LBGC Centenary Book - Flipbook - Page 42
Langland Centenary Book
15/2/05
6:11 pm
Page 42
of entrenchment in order to get our finances on an even keel.
With the Secretary only working part-time hours, it became
necessary to install an answer machine to cover all the
messages being received when the office was closed. A sign of
the times indeed. It was also felt essential to have a telephone
in the Steward’s flat.
On the Social side the Club Dinner Dance was held at the
Langland Court Hotel and the Men’s Dinner at the same venue.
Both were full houses with Max Boyce the main speaker at the
latter event. After a great deal of discussion it was confirmed
that the rules for dress in the Clubhouse would remain the
same. It was emphasised that collar and tie with jackets, must be
worn for all functions after 7.30 pm. A new pipe system was
installed for the flow of beer with no complaints recorded
about the end product. Curtains, selected by the Ladies section,
were fitted in the mixed lounge at a cost of £540.This in turn
showed up those in the Function room which had to be
cleaned. Dances were still very popular and a new portable
dance floor was purchased, this costing £1500. It could be put
down and taken up in a reasonable time.Towards the end of the
year plans and costs were presented for new furniture in the
Clubhouse with a figure of £2000 estimated. Ken Phillips was
asked to prepare some plans for altering and improving the
Men’s toilet and shower area plus the snooker room.
Out on the Course the bunkers were again under the
microscope with a lot of criticism from the players. It was the
intention of the Greens Committee to get as many as possible
rebuilt off season. Results of their action were awaited with
bated breath. Likewise it was the opinion of many that the tees
generally could be better.The Course experienced mixed
weather during the year with, on occasions, some very heavy
rain and the 2nd and 14th fairways often unplayable due to
poor drainage. It was decided to purchase a fairway aerator at
a cost of £1600 in order to rectify the problem. John Beer was
complimented for all the good work he carried out in planning
and planting trees around the Course.The Greens Committee
were due to make a decision on the practicality of installing a
drinking fountain near to the 7th tees. There was a problem
with moles at various places around the Course and with no
expert catchers in the Club, advice was sought from Bingleys.
There was a great deal of talk at Board meetings about the
possibility of moving the 18th Green a little to the South and
forming some sort of water hazard. No decision was made but
the seed sown for the future.
Talking golf in 1987 was talking John Roger Jones.With Hugh
Evans he was selected for the Welsh team, and was also a
Walker Cup selector. He was Club Champion for the third
year running and to top it all became Champion of Champions
in a tournament sponsored by Welsh Brewers and played at
Cradoc.The second winner of the Bob Pressdee trophy was
John Peters of Southerndown. A new innovation greatly
appreciated by the Juniors was regular coaching.This being
arranged by the current Captain, Henry Booth, John Roger,Tom
Lynch and the Junior Organiser.The Handicaps Committee
began to think about time sheets for Saturday competitions,
this due to the increase in numbers taking part. It was agreed
by the Board to bring in fourteen five-day members as full
members and restart the five-day waiting lists.
At the end of the year the Board had plenty to think about
with their intention in 1988 to improve the Men’s shower area,
purchase machinery for the Course, plans to move the 18th
Green and form a pond by the side, extend the patio area and
redesign the Bar. This in a period of proposed entrenchment.
Colin Campbell our Secretary indicated his intention to retire
as soon as possible in 1988 and the need to appoint an
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Assistant to learn the job and take over. The Finance and
General Purposes Committee reported that the cost of the
new Men’s toilet and shower area would be in the region of
£13,000, furthermore to re-roof the tractor shed and TV room
would mean an outlay of £1,000. The Chairman again
reminded the Board that we must limit our spending although
all the work carried out, or to be carried out, on the
Clubhouse was essential. Over the last five years Capital
Expenditure had totalled close to £120,000. Concern was
expressed towards the end of the year at the delay in
completing the toilet and shower project, however the aim
finalisation date was given as Xmas.The overall Financial
situation for 1988 was much improved with a surplus of
£21,294 compared with the meagre profit for the
previous year.
It was confirmed that the Annual Dinner Dance would again
take place at the Langland Court Hotel and in due course a
good night was had by all who attended. Back at the Club
changes were afoot with the Steward, Mr.Turner, and his wife
leaving for pastures new and being replaced by Mr. and Mrs
Braund, formerly of Mountain Ash Golf Club, and selected from
over forty applicants. It was agreed that a new tie be designed
for approval by the Board. A set of new tables was needed for
the Function room and these were obtained for £600.
The season began with a Captains Drive-in, something new for
the Club. A good crowd gathered and members put markers
down to guess where the drives would land. It was a successful
event and bound to be repeated. No record of who won.
A number of meetings were held to decide on the form a lake
or pond would take adjacent to the proposed new 18th green.
There was a possibility that a grant could be obtained from the
Conservation Board to assist in the cost of the operation
which was likely to be around £5000. John Beer played a large
part in the project with discussions taking place with the
Ministry of Agriculture and the Welsh Office.There was no
truth in the rumour going around the Club at the time that the
plans were filed under “John’s Beer Lake” but nevertheless the
project was making steady progress.The Bunker programme
continued with the reshaping of those on the 9th, 11th and
17th holes completed and complimented on by members.
Rather surprising that members complimented bunkers.With
the proposed changes to the 18th hole, thought would have to
be given to re-designing the 1st tee.The Greens Committee
were aware that any alterations to be made must enhance the
Course and satisfy members.
John Roger Jones was appointed to the European Golf
Committee, a prestigious position, but he was not Club
Champion for 1988, the title being won by young Mark
Gorvett. John Peters won the Bob Pressdee Tournament for
the second year in succession with scores of 69+64.The new
handicap system had settled in better than expected, this to
most members surprise.
Several important changes were made as we entered 1989 with
the first of these being the retirement of our Secretary Colin
Campbell in March and the appointment of T.J. (John) Jenkins to
replace him. A presentation evening to Colin, with members of
his family was arranged and very well attended. Secondly the
Board decided that Veteran members, sixty years and older,
would no longer get a concession on their subscriptions.This
meant that when a member reached the age of sixty and was
retired from work then he would continue to pay a full
subscription.Those currently paying a reduced amount would
be gradually brought into line over several years.The third item
was the Club’s urgent need to purchase a computer and the
