PRESENT: C.D, G.A, P.F, B.H, K.S, P.L, M.M, D.G-M, M.S, D.F, T.M, F.B, L.W(left early).

It was decided that if a ball is lost in leaves and all players are in agreement, another ball may be dropped to replace the lost one. Bunkers were treated as GUR and there were preferred lies on the fairway.

FINANCES: £2.70 was collected in swears and is in the safekeeping of the Chair.

RESULTS: There was one 2 recorded by Two Beers on the 14th. D’soD were Shagpile and Winscales with 23 points apiece. DDoD was the Chair with 24 points. The Rabbi was runner up with a creditable 39 points. The winner with a magnificent 41 points was the ever popular Laird. The joint duffers will each receive 2 extra shots.

TOASTS: To Lewis Hamilton for his victory in the US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.

LAST TIMES MINUTES WERE ACCEPTED.

CHRISTMAS PARTY:

The Chair reported that he had further first hand knowledge of the ineptitude of the current caterers. Delboy was dining at the club on Sunday. He ordered a bacon sarnie, only to be informed that the bacon was off the menu. Delboy readjusted his expectations and ordered a chicken Chow Mein. To his horror and disbelief, he discovered upon imbibing the first mouthful that the pesky stuff was cold. He was forced to ask for it to be reheated.

The above paragraph was a precursor into discussions as to the venue of the Christmas party. Needless to say there was a bias beginning to build up against using the club caterers. However it appears that the chances of a shared table are slim if not impossible. The Geezer suggested that someone should approach a Board member to voice concerns about the unsuitability of the caterers but no one appeared willing to take up the cudgels.

The Chair gave an impromptu historical perspective on the Christmas Party venues to date. At first there was golf (3 clubs plus putter), then drinks and games in the clubhouse and finally a trip into Morpeth for an Indian. Next there was a shared table including impressive ham and stotties and pease pudding sandwiches in the clubhouse plus the usual activities. Finally the venue remained the clubhouse with the usual activities but the in house caterers provided refreshments, which he deemed lacked quality and finesse.

*The date of the party is set for Monday 11 December.

# There will be the customary golf with cubs plus putter.

+ Games in the clubhouse to be ratified at a later date.

The President has long been a champion of the in house caterers and spoke eloquently about the need for members to support their clubs whenever possible in these harsh competitive times when clubs are struggling to make ends meet. He also observed that we are now a bigger group than in times gone by and that many may not wish to stay for a long drawn out session # Herbie suggested that we approach the caterers with a defined menu in mind and see if they could meet our expectations and at what cost.

# Shagpile gallantly offered to collect some of the Gosforth members in his own car and transport them to the party to save them the bother of leaving cars overnight in the car park.

* Dewey and the Laird both apologised for their absences as they will be away for the Christmas period.

Today’s meeting did not reach any firm conclusions but there is every possibility that more headway will be made next week by which time members will have had the opportunity to absorb the information and attend the next meeting with renewed vigour, determination and bristling with ideas to make 2017 the best party ever.

Meeting closed at 1.15pm.

Kwok.