Membership

A new initiative will commence in the Spring for new members. Whilst recruitment is this committee's highest priority, every member can assist by introducing new members. A reminder about our current promotion is that you can reduce your next membership fee by $100 by introducing a 7, 6 or 5 day member. This promotion ends on 31st March 2001 or if our maximum quota is achieved.

Web Page

Whilst the Web Page is still under construction, there is a great deal of information there that will interest members. Both The Mount Lofty Golf Club News and ladies' newsletter are listed as are the weekly competition results. The Tee closures (those additional to the Handbook) and forthcoming events are all shown. www.mountloftygolfclub.com.au  is the address.

House and Social

Look out for new Sunday competitions being organized by Matthew Dent. The first of these events was held on Sunday 18th June in glorious weather with a four-ball, better ball competition. Congratulations to the winners, June and Ron Willsmore .

These events will be held every 6 weeks or so and a different competition will be played on each occasion. Our next event will be Sunday 30th July (which replaces the Mixed Pinehurst programmed for the 6th August). This will be an individual stableford competition with a mystery partner prize drawn after play is completed. Join us after golf for prizes, surprises and a roast dinner. Bookings open 3 weeks before and tee-times commence at 11.45.

A reminder about the A.B.Cox Trophy mixed competition to be held on Sunday 24th September. This is the club's most prestigious mixed competition so please make a note of the date. Tee times will be a.m. and lunch will follow.

Margaret Wood, Chairperson

That's History

An extract from an old title, "Golfing", by Horace Hutchinson, 1893. Note the description of boys.

Golf is best learned by imitation, and since boys, being, I suppose, nearer akin to monkeys than they are when they grow up, are the most imitative of human creatures, it follows even from that that golf is best learned as a boy. Moreover, it is a great matter to get into the right way of doing athletic things while the muscles are growing; for then they seem to grow so that they cannot do it wrong. Unfortunately everyone is not a boy, nor has every boy a good golfing model to imitate, or else perhaps it would not be so absolutely necessary to write precepts for a golfer's teaching. Further, no boy ever learns much out of a book, so that the following remarks must be considered to be intended for person with commonsense and a faculty for applying it.

Golf - like all Gaul in Caesar's time - is divided into three parts - driving, iron-play and putting. Driving is the most pleasing part of the game, because the ball looks so delightful as it flies two hundred yards without touching ground (that is with the wind behind), and there is a great sensuous pleasure in hitting the ball truly with the driver. In old days it was rather the counsel for the beginner to abjure the driver and play with the cleek; but this was before golfers were so numerous, or turf on golf links so scarce. The cleek, as an iron-headed club, cuts up more turf than a driver will do. Therefore, do not begin with a cleek, but begin with a modified form of wooden club, which shall resemble the cleek in being somewhat short and stiff. The resident club maker will make one for you, or a mid spoon will meet the purpose.

(My underlining) Frank Coulter

Roney on the Rules

I have heard players assert, "Once I have begun to putt, I can continue to putt until I hole out".

Do you believe this in Stroke Play? Match Play?

See later for answer