Good afternoon everyone,

PREFERRED LIES

As from tomorrow morning, 15/10/25 we will be operating preferred lies. On fairways (inc general play areas cut to fairway length) you may mark, lift your ball, clean it and replace within 6 inches, no nearer the hole. You may also continue to use the “abnormal conditions” ruling to take relief from damaged areas around the greens or fairways.

GENERAL PLAY ROUNDS

Both England Golf and Essex Golf Union are continuing their pursuit of eliminating handicap manipulation from the game and are providing all clubs with better and easier access to data that identify these areas. It’s my belief that as a club, we do not have a major issue but will be running the data between now and the end of the year anyway as part of my annual handicap review.

The biggest area of concern is using general play rounds to manipulate handicaps, both up and down in some cases.
YOU ARE POLITELY REMINDED that if you have registered an intent to submit a general play round that you should be playing as competitively as possible and to the best of your ability. There is a certain mantra being voiced at times by some members that you should put a score in every time you play. This is not always the case. If for example you are suffering with or recovering from an injury issue or maybe are feeling under the weather for some reason, do not feel pressured in to doing so. If you are playing with some mates and there’s a stableford side bet going on, particularly pairs where you may be encouraged to just pick up and enter a zero instead of completing the hole then don’t enter. Or if for example you are trying out new clubs or you turn up and it’s tipping down with rain or there are frozen greens or fairways and you know you won’t perform to the best of your ability, then you don’t need to enter.

Your aim should be that there is no major difference between your competition scores and your general play scores.
Scores should also be returned in a timely manner, usually within 60 minutes of completing a round. If you have an issue with software for example, you need to notify us immediately so it can be addressed.
You are also reminded that it is YOUR responsibility to register an intent BEFORE you go out to play. Please don’t leave cards in the box expecting scores to be added when no intent was made, they won’t be added. You can always message me if you feel there are extenuating circumstances.

RESULTS

THE H FOREMAN CUP – 10th,11th,12th October
Great weekend turn out of 31 players for this bogey / par competition. Neil Baldwin ran out the winner with a very good +4 just beating Gary Fraser in to second on +3. In countback order all on +2 and collecting the remaining merit points were Steve Staples, Paul Telling, Lee porter and Julian Walden.
“Birdie Balls” were won by Julian on the 1st and Steve Staples on the
15th.
Congratulations and well played to all the winners !

UPCOMING FIXTURES
Wednesday 15th October – The Autumn Midweek Stableford
Saturday 18th October – The Autumn Shield – 4 ball better ball
Wednesday 22nd October – Midweek Medal
Fri/Sat/Sun 24/25/26th October – Monthly Medal
Sunday 2nd November – Roger Foreman Match against Belfairs.

The sign up sheet for the Autumn Shield will be taken down tomorrow afternoon and a draw / order of play sent out later this week.

That’s all for now, enjoy your golf !

Tony

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