Senior Section Alive and Well
Some time after the Club was formed in 1975, members who were able to play on a regular basis during the week set up the Senior Section in 1984. Such members were normally retired and entry to this select Section was open to members over the age of 50; now viewed as a rather low age for retirement!! Such was the popularity of the Section that the entry age was soon raised to 55 and then to 60. After representations from the over 55`s, some time later, the entry age reverted to 55 and has remained there for the present. The membership of the Section is currently 70+.
Members of the Club pay a further fee of £5 to join the Section and although the initial emphasis was for the organisation of events for the benefit of its members, the Section is very concious of its desire to support local charities and the Club in general.
The Section has its own organising committee, which comprises of the current Captain and Vice – Captain together with the Immediate Past Captain, Secretary/ Fixture Secrtary, Treasurer and four elected committee members and holds monthly meetings. Competitions are held normally on Wednesdays when the Section has priority on the course and occasionally on a Monday.
From late March to early October a total of 18 cup competitions are held; most of which are “stablefords” but 6 are stroke play including the Spring, Summer and Autumn Medals and the Seniors Championship. Added to these are the matches played on an home and away basis against 10 mainly local golf clubs. During the period from October to March, when often “winter rules” apply, a series of weekly non – cup competitions are held which usually involve team games such as Texas scrambles and pairs competitions. Hence on every Wednesday there is some kind of competition for seniors to enjoy.
All the competitions (for which there is a small entry – presently £2) attract separate prizes for the low handicappers (18 and below) and the high handicappers (19-to 28). Entry into competitions is via a signing up sheet, from which the Captain draws up the playing groups so that over a season seniors get a chance to play with all of the other members. For the teams to play against other golf clubs, selection of the 20 members required is based on desire to play rather than a senior`s handicap.
Highlights, other than cup – competitions, include the Charity Day in May, Captains Day in June (with free buffet lunch), the Seniors Open in August and Invitation Day in September. The income from these competitions enables the Section to make donations to a local charity (often the hospice) and to support the club with specific purchases (eg ball – washers).
The inter club matches range from the very local, such as Grimsby, Cleethorpes and Laceby, to the not so local such as Lincoln, Sandilands and Scunthorpe. All provide an enjoyable day out which ends with the home club providing lunch (at a modest cost) prior to the announcement of the match result!
The competition results for the year are announced on Presentation Night in October and all members with parners are invited to attend, winners or not. The evening, as well as the presentation of trophies includes a free buffet and the opportunity to take part in a quiz- with a round of free drinks to the winning team. The annual competition winners are enscribed on the Senior`s Honours Boards and this is possible because of the money raised by the Section.
The traditional end to the calendar year is the Four Club Flyer over 9 holes followed by Christmas lunch which is heavily subsidised by the Section. The Four Club Flyer is free to enter and it is aimed to provide almost as many bottles of wine for prizes as there are entrants!!
The Senior Section provides a range of enjoyable golfing activities in a most convivial atmosphere and welcomes all golfers aged 55 and over — no matter what your golfing abilities.