Latest News from Donnington Valley Golf Club

LATEST RULES

In order to keep you up to date on the new rules and regulations about golf and in particular non-conforming drivers and the New Rules of Golf, why not check out the information on the R & A website by logging on to the web address below:

www.randa.org
The information can be found on the home page.

Download our club rules by clicking here

'Preferred Lies' and 'Winter Rule' apply “A ball lying on a closely-mown area through the green may be lifted, without penalty, and cleaned. Before lifting the ball, the player must mark its position. Having lifted the ball, he must place it on a spot within 6” of and not nearer the hole than where it originally lay, that is not in a hazard and not on a putting green. A player may place the ball only once, and it is in play when it has been placed (Rule 2-.4). If the ball fails to come to rest on the spot on which it is place, Rule 20-3d applies. If the ball when placed comes to rest on the spot on which it is placed and subsequently moves, there is no penalty and the ball must be played as it lies, unless the provisions of another Rule apply.

COURSE UPDATE – JULY 2010

Greenkeepers' Report

As we have been approaching the major competition of the year ‘Club Singles Championships’ this weekend, my team & I have been working hard to present the best possible course for you the members. The hot dry weather has been wonderful in many ways, but for the course it has been more of a hindrance than a help.

GREENS
The greens over the last 2 weeks have been hand cut daily to reduce wear and they have also been verti-cut and top dressed. As well as using the irrigation system, hand watering has been undertaken on hot spots to ensure additional water is applied where it is most needed.

FAIRWAYS
Although the fairways have been dry & hard, the sward has remained healthy despite its brown look.

TEES
All tees were fed in June and as a result the plant health is good. Some tees had dry spots but repairs have now been made to the defective sprinklers on those tees and the plant will now start to recover. Tee banks have now all been cut and areas directly in front of some of the tees too i.e. 5th & 10th.

APPROACHES
All of the approaches and green surrounds have been fed ahead of the club champs to enhance the way the course looks and ensure the surfaces are more consistent.

ROUGH
The long ‘Tiger’ rough has been a lot thinner this year but it is now the time for the annual cut and collect programme. This programme has already begun and will take a number of weeks to complete. As the grasses start to grow back a wispier and thinner sward will result in enhanced definition and playability throughout the course.

AFTER CLUB SINGLES
Hollow coring of tees and approaches will take place, this will not be two disruptive to the way the course plays but it is a big operation so please be patient and courteous to green staff whilst they carry out these vital tasks.

Happy golfing.

Alastair Higgs
Head Greenkeeper

HANDICAPS

Handicaps
For all those people who don’t have a handicap, but would like one, then all you need to do is get 3 cards marked and signed by a member with a handicap and submit them to the competition committee and you will be allocated a handicap in accordance with CONGU (Confederation Of National Golfing Unions). Either leave the cards with Peter Smith or put them in an envelope and leave it on the mail board at the club.

CHANGES TO THE UNIFIED HANDICAPPING SYSTEM (UHS)

• To have an ‘Active’ handicap members must have played in, and completed, at least three handicap qualifying events, during 2009 and then every year although the number of handicap qualifying rounds needed is likely to increase at some stage. For those who don’t, from 1st January 2010 their handicaps will become ‘Inactive’ and on handicaps lists and handicap certificates an ‘i’ will show and be applied automatically by our computer system. Removal of this marker can only be achieved through playing and completing three qualifying rounds.

• ‘Inactive’ handicaps can be used for social golf and any competitions where an ‘Active’ handicap is not a condition of entry – it is likely that entry to ALL competitions will require an ‘Active’ handicap in the near future. Through the summer there will be some monthly ‘Handicap Qualifying Events’ open to all Members to enable them to obtain the three rounds needed and they can mark score cards as usual. Men will play from the yellow tees in these Events and Ladies from the red tees as usual. Full details will be published soon. It’s also a great opportunity to obtain a handicap if you don’t have one at present.

• The three qualifying scores must all be achieved in the same calendar year. In 2008 there were 177 members who played less than three qualifying competitions that year – why not join in?

• A Central Database of Handicaps (CDH) is being launched this year which will allow access to other clubs handicap databases and speed the reporting of ‘away scores’ from other clubs competitions in which our members have played.

• If you have questions please ask any member of the Competitions & Handicaps Committee.
March 2009.

USE OF LOCKERS

Please note that the use of lockers in the changing rooms are only for the period you are playing golf. It appears that many members are simply keeping a locker occupied at all times therefore preventing other members from being able to use them.

In order to stop this, the lockers will be emptied of their contents on a regular basis, at a time when no lockers should be being used i.e. early mornings. The contents will then be labelled and stored for collection by the owners on their next visit to the club, which will cause inconvenience for those people.

In order to prevent inconvenience of this nature and allow use of lockers for all people, please only use lockers when you are at the club.

HOW DID I DO?

I am pleased to advise you that we have now set up access to the ‘How Did I Do?’ website, which enables you to do the following

From the comfort of your home or work:

• Check how you did in a competition
• See what effect a good or bad score had on your handicap
• View the forthcoming main golfing fixtures

All you need to do to access the site is to log on to the following site: wwww.howdidido.co.uk. Then search for Donnington Valley under courses and you will need to register yourself. The rest is simple!

HAVE WE GOT YOUR DETAILS CORRECT?

If you have recently moved house, changed telephone numbers or changed e-mail address, please can you let us have your new details, so that we can communicate with you quickly and efficiently.

Please inform us either in writing to Chris Small, by phone on 01635 568 140 or e-mail us at: golf@donningtonvalley.co.uk

Happy Golfing to you all

Peter

Peter Smith

General Manager/Secretary

Direct line: 01635 568 144

E-mail: petersmith@donningtonvalley.co.uk