We held a Rumble in Aid of Crumlin Hospital all last week. The weather proved problematic again with a ground frost holding up play most mornings. On the upside it was great to see the clubs biggest 3 kids win the rumble. They were delighted with first prize of a Happy Meal each and the opportunity to represent Gowran in the regional finals later in the year. Special mention to Dave, Joe and Harry who were a man down for 5 holes and still only lost out by a shot, but who couldn’t get out of bed in time!
1st Ger Treacy, Martin Donnelly & Larry Comerford with 82pts
2nd Sean Kiely, James Doyle & John Barcoe with 81pts c/b
3rd David Kearney, Joe Lannon & Harry Lannon 81pts
Next week is the first Monthly Medal of the year, I’m sure everyone can’t wait to see the blue tees again! Remember there are GOY points on offer and we expect it will be a Qualifying competition. There is racing on Saturday so get booking your tee time for Sunday early.
The latest GUI Newsletter is available, link below.
http://us9.campaign-archive2.com/?u=d4b6c3f829ede41d38afa15ef&id=db77b347c0
There was also a GUI Strategic Plan meeting recently. Below I’ve outlined a number of areas the GUI hope to reform in the next few years.
GUI Strategic Plan
- The GUI and ILGU to amalgamate as one body – this has already happened in England, Scotland and Wales.
- The new body will have and an executive management structure led by a CEO, with each of the provinces represented by elected representatives on the GUI Board of which roughly five members will be subject matter experts.
- The Leinster Branch are suggesting that clubs consider the Executive Committee structure for running their clubs too, as it is proven to provide more consistent club management.
- It is proposed that the GUI holds an annual conference similar to that of the GAA with one or two representatives from each club in attendance.
- Some radical changes in relation to handicaps have been tabled. This includes returning of all home and away scores on the computer for handicap purposes (including singles, 9-hole, four balls, teams of four and pro-ams).
- It was suggested that players’ handicaps be cut in the normal way under the handicapping system but that ‘point-ones’ would not be returned until the end of the year if at all, depending on the home and away ability and performance recorded for players throughout the year.
- The GUI has identified an ageing population in most clubs coupled with a decline in the number of ladies playing golf. To safeguard the future of clubs, a major drive on introducing more junior golfers to the game is to be mounted.
- The GUI aims to increase visibility and coverage for the amateur game in the news and national press. The professional game gets 95% of all coverage and yet all of the professionals on tour have come up through the GUI programmes.
This is a work in progress and although there is no final sign-off date the aim is to have the plan signed off in late 2016 or early 2017.