Captain's Day at last!
Greetings Golfers,
Captain’s Day is, at last, upon us! After many false starts members can play for my Captain’s Prize on Saturday, August 29th. Hopefully there will be no more hiccups along the way and we all can have a good day. The man above has promised some decent weather. It’s probably His conscience bothering Him after all that has happened. Tee-times are booked from 6.30 (many thanks to the Greenkeepers for obliging with the early start) and continue until late afternoon. Please ensure you arrive in time for your game so that the large numbers can be accommodated. The competition will be stableford from the yellow tees. Make sure all the protocols are followed and your card is marked, totalled, verified and entered in the appropriate manner. We don’t want any DQs!
Prize-giving will be at a later date. I am hoping that we can re-open the clubhouse but we are at the mercy of Government restrictions. Lady Captain’s prize-giving will be on the same day: here’s hoping!
I invite players to visit the marquee as they move between the 11th green and the 12th tee. Please only spend enough time to avail of a little hospitality and then proceed with your round. The next group will be arriving and need the space cleared. Food will be available between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the marquee. Those out early can visit after the round and those playing later can visit before they play. It’s not perfect folks but let’s try and make the most of it. Social distancing protocols need to be adhered to at all times.
As outlined before, the prizes will be 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Gross, 4th,5th, Council, Past Captains, Vets and Supervets, Back 9 and 1st & 2nd Non-Qualifiers. Entry fee €15; €10 non-qualifiers. The Junior competition was postponed on Tuesday and will be rearranged for a later date.
Enjoy your day everyone and best of luck!
On other matters the club is buzzing at the minute. Competitions are being well supported; thank you! Our teams continue to battle on with success coming in the Junior Cup and Donegal League. Congratulations to Sean McLaughlin who oversees our teams and to all the team captains and players. Fingers crossed we can go even further in these competitions.
Work continues on the course and has been drawing compliments from members and visitors alike. Our new mower has been a great help in the preparation of our links. The downside is I don’t have any more excuses for missing putts.
Our new Pro, Brian, has settled in well and has been well received by members. He has made a great start but he has plans to develop more in the future. As well as individual coaching ,Brian has been holding Junior coaching sessions, the numbers for which have grown weekly to the extent where they have had to be split into 3 groups! If there are any members out there who could give an hour or so of their time, their help would be greatly appreciated. Contact Brian or Margaret O’Hea if you think you can help.
This weekend also marks the launch of our new Lotto. It is an exciting venture. We have been unable to organise fund-raising events due to Covid restrictions. This scheme, which is done online, can help us raise funds that we will use to improve the facilities at North West. I urge all of you to enrol in this lotto enterprise. It is easy to do and, who knows, you may be lucky! It is open to members, past and present, employees and our friends and families.
Basically this is how it works….
People visit the website www.ourfundraiser.ie/org/northwestgc
Click on join and add your details.
Select 4 numbers.
Pray!
The first draw will be on September 10th. There will be a weekly lucky dip and the jackpot which starts at €1000 will rise each week until it is won. The maximum jackpot is €10000!
The cost is €2 per line or 3 lines for €5. There is a four week cycle of payment but after you have joined there is no more to do but plan how you might spend the money! Posters are up around the club. Stiofán has plugged it on social media. So now it’s up to us. Please don’t put this on the long finger. Spread the word and do it now! Please! If anyone needs help in setting up please don’t be afraid to ask me or, better still, some of the younger ones to whom this is second nature!
Finally, as Captain’s Day approaches, I would like to thank all our members for the support and encouragement that they have afforded me this year so far. There have been many difficulties, but I feel that together we have achieved a lot so far, with loads more to do.
If I, an old fat, baldy guy, might finish by stealing a quote from another old fat baldy guy (Winston Churchill)…… “Success is not final; Failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.”
“Yibbida, yibbida, Yibbida! That’s all Folks!” (that’s Porky pig, not Winston Churchill!)
Captain Paul
