1.        Global warming may have its drawbacks but it is lovely to play golf in your shirt sleeves at the end of October! When there has been about 4 inches of rain in the area in the preceding week, it is even more gratifying that we had none during our Society day. In fact the Wildernesse course played quite beautifully and fully justified our decision to revisit it for a third time in three years.

2.        I seem to recall quite a few years ago that Ernie was instrumental in bringing Wildernesse to our attention and now we know why! He got 32 points on each of our last two visits in May 04 and October 05 but this time he was way ahead of those thoroughly respectable scores as he trotted in with a 39 to beat Alan Wardrop on countback. Ernie will not mind me saying that he is one of our elder brethren yet he keeps up a stream of consistent results. This was his 4^th BAGS day victory, the others being at Blackmoor in August '98, Betchworth in June 2000 and five months later at Woking. Well done Ernest and whatever you're on, please let us all have some!

3.        Just to prove the point the par 3 competition has Ernie leading from Peter R, sadly injured at the moment, so unless he plays the 3s really badly at Hankley or those just behind notch a birdie or two, that will be another trophy in the room devoted to them at his house in Lower Road!

4.        In the Chairman's and Treasurer's, Graham has a comfortable lead and though in the Treasurer's he could slip up and let Jon or Andy in, the Chairman's looks a safe bet as Andy would have to score 40+ at Hankley to win. Still, many of us remember Alan Winteridge's 44 in December 2000 at Leatherhead won him the Chairman's so anything is possible.

5.        Congratulations to the KO winners with Ian Marshall taking the Singles from Jon, Terry and Stuart overcoming Andrew and Steve in the Pairs and John Davies edging out Ernie on the 20^th in the Seniors. Steve Little is due to play Stuart in the Plate Final on Wednesday. The rain did its best to ruin Finals Day at Effingham but apart from the Plate the unfinished matches were eventually completed later in the month. Thanks again to Alan for organising the competitions.

6.        The Dartmouth tour was a great success with four interesting and varied courses providing a good test for the 31 participants. In brilliant weather we had some wonderful views, particularly at Bigbury and Churston, and it was particularly welcome to have an opportunity to see some of the coastal area, with Dartmouth proving a memorable excursion.  Our thanks to Gordon (in his own backyard for once) for his generous hospitality at his own Club and our congratulations again to Chris Presley on winning the Tour Cup by a massive eight points. I think all agreed that the new format involving a cut at the end of day two with a Plate competition for the NQs, worked an absolute treat and this format will be carried forward next year to Ireland.

7.        Talking of which we have 37 (including four guests) signed up for what promises to be an exciting programme with an opportunity to sample the delights of Cork and Kinsale. If you are not in the group whose flights have already been booked, please confirm your own arrangements but let me know what time you'll arrive in the Emerald Isle. Based on the weather at the recent Ryder Cup, our visit will be a good test of BAGS recent meteorlogical good fortune but let's hope the leprechauns are with us!

8.        You'll probably have seen by now details of January's Annual Dinner which next year will be at Tyrrells.  We are hoping to see at least 60 people on the night and trust that members will make a special effort to attend. This is the only regular event in our Calendar to which our ladies are invited so let's start 2007 off with a highly successful event in the attractive TW Clubhouse.

9.        You will very soon receive the Booking Form for the our 2007 programme but I can confirm one change to our published schedule which is that Worplesdon (was Oct 26) is being replaced by Hindhead (now Oct 25). We hope that Worplesdon (traditionally administratively difficult) will get their act together in time for us to pay them a visit in 2008.

10.      Great to see Ian Makepeace and Chris Bower playing again at the Wildernesse. We look forward to seeing Harry at the Hankley dinner and wish Keith Coughtrey a swift recovery from his current illness.

11.      Thanks to those who responded so quickly to my request for early payment of the Hankley fees. John and I are holding a financial meeting next Monday to plan next year and it will be much appreciated if all the money can be with us by then.

12.      Though it's several months before we hold the AGM, this is the time to consider if you would like to join the committee or help BAGS in some capacity or other. Hedley has kindly agreed to stand for VC in 2007 and we are grateful to him for this.

13.      My thanks to Roger for letting me have the Golf World supplement on the UK and Ireland's top 120 courses. I went through them and BAGS have played 30 or 25%. Not bad in 13 years!

B.A.G.S. STABLEFORD COMPETITION RESULT 18 HOLES

  WILDERNESSE - 26^TH OCTOBER 2006

 

POSITION	PLAYER	POINTS
1	Brian DRAKE	41	Guest Winner
2	Jason BETTINSON	40	Guest
3	Ernie HARRIS	39	BAGS Winner - Countback
4	Alan WARDROP	39
5	Roger BOYCHUK	38
6	Andrew McCAFFERY	37
7	Alan BELL	36
=	Jon STEVENSON	36
=	Jonathan GOODAY	36	Guest
10	Nigel JOHNSON	35
=	Steve LITTLE	35
12	Steve WALTERS	34
13	Mike CHRISTIESON	33
=	Richard DAKIN	33
=	Peter LAMBERT	33
=	Gordon PHILLIPS	33
=	Frank HALL	33	Guest
=	Ian BARRETT	33	Guest
19	Dave CHRISTIE	32
20	Jim CATTERMOLE	31
=	John HAWLEY	31
=	Brian LONGHURST	31
=	Graham WRIGHT	31
24	Hedley GREATBATCH	30
25	John HARTNETT	29
26	Simon CHEUNG	28
=	Terry HULME	28
=	Russell JOHNSON	28
=	Ian MAKEPEACE	28
=	Ray MARSHALL	28
=	Rod STAFFORD	28
32	Mike CORLISS	27
=	David JACKSON	27
=	Alan TWORT	27
35	Steve BOND	26
=	Roy JENNINGS	26
=	Glenn WARD	26
38	Peter BARKHAM	25
=	Chris ROMAIN	25
40	Kevin HAWKINS	24	Guest
=	John BREAME	24	Guest
42	Chris BOWER	23
=	George WALDEN	23
44	Robin SEWELL	22
=	Brian WYNN	22
46	Roger HAYES	21	Guest
47	Andy BOND	20
=	Terry TAYLOR	20
49	Steve ROUT	17
50	Alan SPRIGGS	16	Guest
51	Keith GATFORD	15
	Derek PYE	10	Retired