Captain's Corner

Fellow Captains

I am considerably honoured and privileged to be asked to Captain our Association for the upcoming golfing season, whenever it may commence, and grateful our Committee has decreed that this position is to be considered for extension through to March 2022. I undertake to do my very best to represent such a fine body of men.

It therefore befalls me to produce the first Captain’s newsletter for The Captain’s Corner on our website which has been updated and improved by Jim Ford & Ian Hughes. I strongly encourage you all to access this where you will find all manner of new, totally transparent information, particularly in the members section.

I was honoured to work with our outgoing Captain, Paul. I did partner him in our first match of the season against the South West Secretaries at Enmore Park GC. I was never asked again!

Paul was a successful and ever present leader who has done excellent work in taking our Association forward by encouraging new initiatives. One example is the active support of Team selection with nominated reserves and the early notification of this selection by our Match Managers.

It is a shame that his year of office did not enable him to go out in style by leading our team in the South West competition at Saunton GC on 26th March and speaking at our dinner on 3rd April. It will be a challenge for me to emulate what he has achieved but I will try. His AGM address is all encompassing and I wish to echo everything he has said regarding Tony Davis.

End of May update

It seems ages since our virtual AGM on 15th April when I was voted in as your Captain for 2020. My year to date has been pretty uneventful, to say the least! Due to these unprecedented times and the drastic measures imposed upon us all, I guess the vast majority have been unable to participate in any way in the game we all love. Having to cancel all events through to August was unavoidable but necessary, as I’m sure you will all understand.

However, I know Jim has been doing a fantastic job as our Secretary/Treasurer and keeping you all abreast of news from England Golf and The Gloucestershire Golf Union. Since restrictions were lifted two weeks ago all clubs are now looking forward to extending playing allowances even further. I hope you are all honing your games to a competitive level once again and looking forward to when we may all be able to meet up. Let’s hope this may be soon but I think it is very much dependent on clubhouse facilities opening up, travel and social distancing restrictions being eased.

Regrettably my Day at Cotswold Hills on July 15th had to be cancelled. The course is looking magnificent and benefitted from being “closed” for 9 weeks, like many others I’m sure. The good news is that the committee having agreed to extend my term of office until April 2022 allows us all to look forward to Wednesday 21st July 2021 when I hope the course will look just as inviting. Please put the date in your diaries.

Until we meet up again enjoy what golf you can play in this fantastic weather (with lots of run on the fairways) and stay fit and well.

Sam Collins

Captain 2020