Now that February has arrived quite a few members have returned for the winter along with several new members, so we’re now over 170! A very respectable number, which means that the Monday, Wednesday and Friday competitions are sometimes full with 40 players. We will be able to increase the number of participants starting in the autumn but, for now, that’s our limit. It’s therefore very important to sign up on the Clapphouse app as soon as possible to ensure you get a space. It’s also why we’ve had to restrict all members to only bring one guest per competition and limit every guest to play only twice until the end of April (regardless of who brings them), so all members get a chance to play.
Sometimes we still have the ongoing issue of slow play, where rounds can take 5 hours or more. This is just UNACCEPTABLE, and everyone is responsible to ensure you keep up with the group in front. The marshals have been instructed to help in this regard, as management don’t want slow play from the members interfering with the green fee players behind us so, if you’ve lost a hole or more, you may be asked to pick up and move on to the next hole to speed play up with the resulting loss of score on that/those holes, so be warned.
To ensure you keep pace PLEASE:
1) Mark/enter your score at the next tee not by the green.
2) Under the rules of golf, you’re only allowed 3 minutes to search for a ball, so move quickly and play a provisional, if you think it might be lost.
3) Also, under the rules of golf, you MUST play ready golf and not wait around for a player, if they’re not ready to play. Have your club in your hand ready to play while another player is taking their shot.
All players are expected to complete the course in 4 ½ hours or less and we don’t want to have to impose penalties for not doing so.
The Knockout Matches are being played with good progress, so please keep it up. Men’s Interclub matches are about to start again, and the sign-up sheets are now on the board.
We’ve had some much-needed rain in the last couple of weeks, which has helped the course enormously, but not nearly enough to lift any of the water restrictions on the course or on the population. Lots and lots more is needed. We can’t even put water in the ball washers on the buggies, it’s that bad!
I look forward to seeing you all soon!
Roger Kemp
Marbella Golf Captain
