PRESENT: C.M, D.G-M, A.B-W, F.B, K.S, P.L, E.E, P.F, J.G, D.F, T.H, T.M.

RESULTS: Today’s game was a 3 ball with the best two scores counting off 90% of each h/cap. This was a very close encounter with only 5 shots separating the teams. D’soD were Kwok, the Straggler and Soapy with 69 points. DD’s with 71 points were Scuttler, 2Beers and Shotgun. The runners up were the Geezer, Crocs and Rabbi with 72 points. The overall winners and champines of the week were the popular triumvirate of Brains, Jethro and the Laird with 74 points. No 2’s were recorded.

FINANCES: Unfortunately no record was taken of the amounts collected in Geezers cards or swears.

TOASTS: To Alistair Cook on his retirement from test cricket after a record breaking career.
To Matthew Fitzpatrick who won the Swiss Open.
To the Scottish ladies football team who qualified for the World Cup.

The Minutes of the last meeting were accepted.

MATTERS ARISING: Just a reminder that Buggies are not included this year. Anyone wanting/needing one might want to see if anyone else would be interested in sharing before making their arrangements Hunley Hall.
# A message for the esteemed Robert Hallett esq. It is proposed that the return encounter with the DD be held on Monday 1st October at Morpeth. Please make enquiries and respond asap.
€ Crocs advised that the eclectic will more than likely be available by the end of September. No Year was mentioned.

The remainder of the meeting was taken up by a testosterone driven discussion about the present state of the course and the apparent indifference of the authorities to its sad decline. The Chair opened the discussion and cut straight through the Gordion Knot and in so doing unleashed a hornets nest of biblical proportion. Pent up feelings and raw emotion as well as festering grudges rose to the surface in a litany of diatribes against officialdom. The Chair was required to steady the ship and keep a firm hand on the tiller but he became so agitated that the ship was almost grounded with all hands lost.
The gist of the problem was the poor state of the course last week. There were many temporary greens which had not been adequately cut and were very small. Some flags were missing and there was no hole at all on the 13th. The same conditions applied on Past Captains day last week which was felt by many to be disrespectful.The poor state of bunkers and lack of sand were also mentioned.
It was reported that many individuals had visited the manager to lodge complaints. It was felt by some that they were met by indifference.
P.L: There are 170 Senior members at the club. Are they getting a fair crack of the whip?
A.B-W: If the manager is not taking note of our concerns we should take them to the Board.
F.B: Is it worth considering a switch to another club? If we left en masse we could get a better deal elsewhere.
T.H: Most people would find it difficult to leave.
T.M: There are extenuating circumstances at present with absenteeism and sickness within the grounds staff. There is too much emphasis on preparing the course for Saturday matches at the expense of those who play during the week.

A.B-W was prepared to write a letter on behalf of the MOHGS to register our concern about the state of the course, however it was decided that the most appropriate action would be firstly to register a verbal complaint with the manager and if this proved unsatisfactory, to take the complaint to a higher authority. The Chair was happy to accept this compromise but he made it clear that he was no longer willing to keep his powder dry and in the best interests of Morpeth G.C he was willing to sail as close to the wind as possible in order to obtain playing conditions to match the expertise and commitment of the MOHGS.

D.F apologised for his absence for the next few weeks.

The meeting closed at 1.30pm.

B.Kwok.