I am pleased to be able to start my 2010 midyear report with genuine thanks to everyone who has participated in this year's knockout events for having arranged and played their fixtures to date, seemingly without delay and without recourse to myself or Frazer with requests for extensions etc. The new format for arranging knock out matches seems to be working well; whereas two years ago I was inundated with requests for extensions and requests for adjudications, this year I have not yet had a single call and over half the matches have already been played.

I would also like to shed some light upon the great mystery as to where all the knockout competition entry monies end up and how the competition prize money is allocated.

This year total knockout competition entry fees amounted to £927 and we have allocated approximately 2/3rds of this as prize money. We have then allocated prize money proportionate with the entry fee income for each event with prize money covering the winners, runners up and losing semi-finalists. The residual surplus which this year amounts to £317 will go towards the quite considerable costs of trophy engraving, cards and writing the honours boards. If anyone has any questions concerning these matters or wishes to see the actual financial breakdown I am more than happy to provide this to them.

And how would you like to play a competition with Lee Westwood as your partner?

We are trying to enable as many members as possible to play golf on the final day of the “Open Championships” on Sunday 18^th July and also to then encourage you to stay on at the Club and watch some of the final round golf. We have arranged a full handicap Individual Stableford competition with a shotgun start at 8.30 a.m. When you collect your card you will also draw a “partner” from the list of the players in the final round of The Open and your net score will then be combined with your Professional partners final round score with the lowest team score winning.

How about it? Give it a go and then stay and watch your professional partner mess up your score!

Finally we are this year introducing a new competition in memory of Allan Frith, former Club Captain in 1999/2000 and long time supporter of our Club. Allan's family have generously donated a fine new Trophy which will be played for on Sunday 15^th August. The competition will be in the form of an Individual full handicap Stableford and will reflect Allan's family's wish for the competition to be open to everyone, by being open to every Man, Lady and Junior club member who has a playing handicap. So subject to standard Scratch adjustment it is one of those few opportunities for everyone to compete against everyone else on level terms. I hope that the competition will be very well supported.

Enjoy the rest of the season and good luck if you are still alive in the competitions.

Jim Jacobs

Competitions Secretary