Musings from the Match Secretary
Match Secretary’s Blog
If you have been hiking in the outback for the last few months, you may not be aware that Phil has binned his Match Secretary’s pencil, and is now spending his time doing his Arkright impression in the Murthly Shop.
I would like to thank Phil for his many years of service to the club as Match Secretary, although he has remained on the committee to ensure the “newbie” gets things right.
Please accept my apologies if, when speaking to me, I have a puzzled look on my face. I can remember faces; I can remember names, but sometimes struggle to put the two together. So it’s not a case of I don’t know who you are.
You may wonder why I took on the challenge of trying to fill Phil’s size 12 boots. Well I like the challenge, and despite being asked, felt it was too early to take on the role of Vice-Captain. I’ve been a member for less than10 years, so I’m still learning the ways of Dunkeld and Birnam.
I have been involved in golf for more years than I can remember, and have experience of all sorts of golfing roles, and hopefully I can put this to good use. My father was a Match Secretary for over 30 years, and as there was six kids in my house, (I’m told siblings), I was the one who followed him about learning all things golf.
So what’s been happening? I had a look at the fixture diary and spoke to people at the club. There are one or two changes, but essentially everything is the same as last year.
The Autumn League has been reduced to 4 rounds. This was done to assist the greenkeeper who looks to do essential winter preparation once all the major competitions/ opens passed.
2016 sees DAB host the Cowan Cup, which is a team stroke-play competition between the North Perthshire clubs. Each team has 6 players. To either encourage players to look to be selected for the team, or to ensure we have a strong team, we will have a “Canter to the Cowan”. Every Medal will carry points for the top players. A league table will be published throughout the summer.
One month before the Cowan Cup, we will select the best players and ask them to represent the club at the Cowan. So let’s bring out your “A” game.
Not every strokeplay competitor is a good matchplay golfer. I can count the on one hand the number of times I have won a strokeplay, but spend more rounds per year doing matchplay.
DAB takes part in a number of matchplay competitions, either in house, county and potentially nationally. We have to congratulate Ian and Craig Brown for reaching the finals of the PKC Matchplay Pairs Competition inaugurated last year.
I have to pick a team for the Mail on Sunday Competition, so I will start with those that won matchplay competitions in 2015. I’m sure a football team manager doesn’t pick all defenders when he wants to play an attacking team. So I will be emailing players in the next week or so (if not already) looking for availability.
Inter-Club matches were also an area I felt needed a change, if we wanted to continue with them. There was a will by the other clubs, Blair Atholl/ Pitlochry, Aberfeldy and Perth Artisans, and myself, that they should be changed to a Sunday, allowing more players the time and availability to play in these friendly matches. However, I was over-ruled, and so we must try and continue these friendly matches with our neighbours. I would certainly like to see them continue. I will make sure the matches are well advertised in advance, so that as many players can take part.
Finally, Claire and I attended a seminar on the new changes to the Handicapping system.
Statistically, players don’t take part in golf, or they give up, as their handicap reaches the highest point, (28/36), and prevents them from competing on a “level playing field”. The new changes means that players can have a potential handicap of up to 54 (men and women) and play in club competitions. Between 28(36) and 54 this will be known as a “Club Handicap”. These players will lose their “c” (Competition H/c) status, meaning they cannot play in Open Competitions or competitions where handicaps are administered through the CDH. A player sitting on 24 or 36 for some time, can request to have a Club Handicap.
Another difference is the potential to have 9 hole competitions, and for new players to obtain handicaps over 9 holes. To this end, DAB are applying for a SSS for 9 holes (1-8+18th).
I think this will help new players and the “older” players who only want to play nine holes. They can play in competitions and maintain their handicap.
Multi-tee Competitions can be played, e.g. we no longer need a “white tee medal”, when the player can choose to play from white or yellow tees. Why stop there? We could have Juniors/ Older Players or High Handicappers playing from the Red/ Lady’s Tees. The new system can work out who has won making small adjustments to scores without the need to have two separate competitions for the different tees.
Sounds complicated, but not really, and anyone who wants to find out more, please speak to me. But the club will look at multi-tee competitions as the season starts.
So now that you stopped reading at “blog”, the only thing left to do is the Matchplay Sheets that will be up in the changing rooms, and the Annual H/cap Review…
Bring on the new season.
Doug Ogilvie