From the President - Kane Hurley

 

Well what a year this has been, starting like any other year has, then just like that, life as we have known it was over, as COVID became part of our lives. One has to reflect 10 months into this COVID journey, we have been very, very lucky in Australia, especially here in the West. We have had a very low infection rate, & there was only a period of a few short weeks that we could not play golf.

To the committee for the 2020 year, quite a group it was, from a couple of newbies to members who had been around for 20-plus years. It was a group which had a common goal of leaving the club a better place than it had been the year before, which I am sure the new committee will also strive to do. So, to the outgoing committee, thank you. To you the members, it would be fantastic to see new blood take over a couple of major positions next year. If you are this person, we are willing to mentor anyone interested in helping

We have made some important improvements this year, in the continuation of the very popular newsletter, Stuart Brown, what a star you have been in our editor and chief on this, & later on, the website. We have spent some club funds bringing in MiScore, which though problematic at the start, is proving to be very popular. What a difference it has made to the committee members that volunteer for the morning and afternoon table.

What do I want to see as President for our club in 2020? Just like last year I want to see the club that we have now. I want a harmonious happy group of people who want to catch up with each other on a Sunday and/or Wednesday. This is a place where friendships grow between people who you may never have met before, but who you now enjoy being around, and who you look forward to playing golf with again. My aim is to still see the club grow back to the club we had a few years ago, with upwards of 40 players playing on both Sundays and Wednesdays. This was certainly made harder this year due to the pandemic, but we are seeing signs later this year where more people are looking to join a club like ours. We have the tools at our disposal now with the website and social media. We also have the word of mouth of our current members to promote our club.

I also look forward to working with the golf course to keep our relationship as good as it is now. Nigel and his team do a fantastic job in the day to day running of the course. The bar staff are always smiling and happy, even when we have had a rubbish day on the course. Wade and the team in the pro shop are always willing to be of assistance to us, whether it be lessons, help with new equipment, or to just generally have a laugh with us. The greenkeeping staff are to be applauded in giving us a course week in week out which is one of the best public courses in the State! They are all part of a team which wants to see our club succeed

In closing, there is not one member of our club who I do not enjoy playing golf with. You all have very different personalities, but that is what makes us such a great group of people.

I look forward to seeing every member on the course, hopefully on many occasions. Enjoy your golf, even when it feels like the golfing gods hate you. When you least expect it, they love you again, although usually only for a short time – but that’s why we love the game!!

Thank you. Kane Hurley

President, Peninsula Golf Club Inc