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THE BALTRAY BULLETIN Dear Members, It has now been just over 7 months since I joined the club and it has been an honor getting to know you all and getting a real goodsense of how the club operates. 2023 was a year of change for the club and a lot of progress was made. There were certainly manylearnings realised as well, which will stand to the club going forward. For me on a personal and professional level it was quite a challenging year and unfortunately this meant that I was not out of myoffice meeting you as much as I would have liked to and also unfortunately missed a number of key member events due to personalcircumstances. The aspect of the job I feel is critical for me is being out and about in the club, getting the chance to see you in personand able to have a discussion about anything that may be happening and be available to help you wherever I can. Taking above into account and having to deal with some ongoing personal commitments with family support, I have now changed myworking week to be Tuesday – Saturday for the next couple of months. This means that I will be in the club on a weekend day andhopefully get to see more members that may not be around during the week which I am very much looking forward to. During theweek I will be working from home on two of the days and it is important to me that you know I am still available even if you do not seeme in person in the club. If there is anything you do need and I am not available in person for whatever reason, please do not hesitateto contact me via email ryan@countylouthgolfclub.com or please do feel free to ring me on my mobile on 0833171696 duringworking hours and I will be more than happy to help where I can. Finally, may I wish you all the very best for the upcoming golfing season, the year is shaping up to be great! There will be loads of golfand member events, as well as some nice small improvements along the way, especially with communications, which I hope you willreally enjoy. Kind regards, Ryan Donagher General Manager FEBRUARY 2024 - BALTRAY BULLETIN EDITION 8News in this editionUpdate from Management CommitteeLadies Club NewsMens Club News Junior Club NewsClub SustainabilityWHS Handicap changes
Update from the Management CommitteeLooking forward to the season ahead it is with great pleasure to confirm the 2024 Management Committee along with thecontact email addresses for each person should you ever need to make contact with any of the particular committeemembers. 2024 Management Committee Position Name Contact Chairman Michael Kierans chairman@countylouthgolfclub.comCaptain Martin Healy captain@countylouthgolfclub.comLady Captain Fleur McCloskey ladycaptain@countylouthgolfclub.comVice Captain Ricky Morgan vicecaptain@countylouthgolfclub.comLady Vice Captain Karen Healy ladyvicecaptain@countylouthgolfclub.comHonorary Treasurer Seamus Keenan honorarytreasurer@countylouthgolfclub.comHonorary Secretary Barrie Breen honorarysecretary@countylouthgolfclub.comCourse Convenor Fred Hoey courseconvenor@countylouthgolfclub.comJunior Convenor Linda McGuire juniorconvenor@countylouthgolfclub.comHouse Convenor Brian McClean houseconvenor@countylouthgolfclub.comThe committee had their first monthly meeting on January 25th and have begun work on a number of key items. The firstand most important piece of work that is ongoing is reviewing a Committee Handbook that was being worked on from lastyear which clearly defines each positions role and responsibility along with terms of reference for any sub committees.This gives everyone great clarity of the expectations of each role and how everything comes together to ensure goodgovernance and clarity for all involved to ensure the club is run to the best of standards on behalf of all members. Upgrade of Memberships and New Members:As communicated towards the back end of lastyear there were some spaces available forcurrent 5 day members to upgrade to fullmembership, this process has now beencompleted and the members who weresuccessful based on seniority have beennotified. The process for admitting new 5 day members isstill ongoing, there was a large amount ofapplications for a limited number of spaces andthe review of applicants and next phase of theprocess is underway. Annual Subscriptions:Invoices have been issued to all existingmembers and it would be appreciated ifmembers would pay membership fees as soonas possible. 131st Annual General Meeting:Motions and issues raised at the recent AGM are now beingreviewed and prepared for implementation – a dedicatedcommunication in relation to the actions taken following the131st Annual General Meeting will be issued to update allmembers on progress and actions being taken. Members Communicating With Club Staff We would like to remind members that any engagementdirectly with club staff on any issues that you may have,must be done politely and with respect. To ensure improvedcommunications and ensure that any feedback you have isrelayed to the Management Committee, please write to theGeneral Manager or the relevant Convenor.Course UpdateA separate update report from Course Manager, WayneMurray will be issued shortly. Important update to the first tee time of the day from April onwards Following member feedback and in consultation with Course Manager, Wayne Murray the Course Convenor andGeneral Manager have agreed a change to the first tee time of the day which we believe will be a great move forwardfor all members and course maintenance requirements. Tuesday – Sunday first tee time of the day will be 7am. All play MUST begin from the 1st tee. The 10th tee will thenbe open from 8am-9am for 9 hole bookings. The first tee off time of the day on all Mondays excluding bank holidays and any special events will be 9am fromthe 1st tee and the 10th tee will be available from 9am-10am for 9 hole bookings. We hope that this change will be well received by members and ask that all members kindly adhere to the rules,ensuring that you book your tee time in advance and start from the applicable tee. This will help to ensure a safe workenvironment for all course staff as well as allowing all necessary course set up maintenance tasks to be completed sothat you can enjoy the course at its best.
New Swing Room Now Open!! Update from the Ladies Committee Looking forward to the season ahead it is with great pleasure we confirm the 2024 Ladies Committee. 2024 Ladies Committee Position Name Lady President Elizabeth Hall Lady Captain Fleur McCloskeyLady Vice Captain Karen Healy Honorary Secretary Miriam McQuillan Honorary Treasurer Liz McCormackHonorary Competition Secretary Carlos McDowell Honorary H/Cap Secretary Orla Briscoe Ex Officio Marie Maguire Committee Member Suzanne Kierans Committee Member Ciara MooreCommittee Member Carol O’NeillCommittee Member Eileen Garvey Prize Presentation EveningThe 1st Ladies Presentation of 2024 will be on 27th February for the Winter League, 18 and 9 Holes Competitions Prizes.There will be food before the Presentation and music after, it is a great way to meet and get to know other lady members. Dates for the Ladies DiariesCaptains Drive In - Saturday 23rd MarchLady Captain’s Day is over 2 Days - Tuesday 9th and Saturday 13th JulyLady President’s Prize - Tuesday 20th AugustMens Captain’s Prize to the Ladies - Date TBCMr President's Prize to the Ladies - 21st MayLady Captain’s Dinner - Saturday 2nd NovemberXmas Lunch - Tuesday 17th DecemberSheila Walsh Trophy (CLGC Hosting) 11th June 2024 Spring Foursomes The book for putting your name down is now out in the ladies locker room.The North Leinster Ladies Alliance Despite the wet and it being very cold, 69 ladies played on 29th January and it was very much enjoyed by all! Donor BookThe donor book is still open in the ladies locker room. For those that have kindly put their names down, thank you. If youcould kindly put the money in an envelope with their name in the box opposite locker 3 as soon as possible. This would begreatly appreciated by those organising prizes during the year.
Go Cashless Where Possible In an effort to improve theoverall security of the club,the Management Committeekindly ask all members andguests to please use yourDebit/Credit card forpayments. Please DO NOT use cashwhen making paymentswherever possible. Thank You for your supportof this safety initiative!
The Men’s Committee have completed the first meeting of the year following the AGM in January and are pleased towelcome both Martin Carr and John Kinsella as Co-Opted members following the resignations of Michael Kierans andBrian Fox. We look forward to a very successful year ahead and wish Eric Yelverton every success in his new role asHandicap Secretary. Looking forward to the season ahead it is with great pleasure we confirm the 2024 Men’s Committee. 2024 Men’s Committee Position Name President Mark Kierans Captain Martin Healy Vice Captain Ricky Morgan Honorary Secretary Billy Gavin SnrHonorary Competition Secretary Ken MorganHonorary H/Cap Secretary Eric Yelverton Committee Member Gerard Dunne Committee Member Mark McGuirkCommittee Member John Kinsella Committee Member Martin Carr Presentation Evening Following the conclusion of the of the first half of the winter league year a most enjoyable scramble and prize giving washeld on the 23rd December and well done to all participants and winners.Inter ClubWith the longer days fast approaching we look forward to getting started with Team Managers and encourage anymembers who wish to represent the club to come forward and participate in what is a most enjoyable experience. Thisyear, if you would like to put your name forward to be considered for a team, you can do so via the County Louth App onyour membership account. Simply Select the Menu on the top right of the screen and your will then see “Teams” as anoption and this is where you can register your interest for the team you are interested in.Updates from the Mens CommitteeSwing RoomThe swing room is a fabulous asset to the club, and wenow encourage member participation – Scott and histeam are ready and waiting for you to speak to them tomake a booking to enjoy the facility. From playing golf onone of thousands of courses to getting a lesson using thelatest Trackman technology to getting Custom fit for newclubs that are perfectly matched to you. For all bookings and detail please ask any member of thepro shop team and they will be happy to help.
Updates from The Junior Committee Looking forward to the season ahead it is with great pleasure we confirm the 2024 Junior Committee.
Updates from The Junior Committee Take the hassle out for parkingwith a guaranteed parking spacefor 2024. The Junior Committee are raffling aparking space beside the officersparking bay for the JuniorDevelopment fund i.e. Equipment fortraining, the Junior Hub andDevelopment days. This raffle will take place in Mid-February, tickets will be sold in the Pro-Shop €5 euros per ticket or five ticketsfor €20.Well done to EllenO’Shaughnessy who wonthe U18 Irish Girls Order ofMerit Cup.Well done to Gavin Tiernanand Jack Mckenna who werealso Leinster Order of Meritwinners!An extremely popular andsuccessful three weeks ofswing room coaching withour PGA Professional. More sessions are comingsoon..... It's great to see theJuniors getting ready for thebusy season ahead. And that’s a wrap for theWinter Girls Camp 2024Great fun was had as can beseen below!JUNIOR WINTER LEAGUE *KINDLY SPONSORED BY HIBERNIASTEEL PRODUCTS LtdHeading into Day 7 with full timesheets. The Junior committee are veryproud of our juniors for braving the weather. Thank you to Nav and his teamfor supplying the much needed hot chocolate.
Sustainability Focus!The House Subcommittee continues to work on advancing proposals to address leaks through the buildingfabric and establish cost estimates for necessary repairs. We are also evaluating the implementation of somefire safety upgrades for the Clubhouse. We hope to have a comprehensive update for members soon.In parallel, an Environmental Sustainability Working Group (ESWG) has been established. It is madeup of 5 members, Des Rogers (energy Co Ordinator) Fred Greene, Conor O’Shea, Marian Agrios and OrlaDoherty. The early focus of the ESWG is energy and to explore opportunities to make the golf club moreenergy efficient. However, we are equally aware of the threats posed to society and future generations byclimate change. Therefore, in doing our research, we are looking at an approach which is “good for the golfclub, and good for the environment”.Over the months ahead the ESWG will be developing a Sustainability Plan for the Club. The intent is to setclear, measurable, and realistic objectives to ensure our Club is optimizing energy efficiency, effectivelymanaging waste, and preserving our natural heritage by preventing the misuse and contamination of naturalspaces. The approach is to fully assess and understand the status quo. Expert resources are available at little orno cost to do this, and when our current energy status has been fully investigated, it is hoped to makerecommendations towards greater energy efficiency and sustainability. In doing so, full use will be made ofavailable grants so that the suggestions should be both environmentally and economically sound.Steps to date.The first step taken was to engage a SEAI accredited energy surveyor to conduct a formal energy audit andtheir summary findings are below. (data is 2019/20 i.e., pre COVID). The second step was to draw up a formalenergy statement, which the management committee has now endorsed, outlining our policy regarding energyconsumption and pointing the club towards the path of being environmentally sustainable. The next step is forthe ESWG to present a summary position at a members information evening in February or March coveringthe following topics: A technical overview of club mechanical/electrical systems and their respective energy usages Opportunities to mitigate that usage and be more cost effective while doing so. Grant opportunities to assist with capital expenditure funding. Exploring “green” term loan capital from lending institutes Interact with Golf Ireland and other clubs to collaborate in our findings/lessons /their experience.Informing members/staff/ franchise operators/suppliers on how the club is seeking their help in achievingbetter environmental performance.Early opportunities and likely indicative costs and resultant savings.I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the excellent work being done by my fellow HouseSubcommittee members in progressing matters within the Clubhouse that require immediate action, and ourSustainability Working Group in developing our sustainability strategy for the future.Brian McCleanHouse Convenor
Reminder: 2024 WHS Updates such as the below come into effect in Ireland on 1st April 2024.Improvements have been made to the method used to handle Holes Not Played, which will be based on aplayer’s expected score rather than a score of net par. When one or more holes have not been played, thismethod takes your Score Differential for the holes you did play and combines it with an expected ScoreDifferential for the holes you did not play, based on the scoring pattern of players with the same HandicapIndex as you. This new method will produce an 18-hole Score Differential that more accurately reflects a player’s ability. The procedure for calculating a Score Differential using an expected score can be summarised as follows: 1. An expected Score Differential for the hole or holes not played is calculated, based on a given HandicapIndex and a course of standard difficulty. 2. A Score Differential for the holes played is calculated using the player’s actual scores and the rating value ofthe holes played. 3. The Score Differential from the holes played is combined with the expected Score Differential to produce an18-hole Score Differential. 4. For 9-hole rounds - An 18-hole Score Differential is created by combining the 9-hole Score Differential forthe 9 holes played with the player’s expected score over 9 holes. This method can also be used for a competition over a non-standard number of holes, for example, 12 or 14hole competitions. Set up the competition as normal and ask your players to fill in the remaining holes as‘Hole Not Played’ on the computer terminal.Short Course RatingsThere has been a reduction in the overall length requirements for Course Rating. A set of tees on an 18-hole course may be as short as 1,500 yards to be eligible for a Course Rating and SlopeRating, with a set of tees on a nine-hole course allowed to be as short as 750 yards. This change is intended to expand the World Handicap System to shorter length courses, including par-3courses, to enable more golfers to obtain and use a Handicap Index.Annual Handicap Review The annual handicap review took place toward the end of last year and any members affected have beennotified. WHS Handicap UpdatesA Detailed Rules of Handicapping - Player Reference Guide isavailable in the documents section of your membershipaccount on the County Louth App and Online.