Princes Risborough Golf Club
OCTOBER UPDATE
CLUB KNOCK OUT COMPETITIONS 2021
These are all up and running with most competitions now at the final or semi-final stage.
THE CHILTERN BREAKFAST LEAGUE
What a year this has been. Our team beat Aldwickbury Park at home 4.5 to 1.5 on 4th September which made us Division Champions and put us through to the semi-final play offs for the first time ever. By a quirk of the CBL system we found ourselves playing Aldwickbury Park again, at home, in the semi-final playoff match. That crunch match took place on Saturday 25 September and yes, we beat them again by the even bigger margin of 5.5 to 0.5.
We are now in the CBL Grand Final 2021 which will be played on Saturday 02 October at the neutral venue of Richings Park. Our opponents will be Wycombe Heights who are the defending champions from 2019. So, something of a local derby, which our team will really relish.
Princes Risborough are one of the founders of the Chiltern Breakfast League and this is the first time the team has reached the Grand Final. Many congratulations to Steve Sargeant and his team on a great achievement. One more match and the BIG trophy is ours. Well done to all the 21 players who have played in the team this year and good luck to the 12 who will represent the club next Saturday.
SENIORS MATCHES
Our seniors match season has concluded with a loss away at Huntswood and a resounding win over Chartridge Park at home. Regrettably we had to cancel the away match at Chartridge Park as we could not muster a team which was first for us!
Our Seniors Captain, Doug Taylor will be looking for players for next season so all those interested in playing these fun and friendly matches should contact Doug.
SENIORS CHAMPIONSHIP 2021
This will take place on Thursday 07 October and will consist of two medal competitions:
• The Seniors Cup: played off the white tees for players aged 55 and over
• The Seniors Plate: played off the yellow tees and restricted to players aged 75 and over
Members aged 75 and over are welcome to play in the Seniors Cup but cannot play in both events.
Those wanting to play MUST sign up in advance. Please go to the PRGC website and follow the sign-up instructions. Closing date is Monday 04 October.
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 will now take place on Saturday 23rd October.
This is one week later than originally planned but after his outstanding 400km walk to Santiago de Compostela in aid of the Charity Bucks Young Carers, our Captain Craig Whitworth needs an extra week to recover. Well, it’s that or he messed up his diary!!
This is fourball better ball match play played in competing pairs. Craig will be signing up his team and Gary/Sarah will be signing up the management team. There is no limit on pairs so touch base with either depending on whose team you fancy playing for. There is a prize for the best performing pair on the day.
MIXED MATCHES
We have two home matches in October to conclude the season. We welcome Ivinghoe on Sunday 10th and finish the season with Chartridge Park on Sunday 24th.
CALIFORNIA CUP
This annual mixed greensomes invitational board competition took place on Sunday 19th September and was eagerly contested by 14 pairs.
Our winners were Alan Jackson and Arlinda Chaplin with 48 points, closely followed home by Fiona Coogan and Meron Jacyna and Donna and Duncan Graham. A fun day was had by all despite the somewhat dreek weather on the course, although that was soon forgotten once all players tucked into an excellent post golf Sunday lunch provided by Trisha.
CLUB COMPETITIONS OCTOBER 2021
Friday 01 Club Stableford
Saturday 02
Sunday 03
Saturday 02 The CBL Grand Final: Wycombe Heights at Richings Park
Thursday 07 Seniors Championship: Seniors Cup and Seniors Plate
Friday 08 & The Inaugural Anniversary Trophy
Saturday 09
Sunday 10 Mixed Match: Ivinghoe (Home)
Tuesday 12 Seniors Medal
Friday 15 Club Medal
Saturday 16
Sunday 17
Sunday 17 CBL Challenge Cup and Prize Presentation: Aldwickbury Park
Saturday 23 Distinguishables -V- Incorruptables: 4BBB match play event between the captains’ team and the management team
Sunday 24 Mixed Match: Chartridge Park (HOME)
REGULAR SOCIAL GOLF AT PRGC
Every Tuesday Morning: TOFFS (Senior men’s golf for those aged 55 and over)
Every Wednesday Afternoon: WAGS (Wednesday Afternoon Golfing Society)
Every Friday Morning: Mixed Singles Stableford (ladies and gentlemen)
WORLD HANDICAP SYSTEM
This has bedded in and most are now familiar with the system.
It has been noted, however, that some members are still not playing in competition golf and not uploading cards to the WHS. The core requirement of the WHS is to upload cards every time you play so as to make sure all players have a current and fair handicap. Please follow through on this requirement by entering competitions and/or uploading casual qualifying cards when needed.
MEN’S BOARD COMPETITIONS 2022
A reminder that the qualifying requirements for entry next year are:
• Players entering PRGC club competitions must have played a minimum of 6 PRGC qualifying competition rounds in the previous 12 months. A qualifying competition round is any of the monthly medal, monthly stableford, seniors monthly medal/stableford, or a singles board competition played to R&A rules
• Players must also possess a fully developed WHS handicap index where the HI is derived from the best 8 of the last 20 WHS registered rounds played. Only players who are new to golf and have never previously held a golf handicap will receive dispensation from this requirement.
If you want to play in the board competitions next year, please make sure you play enough “qualifiers” before 31 March 2022.
THE 2021 RYDERHEIM CUP
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.
A light lunch will be provided after the first 9 holes and during that break our new Club Captain, Al Bowyer, will “perform” his drive in.
Put your teams together in readiness for this fun day.
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. Some bunkers maybe declared fully GUR by the Greenkeepers and these will be suitably marked.
• Rake the bunkers: please remember to rake all bunkers after you have been in them
• Stroke and Distances: in all competition golf and where the card is being uploaded to the WHS for handicap adjustment the ruling is that any ball lost in play will incur the stroke and distance penalty. Thus, if you fear you have lost a ball after striking it you should declare and play a provisional ball from the same spot. The alternative Stroke and Penalty (two shot penalty from the point where the ball is thought to be lost) only applies in recreational golf where there is no upload for handicap adjustment
• 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
• White Competition Tee on Hole 14: a reminder to one and all that this competition tee comes with a virtual out of bounds. Any TEE shot that finishes on or beyond (including in the ponds!!)) the 15th Fairway will be deemed out of bounds and a second ball must be played off the tee under a penalty of 1 lost shot, so 3 off the tee. This Virtual OOB only applies to the tee shot
• White Competition Tees: it has been noted that some members are playing off the White Tees out of competition. The white tees are competition tees and can only be used for club competition play so please do not play off them out of competition. Work is carried out on these tees whilst competition play is not in progress and you will cause damage which is unacceptable
• 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
Barry Woledge
Competitions Secretary
29 September V2
