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 REPORT – DECEMBER 2011

It is the time for party hats, turkey and tinsel but there is a lot of work still taking place on the course.

GREENS

The greens remain healthy and continue to play well especially for the time of year. Disease activity has subsided following selective spot treatments with a fungicide. A winter granular feed will be applied this month along with an application of sulphate of iron/amino acids.

We will be continuing with the winter slitting programme along with the use of water management products, to keep the surfaces as dry as possible.

Hand mowing has started to ensure we keep the wear on and around greens to a minimum. Hand mowing is only possible now that the growth levels have slowed down.

TEES

Verti-draining has now been completed to ensure the tee surfaces remain firm and dry during the winter. Cutting has now reduced as growth dictates and this will increase the wear tolerance. We are still seeing good recovery from the daily divotting programme which will continue. Some of the daily tee marker positions have been moved to different areas of the tees to ensure we can enjoy playing from the main grass tees throughout the winter.

FAIRWAYS

Now growth has finally slowed down only a perimeter cut will be made to allow for winter rules to be followed.

OTHER WORKS

Traffic control is now fully out to protect the main playing areas and regular sanding is taking place on high traffic areas to keep them as dry as possible.

AND FINALLY

For those who are not aware I will be leaving the club at the end of December to take up a new role of Course Manager at Windlesham Golf Club in Surrey.

I would like to thank you all for your support over the last 3 ½ years which I have really enjoyed. During this period we have made many improvements on the course which I hope you have enjoyed and continue to do so. I would also like to thank my team who without their efforts none of the success we have achieved would have been possible. I hope you will continue to support them and the new Head Greenkeeper.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a great 2012

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