LBGC Centenary Book - Flipbook - Page 49
Langland Centenary Book
15/2/05
6:12 pm
Page 49
Club by the firm responsible for lining the ponds for nonpayment of £1374.75 relative to the cost of repairing damage
to the lining of the new ponds.This was strongly contested by
the Club’s Legal Adviser. Phase three of the tree planting cycle
went ahead as scheduled.Within a short time of his
appointment Peter Gee produced a Budget plan for all work
required on the Course, this a basis for present and future
reference.Two urgent requirements were a new rough cutter
and a flail mower both to be purchased at once.
The House Committee reported that the Monthly Draw, made
on the last Saturday of each month, was being run at a loss
with only one hundred and twenty members paying. An effort
to be made to encourage more to join by targeting spouses
and new members.The Annual Dinner Dance was held for the
first time at the Patti Pavilion and a good evening it turned to
be thanks to the Captain Glyn Evans. He presented a never to
be forgotten Cabaret which included Mark Portsmouth, Jim
Barry and Leighton Williams in female garb and the
scriptwriter/producer Jan Lewis. It was decided to hold the
Men’s Dinner in the Clubhouse for the first time in many years
and one hundred and thirty members and guests enjoyed the
meal and the speakers.
Open Week went smoothly with no hiccups and the organising
committee were congratulated on a job well done.The Club
Champion for 1996 was a popular one by the name of Mark
Portsmouth,Vice-Captain and slimmer of the year. Record
rounds of 63 recorded by both Richard Evans and Richard Peet
were framed and placed in the Clubhouse.
During the year the deaths were announced of George
Shellard and Vernon Rees Davies both past Captains and loyal
members of the Club for many years. In fact George first
joined as a member in 1936 and was Captain three times, 1942,
1943 and again in1974. His relationship between the Club and
the Beaufort Estate being invaluable. A proposal was made to
set up a Vernon Rees Davies Memorial Sports Trust to provide
young sports people with financial assistance.
The Twinning Weekend with the Kinsale Club from County
Cork was a great success and our hospitality, with that of the
Mumbles Community Council, greatly appreciated by the party
from Southern Ireland.
Following on from an Extraordinary General Meeting, held to
present plans for a proposed Clubhouse Development, a
working Committee was formed.This to include the current
Captain Glynn Evans, three members of the Board, Mr. Hugh
Griffiths a local Architect and Mr. Shaun Condron, Quantity
Surveyer.The Development covered the Clubhouse from the
Men's Bar to the Secretary's office and involved building on top
of the existing rooms. Meetings were planned with Sportlot, a
branch of the National Lottery, to obtain funding for the
development which was likely to cost three quarters of a
million pounds.
Administration changes were made in1997 with the Secretary
John Jenkins reaching retirement age in September and the
assistant to the Secretary Rosemary Beer in March. Paul
Wilkins took over the Secretary’s position in August on a two
year contract and Lynne Coleman as Assistant to the Secretary
in September. Tom Lynch was due to retire in December and,
following a series of interviews, Mark Evans, the Professional at
Fairwood accepted the position. A number of alterations to
the Shop were requested by Mark before he started in
November.
Derek Greaves resigned as Chairman after five good years in
office and was replaced by Derek Stevens. However he
remained on the Board which by now included two Lady
members for the first time, in Margaret Algar and Julie Richards.
The Board were informed that Welsh Brewers had “written
off” the remainder of the loan to the Club ahead of a new
contract for beer supplies. Social events continued to be well
supported with the Annual Dinner Dance, held at Ty Llen, in
the Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea no exception. One
hundred and thirty members and guests again squeezed into
the Clubhouse for a most enjoyable Gentlemen’s Dinner with
both food and speakers first class. Some concern was being
expressed about a deterioration in the dress code both on and
off the Course. Notices were displayed and all Board members
asked to be vigilant. It seemed to be a sign of the times to
dress down. A bridge was built at the rear of the Clubhouse as
an access from the roadway into the Flat, this at the request of
the Steward.The new Secretary proposed the use of Swipe
cards for access to the Clubhouse, in order to tighten up on
security. Eventually they could be used as credit cards for food
and drink.
The monthly news letter was resurrected once again, with
Dave Bell writing and producing it, to much acclaim from
members eager to know what was going on at the Club but
who never read the notice boards.The main topic of
conversation was the proposed new development and all it
involved. Planning permission was granted by the Council but
everything hinged on Sportlot.They required a full analysis of
the Club’s finances over the past ten years which our Treasurer
David Billings provided after many hours sweating over a hot
calculator! Following several meetings with their local manager,
we were informed that no decision would be made until the
end of the year.They were kind enough to tell us that funding
for the majority of the development was unlikely. Plans drawn
up by Huw Griffiths were put on view in the Function room
for members to peruse and make comment on but any
financial assistance from Sportlot looked remote.
Derek Greaves was asked to produce a map of the Course
showing what we owned outright, what we leased and for how
long.The shortest remaining lease related to the 11th and 14th
holes, part of the 7th, 9th, 10th, 12th, 13th and 15th. Rees
Richards (Grove Hills Estate), the agents for this area of the
Course, indicated that there was a development potential for
building and would not discuss a possible purchase of the
freehold or terms for a new lease.
As mentioned earlier Mark Portsmouth had organised a
Captain’s Sponsored Slim for his chosen Charity and everyone
agreed he had the figure for such an event. It must be said that
he completed the course and at the official weigh-in on the
March Monthly Draw Night made a ‘healthy’ sum of money
available for his Charity. John Lythgoe, a member of the Board,
agreed to produce an updated booklet on Club rules, bye-laws
and regulations.This was much needed with so many new
members joining since the last one was issued.Two of our
members Jim Childs and Eric Plaice carried out a survey of
birds, and other wild life, observed on the Course. Bird Boxes
were placed in certain positions and assistance obtained from
the Gower Ornithological Society.
John Pickard the Vice Captain was pleased to report that sixtyeight members and partners made the visit to Kinsale for the
annual Golf and Social Week-end. By all reports it proved to
be a highly enjoyable trip. Open Week was again very well
supported with numbers playing and profits up on the
previous year.
Brian Nimmo agreed to carry on as Team Manager for the
Season and Lee Thomas was a worthy Club Champion. Richard
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