competitions of choice do not have to be played consecutively. Please place a £10.00 note into an envelope marked:

Seniors Kitty Competitions

Name: Tiger Jones

Tally Number:  136

A Seniors box has been left in reception with a list for management to tick off on receipt.

The deadline for the 11^th August Kitty comp. entry is Sunday 9^th August for envelopes. Other Seniors may well wish to join at a later date but must pay in advance of their first competition. Mike will create a spreadsheet of all payments and adjust the individual account as and when members choose to play, for example, if you lose your first game £10.00 becomes £9.00 – depending on entries and amount of prize money, if you win - £10.00 could become £15.00 and so on.

Prize money will be advised with each Kitty comp. result and the individual spreadsheet will be e-mailed out after each Thursday (end of the week). All Starter sheets will be collated for cross-checking!

When we eventually break back into the old routine up in the bar, those recipients with acquired mega-bucks will receive an envelope with their winnings and others can run down their remaining £2.00 - £3.00.

 

This will save handling, counting, sanitising etc. We have said that the camaraderie is at the top of the list and the banter at results time is brilliant, but it will have to go on hold for a little while longer, at least until we are all up in the bar in numbers.

 

Depending on the length of time distancing remains, there could well be another date for a further £10.00 payment (tbd). Members will get their results asap and eventually, their acquired prize money but not in the same way as usual.

Commitment

If you want to be included, please follow all the proposed guidelines - let us know as soon as possible, so that we have an idea of interested numbers (these will naturally change on a weekly basis). More importantly – because of the “new-norm” it will be down to the individual to enter weekly, check times / teams and turn up having committed via e-mail. No Shows after e-mailing will forfeit a £1.00 entry for that competition. It is not a question of just rolling up! If you just roll up without e-mailing or after the final Seniors tee, you will be able to play but not as part of the Kitty comp!

 

Further Information: If you have any questions regarding any of the above suggestions please get in touch with Mike or any member of the Senior committee.