Seniors Section (?)

[balaclava]

In your golf club, are the Seniors a 'section' of the golf club or simply an ad hoc group doing their own thing?

Explanation:
A. In some clubs the Seniors Section are a section of the golf club recognised as such with a formalised structure (committee) prescribed by the golf club.

OR

B. In others they are simply an ad hoc group run by whichever individual steps forward to organise 'Senior' events?

I'd like to some idea of what the percentages are of A or B

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Ours are definitely a section within the club, own committee, very organised, run themselves. A representative of the seniors is on the main committee to represent their views. General opinion in our club, most I suspect, is that the seniors are the strongest, most able section in the club.

 

[fundy]

Ours are definitely a section within the club, own committee, very organised, run themselves. A representative of the seniors is on the main committee to represent their views. General opinion in our club, most I suspect, is that the seniors are the strongest, most able section in the club.

this is pretty much our set up too albeit didnt used to be this way until a number of years ago when their was a falling out between some of the senior members and some of the regulars so an autonomous senior section was set up. a fair chunk of my time on committee was part of helping bring the 2 sections back together again and thankfully things are now much more harmonious

 

[CliveW]

Our seniors section is part of the club, but unlike others in the area where you need to be 50 to qualify, you need to be 60 as the average age of the membership is so high.

 

[Orikoru]

I don't think we have a senior captain or anything, just a few senior comps now and then, so I'd go with 'ad hoc'.

 

[Green Bay Hacker]

Nothing organised by our club. There are a few seniors that play their own 9 hole comps three days a week, weather permitting. They also have an away day once a month where they play other courses.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

A formal Section

 

[Imurg]

Virtually a Club within the Club at The Zoo....

 

[jim8flog]

We try not to be a separate section of the club but we have our own committee etc but there is no 'joining' requirement except you just have to be old enough -55.

We have a Monday every fortnight allocated by the club as a Seniors competition morning, are allowed 14 interclub matches and 2 days a year for Opens.

 

[duncan mackie]

No committee but a representative on the main committee (as the Ladies).
No section - you are a senior because you are 55+
No fee implications
No course access implications

Put another way we don't have Juniors and we don't really have Seniors except that -

Only those over 55 are eligible to play in Senior matches (as much to fit in with other clubs as anything else).
We do run a small number of Competitions within the 55 Senior category during the year
Vets are a defined by the KVGL as 60+ and we enter teams in this category as well, but don't run any competitions internally.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Definitely their own section and very active and thriving.

 

[KenL]

At my club it seems well organised.

These sections are great in some ways in getting people a game but ageist at the same time.

Why not just have a weekly social game where anyone can rock up and play?

 

[chrisd]

Very much a section of the club and £10 per year membership. Loads of comps, friendly matches with other clubs and more serious league matches.

 

[El Diablo]

One of the reasons I made a move of club this year but retained away membership - the seniors wield too much power and are en masse at AGM/EGM's so little can change in any respect (don't ever mention technology or IT) ......

Every Monday and Friday they have the 1st and 10th tee blocked early though with numbers falling the timing has reduced.

Then they nicely arrange 1/3rd of their inter club matches on a Tuesday (Monday and Friday not enough ?) and screw up another day unless you get off before 9.15am before they hit the course.

The club in the past 2 years has even changed Bank Holiday Mondays so their roll up is sacred but limited to 1st tee - never mind those that work with less opportunity and have to follow them round.

Really is a joke that those of us sub 60 have to put up with this (not that I would join them as not slow enough yet) and drives a non inclusive club.

Trolleys are generally allowed all midweek in the winter regardless of conditions and churns the course up (banned most winter weekends because the course is busy and always very wet - not that I mind carrying all the time) - if they are banned midweek - half of the oldies ignore it !!

Then we have the ladies section which I have no problem with them having their Wednesday morning - just how they run it. They have a blocked period usually 7.45 to 11.15 off the 1st then 9.45 to 1.15 off the 10th all summer (winter time less as fewer play). Within this they run their own timed slots - so half the period no one is out on the course as they don't have enough numbers unless a special comp ! Why they don't have a shorter window and use it all is beyond me.

Was not until I got to stop working for a while then semi-retired and worked part time I realised just how it all worked - guess which days I would play or should I say avoid .......

Really a club with separate clubs and rules within it - I will not expand on the way weekend comps are run and how Sunday is treated differently to Saturday (due to different cliques driving it) or I would be here all night moaning.

 

[chrisd]

One of the reasons I made a move of club this year but retained away membership - the seniors wield too much power and are en masse at AGM/EGM's so little can change in any respect (don't ever mention technology or IT) ......

Every Monday and Friday they have the 1st and 10th tee blocked early though with numbers falling the timing has reduced.

Then they nicely arrange 1/3rd of their inter club matches on a Tuesday (Monday and Friday not enough ?) and screw up another day unless you get off before 9.15am before they hit the course.

The club in the past 2 years has even changed Bank Holiday Mondays so their roll up is sacred but limited to 1st tee - never mind those that work with less opportunity and have to follow them round.

Really is a joke that those of us sub 60 have to put up with this (not that I would join them as not slow enough yet) and drives a non inclusive club.

Trolleys are generally allowed all midweek in the winter regardless of conditions and churns the course up (banned most winter weekends because the course is busy and always very wet - not that I mind carrying all the time) - if they are banned midweek - half of the oldies ignore it !!

Then we have the ladies section which I have no problem with them having their Wednesday morning - just how they run it. They have a blocked period usually 7.45 to 11.15 off the 1st then 9.45 to 1.15 off the 10th all summer (winter time less as fewer play). Within this they run their own timed slots - so half the period no one is out on the course as they don't have enough numbers unless a special comp ! Why they don't have a shorter window and use it all is beyond me.

Was not until I got to stop working for a while then semi-retired and worked part time I realised just how it all worked - guess which days I would play or should I say avoid .......

Really a club with separate clubs and rules within it - I will not expand on the way weekend comps are run and how Sunday is treated differently to Saturday (due to different cliques driving it) or I would be here all night moaning.

It would seem you're happy to have seniors and ladies at your club but you'd rather they didn't actually screw things up by playing golf?

 

[Doh]

Our club has a senior section run by there own committee they are very good at doing work on the course via a working party of volunteers twice weekly. They have their own comps off the yellow tees and have attracted a good number of new members.
Will be happy to join them when the time comes.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

One of the reasons I made a move of club this year but retained away membership - the seniors wield too much power and are en masse at AGM/EGM's so little can change in any respect (don't ever mention technology or IT) ......

LOL - my previous club was clay-based and suffered dreadfully as a result of extended periods of wet weather. Over winter the course would get in a real mess - especially in the vicinity of greens where trolleys were pushed, pulled and driven - and it would take until June before the damage was repaired and course recovered.

So one AGM I put forward a motion to have trolleys banned over the winter months (to be defined) other than in situations of medical need. A 3-line whip went out to the Seniors and where there were normally 100 at the AGM - when I stood up to present my motion there were over 200 in the room. I was defeated.

Cunningly though I had got the Chair of Greens and the Head Greenkeeper in agreement - and motion was put forward by the Chair of Greens that the Head Greenkeeper would have executive decision making powers over when trolleys could be banned. Such was the relief in the room that my motion had been defeated this second motion was passed, and guess what - the Head Greenkeeper used his powers of banning trolleys quite regularly and for quite significant periods over winter

 

[shortgame]

LOL - my previous club was clay-based and suffered dreadfully as a result of extended periods of wet weather. Over winter the course would get in a real mess - especially in the vicinity of greens where trolleys were pushed, pulled and driven - and it would take until June before the damage was repaired and course recovered.

So one AGM I put forward a motion to have trolleys banned over the winter months (to be defined) other than in situations of medical need. A 3-line whip went out to the Seniors and where there were normally 100 at the AGM - when I stood up to present my motion there were over 200 in the room. I was defeated.

Cunningly though I had got the Chair of Greens and the Head Greenkeeper in agreement - and motion was put forward by the Chair of Greens that the Head Greenkeeper would have executive decision making powers over when trolleys could be banned. Such was the relief in the room that my motion had been defeated this second motion was passed, and guess what - the Head Greenkeeper used his powers of banning trolleys quite regularly and for quite significant periods over winter

Did you lose many senior members?
Were there many who (genuinely) couldn't play without using a trolley?

Very difficult balancing act between preserving the course and preventing paying members from being able to play

 

[User 105]

At Chesfield it's definitely a separate group. They have a captain, own competitions, even have their own seniors club champion I think. Monday AM is reserved for Seniors comps.

At Knebworth I'm not actually sure. I think about 80%+ of the members there are seniors anyway so it's more of a seniors club rather than it's own section.

 

[chrisd]

LOL - my previous club was clay-based and suffered dreadfully as a result of extended periods of wet weather. Over winter the course would get in a real mess - especially in the vicinity of greens where trolleys were pushed, pulled and driven - and it would take until June before the damage was repaired and course recovered.

So one AGM I put forward a motion to have trolleys banned over the winter months (to be defined) other than in situations of medical need. A 3-line whip went out to the Seniors and where there were normally 100 at the AGM - when I stood up to present my motion there were over 200 in the room. I was defeated.

Cunningly though I had got the Chair of Greens and the Head Greenkeeper in agreement - and motion was put forward by the Chair of Greens that the Head Greenkeeper would have executive decision making powers over when trolleys could be banned. Such was the relief in the room that my motion had been defeated this second motion was passed, and guess what - the Head Greenkeeper used his powers of banning trolleys quite regularly and for quite significant periods over winter

and you're proud of defying the wishes of a great majority of members by fiddling a vote through that denies them their democratic rights - can see where a lot of your Brexit tripe comes from now!!