Princes Risborough Golf Club
NOVEMBER UPDATE
BOB WILSON
I start this update with the very sad news that our long time Head Greenkeeper
Bob Wilson passed away last week. Bob was a man of Lockerbie and in many ways
a classic border Riever. As a young man he was a very good goalkeeper and
played at the highest level of junior football in Scotland. He was an all-round
sportsman, loved his golf as well as his footba’ and combined that with his
lifetime career in agriculture. He was eventually brought south by Lord (Peter)
Carrington and worked on the Manor estate in Bledlow for many years.
I first met Bob in 1990 when the Golf course first opened and I was new to golf.
He, Richard Aldridge, Colin Mackman and I made up one of the teams on THE
inaugural day. Great fun was had by all and I learnt that Bob was not only a good
golfer playing off a 10 handicap, he knew all about course conditions. We
subsequently played together as a fourball for many years on a Sunday morning.
Older members will recall the terrible accident Bob suffered which saw him lose
his right arm when working on the farm. It happened on the Tuesday and he was
rushed into hospital for emergency surgery and treatment. Typical of Bob he was
out by Friday and was back on the course on the Sunday!! He learnt to play the
game again with one arm, got his handicap back down to 15 and qualified for the
national one arm championships on several occasions. He also qualified as the
only right-handed facing golfer to play in the Cack Handers Cup which is for left
handers. Work it out: if you only have a left arm, how can you not qualify!!
He left the estate and Lord Carrington’s loss became our gain as he joined PRGC
full time as the head greenkeeper ably supported by his old mucker “little” Bob.
He stayed with us fulltime until retirement beckoned and then continued to help
John and Mark on course management even after retirement. He will be much
missed by all who knew him.
The Tubb family are arranging for a memorial plaque in honour of Bob’s memory and services to the club
CLUB KNOCK OUT COMPETITIONS 2021
We have reached the serious end of the competitions and thus far have two winners in the clubhouse:
- HUTLEY CUP (mixed pairs): Bex Lowry and Barry Woledge defeated Melinda and Dick Pooley in the final
- SENIOR MEN’S PAIRS: Craig Whitworth and Steve Sargeant defeated Richard Bennett and Jim Cahalan in the final
All other competitions are still in play!! Trophies will be awarded at the AGM on 02 November.
THE CHILTERN BREAKFAST LEAGUE
We played the CBL Grand Final 2021 on Saturday 02 October against Wycombe Heights at the neutral venue of Richings Park. The vagaries of the weather really caught us out as we played in probably the worst golfing day for many years. Monsoon conditions with constant heavy rain and a howling easterly wind made it a very bleak day indeed. Richings Park is very close to Heathrow airport and the headwinds were so strong the aircraft taking off were at 5000 feet before the end of the runway!!
Our team played very well but we lost the match 4.5 to 1.5 to a very strong Wycombe Heights team. Division winners and Runner Up in the league is no mean feat and our best ever performance so well done to Steve Sargeant and the team.
We have collected the team Trophy for winning our Division and Alastair Wardrop and Barry Woledge were both awarded player of the year trophies so a very good year indeed.
21 players represented the club this year and all will receive an individual CBL winners’ trophy.
THE DISTINGUISHABLES -v- THE INCORRUPTABLES
This annual challenge match between the captains’ team and the management team for possession of the much-treasured Glenfiddich Putter took place on Saturday 23rd October.
Forty Four players participated and played in 11 four ball better ball matches. On this occasion the management team beat the Captains’ team by 7 matches to 4 and took possession of the Glenfiddich Putter. Well done to all who took part in this annual event and congratulations to Sarah for her winning picks.
MIXED MATCHES
There were two Mixed Matches played during the month with a 3:2 win over Ivinghoe on 10th October and a halved match with Chartridge Park on 24th October.
This completes the mixed match season so we can now look forward to next year
CLUB COMPETITIONS OCTOBER 2021
Friday 05 Seniors All Winners Champions of Champions (by invitation to all those who won a seniors event in the past two years)
Saturday 06 CBL Winter Knock Out Match: Oakland Park (3 pairs at home and 3 pairs away)
Sunday 07 RyderHeim Cup: 27 hole mixed mode team event played in teams of 4. Open to members and guests.
CAPTAINS DRIVE WILL TAKE PLACE AT 1130
Tuesday 10 Seniors Stableford
Saturday 13 All Medal Winners Champion of Champions (by invitation to all those who have won a white tee medal competition in the past two years)
Friday 19 Club Stableford
Saturday 20
Sunday 21
Friday 26 Club Medal
Saturday 27
Sunday 28
REGULAR SOCIAL GOLF AT PRGC
Tuesday Morning: Senior men (for those aged 55 and over)
Wednesday Morning: Ladies
Friday Morning: Mixed Singles Stableford (ladies and gentlemen)
MEMBERS AGM TUESDAY 02 NOVEMBER
This will take place at xxxxx hours on Tuesday 02 November. Our Captain and the members of the Committee will report to the AGM and we will elect and install our new Captain Al Bowyer and his vice-captain Steve Sargeant.
This will be our first AGM since 2019 so a good opportunity to catch up on the past two years, hear what the incoming Captain has to say of the future and ask any questions of the members committee and PRGC Ltd.
We will also take the opportunity to award the men’s knock out and board competition winners of the year so if you are a winner, now is the time to collect your trophies. All members of the successful CBL team are also invited to formally receive their trophies from the outgoing Captain Craig Whitworth.
SUNDAY 07 NOVEMBER: THE 2021 RYDERHEIM CUP and CAPTAINS DRIVE IN
Our version of these two events will now take place on Sunday 07 November. This is a multi-mode stableford competition embracing 9 holes of foursomes, 9 holes of four ball better ball pairs and 9 holes of singles. We will have a shotgun start and the men play off the yellow tees and ladies off the red tees.
We are conscious of the current Covid situation in the area and to avoid unnecessary social interaction the programme will now be as follows:
- 0800: coffee and briefing
- 0830: shotgun start for 9 holes four ball better ball
- 1030: break for bacon rolls and refreshments
- 1130: AL BOWYERS CAPTAINS DRIVE IN
- 1200: shotgun start for 9 holes of foursomes followed by 9 holes of singles
- 1600: end. There will be no post event buffet but members are welcome to make their own arrangements
- 1630: presentation to the winning team on the terrace
Sign up notices are in the bar and the dressing rooms so put your teams together in readiness for this fun day, and sign up. Guests are welcome.
PROTOCOL REMINDERS
- Bunkers in development: if your ball lands in the sand it is in play. The newly laid turf is GUR and if your ball is on the new turf, you must take full relief away from the bunker. If your ball is in the sand but in such a position you would have to stand on the turf to play it you are permitted to move and place the ball IN THE SAND to a point where you are also standing in the sand. DO NOT play any shot with your feet on the newly laid turf. Bunkers in development will remain GUR until Spring 2022
- Course management: if you observe any members or visitors not abiding by our course protocols, please politely raise it with them and /or inform the Club management as soon as possible so they can deal with the situation quickly and easily
- Pitch Marks and Divots: Pease repair any pitch marks and divots you make or find on the course. Failure to repair these promptly will potentially ruin the game for players with you or following you and will result in long term damage to the course. Please repair them even if they are not yours and help playing partners who cannot do so for medical reasons
- New 18th Tee: it has been noted that some members are moving the tee blocks on this tee to the left. This is forbidden. It alters the set course and until the high safety netting is in place makes the tee dangerous to those on the practice area. Any member found moving these blocks will be subject to disciplinary action by PRGC Ltd
- Brock Badger: he’s back so if your ball ends up in the badger scrapes you allowed full relief without penalty one club length for the edge of the disruption
COVID Protocol
In view of the recent local surge in cases the Club will be enforcing a mandatory “mask wearing” protocol when moving about the clubhouse. Please do wear your masks.
Barry Woledge
Competitions Secretary
