LBGC Centenary Book - Flipbook - Page 55
Langland Centenary Book
15/2/05
6:12 pm
Page 55
park, a CCTV security system was installed at a cost of £6,000.
A new Club flag was purchased, this to replace the old one
which was torn after facing the elements for many years.
It was decided after some discussion by the Board that the
Captain, in his year of office, be given the right to vote at
Committee meetings.This was duly verified at the AGM.
In this age of mobile phones, members were reminded that
they were forbidden both on the Course and in the Clubhouse
except in cases of extreme emergency.
During the early part of the year the death was announced of
Dave Bell, Captain of the Club in 1999 and Director for just
over six years. Dave will be remembered for many attributes, in
particular his work on the House Committee and prowess on
the Golf Course.
Following the AGM held in April,Tony Vaughan was elected as
Chairman for 2002/2003. A calculated decision was taken to
reduce the number of Directors, with members being co-opted
on to sub-committees if their experience was of benefit to the
Club.The Greens and Handicap sub-committees were combined
because their responsibilities overlapped. Finance and General
Purpose meetings were found to be unnecessary with subcommittee Chairmen presenting their reports direct to the Board.
The Greens/Handicaps Committee received a good report on
the state of the Course but it recommended that we employ
an expert to improve bunkers. STRI were engaged to assess
the situation and their report issued in October confirmed that
major surgery was required to bring bunkers up to a higher
standard for consistent playing.Trees were planted alongside
the road on the 14th hole, this for Health and Safety reasons
and possibly to assist in drainage on the 14th Green. A
perennial complaint about the length of the rough between the
7th and 15th fairways was dealt with to most members
satisfaction but not all. Mr. Simon Fudge, a retired Police
Officer, requested permission to shoot rabbits on the Course.
After an enquiry into the matter, we discovered it was the
four-legged variety he wanted to get rid of but nevertheless the
Board wisely decided against it.
As always, Open Week went smoothly with each day full or
almost full. Captain’s Charity Day in August saw the Lord Mayor
of Swansea visiting the Club once again to socialise and to
present prizes.The Men’s First Team reached the final stages of
the Welsh Team Championship held at Tenby and Austin Roberts
became Club Champion for the second year in succession. In
fact as well as retaining the Club Champion crown, Austin also
won the Gold Cup and with some assistance from his wife, the
Peel Cup, surely a first for the Club.The Stones Team was
promoted to Division One of the League. Well done to them.
The Millennium Cup was played at and won by Gower. Carroll
Davies took over as Junior Leader with Neale Hogg as the
Director responsible.With men retiring earlier from their
occupations, it was decided to lower the classified age for
Veterans from sixty to fifty eight. Where will it end?
With the Club’s Centenary in 2004 fast approaching, several
important appointments were made. Hugh Evans accepted the
invitation to be Captain for that year and as per routine
became Vice-Captain to John Morse in December. Hugh, who
had won International, County and Club honours in Welsh
Golf, was considered to be the ideal choice. Similarly, Hazel
Harris agreed to take on the role of Ladies Captain for the
year with her Vice-Captain Mary Onions. Hazel’s membership
of the club had reached the sixty six years mark and she was
Ladies Captain, for our Golden Jubilee in 1954 and also in 1955
and 1973. Mrs. Harris represented the Club on the West Wales
Ladies Golfing Association, was Chairman for sixteen years and
President for the past ten years. On the Club scene, the
unfortunate illness of David Billings made it necessary, for many
reasons, to have a President in place for the Centenary. A
decision to be made early in the new year.
Another good year was experienced in 2002 with the
Treasurer able to report a profit of £46,436.To bring
membership up to agreed levels, thirty nine full playing men
were invited to join, nine Ladies and seven Juniors.
Subscriptions for 2002/2003 were £500 for Male Full Playing,
£430 for Ladies and £100 for Juniors, this being a 7% increase
for all categories.
In April the Captain, Simon Hughes, and the Treasurer, Mark
Batty, presented a proposal to build a new Clubhouse. Meetings
were held with the Architect who produced outline plans and
drawings.The overall cost of the project would be in the region
of £1.5 million with payments for the scheme taking place over
a period of twenty five years and subscriptions increasing by
about 17% per annum. It was agreed that three quotes be
obtained for (1). Building on to the existing Clubhouse or
(2). A complete rebuild after knocking down the existing
Clubhouse, that is apart from the Farmhouse facade. In addition
but as a separate proposal, costings were to be obtained for a
complete refurbishment of the Function room, Lounge and
Men’s Bar.
The year 2003 was extremely important in many ways with the
need to prepare for the centenary in 2004, to consider the
proposals for a development of the clubhouse, to elect a
President for the Centenary year and appoint a new head
greenkeeper following the departure of Peter Gee.
A sub-committee was formed, under the chairmanship of past
Captain Simon Hughes, to plan ahead and prepare a
programme of events for the centenary year. This to include all
items relative to the year, such as, Club tie, clothing,
photographs, naming the 18 holes on the course and so on.
This committee met at regular intervals and by the end of
2003 plans were well in place.
Several important appointments were made early in 2003 with
Brian Nimmo taking over as President and Tony Vaughan
continuing as Chairman of the Board. The number of
Directors was reduced to seven plus the President and the
Captain in office. After a series of interviews with applicants to
a high standard, Jim Jenkins was taken on as Head Greenkeeper.
His plans for the course were impressive with particular
attention to tees. A plan for improving all the bunkers on the
course was costed out as £95,000 over a period of two years.
The house on the course adjacent to the 8th green was
eventually put up for auction in July with the club’s bid of
£397,500 accepted. A decision on what to do with the place
was put on hold.
Due to the purchase of this property, the proposed planning
for a new Clubhouse, and so on, were shelved for the present.
However with the centenary year fast approaching it became a
necessity to carry out some refurbishment of the Function
Room, Lounge and Men’s Bar with a lick of paint in the TV and
snooker rooms.The Board set aside limited funds for this work
with all to be completed by February 2004. Mrs. Gill Lewis an
interior designer, and her husband David, both members of the
Club, agreed to undertake this project with Hugh Portsmouth
as overseer.
In September the Treasurer reported a healthy surplus for
2002/2003 with bar sales showing an increase due to good
weather in the summer of 2003 and a profit of some £7,300
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