MEETINGS SECRETARY REPORT TO AGM 2008
1. Spring Meeting
The meeting this year was held at Kingsdown Golf Club and hosted by our Captain Philip Powell who also kindly provided the wine, many thanks Philip.
Close liaison with the Kingsdown Golf Club management and representatives ensured we had an excellent day.
78 Captains and 6 guests from Berkshire, Dorset and Somerset attended.
The winner of the Bob Stacey Memorial Trophy with a score of 38 points was Tiny Spires, sadly no longer with us. Tiny won this competition for the third successive year which is a unique achievement in the history of The Wiltshire Golf Captains.
2. Summer Meeting
The meeting was hosted this year by High Post Golf Club. Here also the liaison with club management through the club rep ensured we were very well looked after.
The winners of the Tom Sherry Trophy were Erlestoke, Team members were, Jim Thomas, Francis Saunders, Kelvin Clark and Fred Waters with a nett score of 207. Erlestoke have the Trophy proudly displayed in their club house trophy cabinet.
There were only 13 teams this year which meant our income was reduced by £200 and consequently the meeting ran at a financial loss. Remember also the cost of wine at dinner has to be found from the entry fee, currently £25, unlike the Spring and Autumn meetings where Captain and President respectively kindly stand the cost.
3. Autumn Meeting
Held this year at Wrag Barn Golf Club and hosted by our President Mike Bowes who in the true traditions of The Wiltshire Captains provided the wine, many thanks Mike.
Here as with all the clubs the close liaison between ourselves and the club management in conjunction with the club rep has ensured we have been well received.
The winners of the Burridge Salvers today with a nett score of 64 were Denis West, Tidworth Garrison and Gordon Blagbrough, Upavon.
The turn out for this meeting has been disappointing with only 56 Captains taking part, last year 76 captains attended, we also had 8 guests from Gloucester, Oxford, Hampshire and Sussex. I know a number of people were away, including myself, and from the reports I have had from club reps I know pressure on peoples time in business in the current climate has had an impact. I would however ask all club reps to do all they can to encourage members to attend if at all possible. This meeting has therefore run at a financial loss.
4. Financial
Financially the meetings account for 2008 will show a loss. In the budget for 2008 which included an increase in our donation to £500 to clubs hosting the Spring and Autumn Meetings and a donation of £300 to the club hosting the Summer Meeting we forecast a small loss of income over expenditure, but with a carry in from 2007 of £500 we felt we would have sufficient funds to meet our outgoings. This has clearly not been the case and a transfer of sufficient funds from other accounts has had to be arranged.
Steps to address the financial situation including a proposal to increase the Summer Meeting entry fee by £5 to £30 will be addressed by our Treasurer.
5. Closing Remarks
I would like to emphasise the importance of close liaison by Club Reps and myself as Meetings Secretary with club management. I meet with the club managers/secretaries in conjunction with the respective club rep well in advance of all the meetings and the presence of the club rep I find invaluable as it creates an important link between our organisation and the club.
To the club reps who assisted me at Kingsdown, High Post and Wrag Barn please accept my thanks and I look forward to working with the reps whose clubs will host our Spring, Summer and Autumn Meetings next year.
Finally I congratulate the prize winners this year, also my thanks to our President and Captain for their support and assistance.
Geoff Titt
Meetings Secretary