Sages President Newsletter February 2018
In hierdie laaste nuusbrief as President sê ek baie dankie vir jul ondersteuning en goeie wense oor die afgelope twee jaar. Dit was ‘n voorreg om te dien in dié hoedanigheid. Die toewyding en vriendskap van die ander lede van die nasionale bestuurskomitee het dit ‘n plesier gemaak.
Mag 2018 al die dinge bring waarop ons hoop en waarvoor ons bid.
Ons lewe in onstuimige tye. Klimaatverandering is vir ons in die Wes-Kaap ‘n realiteit. Daar waai ook ‘n stewig briesie deur die politieke landskap, en as individue en organisasie moet ons daarby aanpas. (Elfie beplan ‘n video vir die webwerf oor hoe `n mens met 2 liter water kan stort – nie vir sensitiewe kykers nie).
Die ekonomiese werklikhede het van ons mense hard gedruk. Ons plig is om hard te werk sodat hul rande kan rek om hul ‘n ryk verskeidenheid van gholf geleenthede te gee. Maak seker jul komitees bestaan uit mense met visie en energie, en wie bereid is om hard te werk vir die lede.
Die manne van Hoëveld bied die toernooi aan van 16-20 April en ons wens hul alle voorspoed toe. Hulle het die ervaring en gryskoppe om dit met groot sukses aan te bied.
Ek vra weer dat ons takke slegs spelers van integriteit kies, en wie realisties voorgeë het, om hul takke te teenwoordig.
Nasionale Bestuurskomitee (NBK)
Die nasionale sekretaris het nominasies aangevra vir lede om op die Nasionale bestuur te dien vir die volgende jaar. Drie van die huidige lede is bereid om aan te bly vir die volgende jaar – Alec Dixon as President, Trevor Woollett (Nasionale tesourier en Elfie Alston Nasionale sekretaris) Ek word verplaas na die kamp vir oud-presidente. Ons benodig ‘n Vise-President. Takke mag nominasies indien vir enige poste. Elfie het reeds ‘n nominasievorm daarvoor uitgestuur aan die takke.
Takke word uitgenooi om mosies in te dien vir oorweging deur die Uitvoerende Komitee by die AJV.
Die NBK wil self ‘n voorstel indien oor iets wat lankal die onderbewussyn pla, naamlik ons “reël” dat jy die bal ‘n stoklengte kan plaas gedurende SAGES toernooie. Nou hoekom krap aan iets wat nie jeuk nie? Omdat die gholfreëls nie daarvoor voorsiening maak nie!
Plasing van die bal val onder plaaslike reëls wat gholfklubs mag aanpas om abnormale toestande van die baan te kan hanteer. SAGES het nie die mag om plaaslike reëls te verander nie. As ons die plaaslike reël verontagsaam, speel ons nie die baan soos al die ander spelers nie. Waarskynlik behoort ‘n SAGES-lid ‘n N/R in te dien as hy nie die plaaslike reëls aanpas nie. Ons moet liewer die Klub vra dat, as die baan in ‘n swak toestand is, die swak plekke as GUR beskou moet word en dat die plaaslike reël tydelik verander word.
Die volgende aanhalings uit die R&A se webwerf oor reëls (randa.org) is ter sake:
As provided in Rule 33-8a, the Committee may make and publish Local Rules for local abnormal conditions if they are consistent with the policies established in this Appendix. In addition, detailed information regarding acceptable and prohibited Local Rules is provided in “Decisions on the Rules of Golf” under Rule 33-8 and in “Guidance on Running a Competition”.
b.“Preferred Lies” and “Winter Rules” Ground under repair is provided for in Rule 25, and occasional local abnormal conditions that might interfere with fair play and are not widespread should be defined as ground under repair. However, adverse conditions, such as heavy snows, spring thaws, prolonged rains or extreme heat can make fairways unsatisfactory and sometimes prevent use of heavy mowing equipment. When these conditions are so general throughout a course that the Committee believes “preferred lies” or “winter rules” would promote fair play or help protect.
Daarom gaan die NBK ‘n mosie indien by die AJV wat vra dat die SAGES “reël” oor plasing tersyde gestel word.
In 2019 tree die nuwe gholfreëls in werking. Kry jouself op hoogte daarvan by randa.org.
Lekker speel. Sien julle by die “Nationals”
In this, my last newsletter as President I want to thank all of you for the support and good wishes in the last two years. It has been a great privilege to serve in this capacity. The dedication and friendship of the other members of the NMC made it a pleasure.
May 2018 bring all those things that we hope and pray for.
We live in exciting times. Climate change is a reality for us in the Cape. There is a fresh new breeze in our political landscape. As individuals and as an organisation we need to adapt to changed circumstances. (Elfie is planning to put a video on the website to show our members how to shower with 2 liters of water – not for sensitive viewers!).
For us in SAGES the poor economic conditions have hit many golfers hard. Our duty is to work harder to stretch our members’ rands, and to ensure that we give them a rich variety of golfing experiences. Make it a priority to select committees with energy and vision – people that want to work for the good of the members.
With the Sanlam SAGES National Championship hosted by Highveld SAGES this year from 16-20 April, we wish them well with the significant effort of running one of the largest annual tournaments in South Africa. With a number of cool and grey heads involved on their organising committee, we believe it will be a great and happy event.
I repeat my request to our branches to select only golfers of integrity, with handicaps that are consistent and realistic with their golfing prowess.
National management committee (NMC) Our national secretary, Elfie Alston, has called for nominations for members of the national management committee, whose current members can be re-elected each year. After 2 years as President, I join the past Presidents section. The other members of the NMC have been nominated (Alec Dixon as president). Both Trevor Woollett and Elfie Alston are prepared to maintain their portfolios. Branches are free to nominate SAGES members for any position. At the very least we will need to look for another vice-president. A nomination form has been designed to guide branches in the nomination process. It is has been distributed by the national secretary.
Branches are requested to propose motions for consideration by the Executive at the AGM.
Something that has been bothering the NMC for a while is the SAGES “rule” that we always allow placing within one club length. Why do we want to scratch where it is not itching? Because it is not allowed in the rules of golf!
Preferred lies fall under local rules made by golf clubs to cope with abnormal conditions. SAGES do not have the power to change the local rules on a golf course. If we permit a one club length placing, we are not playing the course as it is, like everyone else. We should probably by rights record a N/R for anyone who makes use of our concession! Should a course be in a poor condition, our SAGES organisers should encourage the golf clubs to mark areas as GUR, or to establish a temporary local rule to cope with the abnormal conditions.
From the R&A Rules:
However, adverse conditions, such as heavy snows, spring thaws, prolonged rains or extreme heat can make fairways unsatisfactory and sometimes prevent use of heavy mowing equipment. When these conditions are so general throughout a course that the Committee believes “preferred lies” or “winter rules” would promote fair play or help protect the course, the following Local Rule (which should be withdrawn as soon as conditions warrant) is recommended:
“A ball lying on a closely-mown area through the green (or specify a more restricted area, e.g. at the 6th hole) may be lifted without penalty and cleaned. Before lifting the ball, the player must mark its position. Having lifted the ball, he must place it on a spot within (specify area, e.g. six inches, one club-length, etc.) of and not nearer the hole than where it originally lay, that is not in a hazard and not on a putting green.
In the light of the above, the NMC will submit a motion that we do away with this unwritten concession of preferred lies within one club length.
In 2019 the proposed changes in the golf rules come about. You are encouraged to visit randa.org and study their explanations of the new rules.