Fellow Seniors,

Welcome to the December newsletter.

A number of our seniors are either receiving treatment, been operated on, or due to have surgery in the near future. I would like to wish you all well and speedy recoveries.

It’s that time of year when we head into the winter months and whatever conditions the weather throws at us. Thus far, the course has been very receptive and the greens are still in excellent condition. Hopefully, this will continue and enable us to play the Yuletide scramble on December 11th. For well documented reasons, this will also feature my delayed drive-in. Third time lucky! Thanks everyone for your guesses and sweep donations. There are still spaces left in the scramble, which once again, will raise money for the Sudbury Storehouse Foodbank. Please ask for details, should you wish to make a donation.

Whenever we play a team competition, we usually have a number ofpeople who do not have sufficient cards in their record to enable them to participate competitively, quite often for genuine reasons. It is though, worth reminding you to use every opportunity to submit a card for handicap purposes. This could be when you are playing in the weekly swindle, a game at another course, or just a casual round with friends on a Friday morning. It’s easy to do on England Golf, or ClubV1 and prevents issues at competition time.

I would like to end by wishing you and your loved ones a great Christmas time, wherever you may be and whatever you are doing.

Kevin Price

Senior Captain 2025

Disclaimer: The following is a light-hearted review of the previous month’s events. No offence is intended, I hope none is taken!

Full (formal) information can always be found on the senior’s website www.stokeseniors.com

All club information can be found at www.sbngolfmembers.co.uk

Greetings fellow Seniors – this is my first newsletter, and I hope I can match the excellent epistles previously prepared by our new captain Mr Price.

If nothing else, November will be remembered for the Captain’s Non-Drive In. Having fallen victim to Covid, the scheduled 4th November date was postponed until the Stableford competition on 27th. Had this competition been played on any other day of that week, there would have been no problem, however the heavens opened overnight and anyone driving to the club in the morning would have realised the writing was on the wall as they glanced over to the waterlogged greens. Channelling his inner Michael Fish, KP sent the following message the previous evening: “There is a bit of light rain forecast from 08:00”.

The intention is now to have the drive in just prior to the Yuletide Scramble on 11th December. Let’s hope that a cold snap featuring snow predicted for mid December holds off until at least the 12th and that Sir Bob Filer’s observation, that an anagram of the captain’s name is “I pick Never”, doesn’t materialise.  

Speaking of the Yuletide Scramble, please try and support this event: it’s a drawn competition with a shotgun start, so just put your name down for any available slot and the teams will be drawn closer to the date.

Returning to the 4th November Stableford, congratulations to Alan Finlayson and Mike Clare, winners of the respective divisions. And well played Stuart Lawson, a new member of the Seniors, for his 2ndplace in Division 2.

The following week saw the Hi-Lo Pairs greensome competition taking place. Although conditions appeared good, only one pair, Ian McKay and Adrian Beckinsale, managed to better handicap, with 38 points, two ahead of Eric Fisher and John Crane with 36. The new Vice Captain managed to drag previous week’s winner Mike Clare down to near the foot of the table.

An early start to Christmas took place on 25th November as the Seniors took on the Lady Vets. After the 2023 event had to be cancelled due to bad weather (just as well this year’s renewal wasn’t scheduled for the 27th), 16 pairs took part in the 13 hole (1-9, 10-11 and 17-18) greensome competition on the Gainsborough. Congratulations to Gordon Bryan and Lesley Hitchcock, who triumphed with a score of 28 points.

We have one new member to welcome in November, Mark Willis. I hope you enjoy your membership of the section.  

Many Happy Returns to all members who have their birthdays in December.

There’s not a great deal of competitive action in December but please check the website for details.

As always, If anyone wishes to share any “amusing” stories with me for the next newsletter, this can be done anonymously, or otherwise, by emailing grahamcork@outlook.com .