Keeping in Touch – 29 May 2020

Good morning, ladies. How are you? I hope that you and yours are well and ready to take the first cautious and, I’d say, exciting steps back to a new kind of post-lockdown normality.

What a beautiful day for the reopening of our beautiful golf courses. Who knows how rusty my game is going to be? Who cares? It will be just delightful to be out there playing the game with a ‘real’ golfing friend. However, I think it’s just as well I’ll be playing social golf without the pressure of a card in my hand.

In case you need some help as you get back into the swing of things, if relevant to you, please may I remind you of the 2020 Rule Changes in Effect for Golfers Age 60+ that I introduced in my post of 26 April. Here are the others:
Rule 3.B.3 – There shall be no such thing as a lost ball. The missing ball is on or near the course and will eventually be found and pocketed by someone else, thereby making it a stolen ball. The senior player is not to compound the felony by charging himself with a penalty.
Rule 4.c.7 – If a putt passes over a hole without dropping, it is deemed to have dropped. The Law of Gravity supersedes the Rules of Golf.
Rule  5 - Putts that stop close enough to the cup that they could be blown in, may be blown in. This does not apply to balls more than three inches from the Hole. No one wants to make a mockery of the game.
Rule 6.a.9 – There is no penalty for so-called “out of bounds”. If penny-pinching golf course owners bought sufficient land this would not occur. The senior player deserves an apology, not a penalty.
Rule 7.G.15 – There is no penalty for a ball in a water hazard, as golf balls should float. Senior players should not be penalized for any shortcomings of the manufacturers.
Rule 8.k.9 – Advertisements claim that golf scores can be improved by purchasing new golf equipment. Since this is financially impractical for many senior players, one-half stroke per hole may be subtracted for using old equipment.

I would love to read any of your ‘back to golf’ stories or see your photos. Please email me at Lorna200LMJ@btinternet.com or message me on 07717 133397.
In the meantime, ENJOY GOLF and KEEP SAFE

Lorna

Lorna M Johnson
Captain, ALCGA

COVID-19 Coronavirus: 12 May 2020

Unfortunately, following last week’s announcement by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon about the continuation in Scotland of the ‘Stay at Home’ instruction, and taking account of the inevitable restrictions that will be in place whenever there is a return to playing golf, I have the disappointing task of telling you that the ALCGA Management Committee and officials have concluded that we must abandon all County competitions for the 2020 season.

In my message of 28 April, I outlined reasons for the cancellation of the Northern Division Inter-County Jamboree and the North of Scotland Championship. The same reasons apply now with regard to our local fixtures. My messages of 21 and 24 March listed competitions that were cancelled then. For clarity, the following competitions are affected by our most recent decision.

·         County Opens that are scheduled in July and August will be cancelled – Kemnay on 02 July, Murcar Links on 13 July, Deeside on 27 July, Newmachar on 31 July, Cruden Bay on 20 August, and Peterculter on 27 August.

·         The Tri-Am competition at Oldmeldrum on 10 July will be cancelled.

·         The Lyon Inter-Club Double Foursomes at Hazlehead MacKenzie on 03-04 August will be cancelled.

·         The Commonwealth Spoons qualifying competition at Kintore on 17 August will be cancelled.

·         The provisionally rescheduled County Championship at Meldrum House on 11-13 September will not take place.

·         The Sheena Wood Rosebowl tournament will not run in 2020. Current qualifiers will go forward to play in 2021.

If you have placed an entry for any of the above events, the relevant Club Rep or Honorary Secretary Karen will be in touch with you.

ALCGA fees will not be payable in 2020. However, we are aware that the collection of fees has been disrupted by lockdown. If you have already paid your £10 annual subscription, we are asking your Club Rep to offer you three options: donate your £10 to County funds towards 2020 expenditure; leave your £10 as early payment of your 2021 subscription; or receive a refund of your £10. If you have not yet paid your £10 subscription, you may still donate £10 via your Club Rep to the County funds. If you have already paid a £10 new or lapsed membership fee, you may choose to carry it forward to 2021 or have a refund. I am sure you will bear with your Club Rep and Honorary Treasurer Carol if there is a delay until it is practicable for them to deal with some of these transactions.

As the summer passes, we will continue to monitor advice and developments. To end on a positive note … if it emerges that there is a possibility of holding a safe event late in the season, we will aim to organise an ad hoc friendly golfing get-together to nurture the spirit and camaraderie of our valued County community.

In the meantime, please take care and keep safe.

Lorna

Lorna M Johnson

Captain, ALCGA