reflections on the 2018/2019 club season

A season of new ideas and new achievements!

The 2018/2019 Season of the Cha-Am Golf Club has come to an end as many of our Members make their way back to their home countries and yet another summer! 
 
The Management Committee takes this opportunity to wish them well and trust that they will return as soon as they are able to enjoy more Thai hospitality and more great golf on our famous regional golf courses.
 
“Famous’ is an appropriate description with our region reclaiming the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO)’s Award for Golf Destination of the Year for Asia 2019.
 
A Season of New Ideas and New Achievements!
At the end of 2018 the Club had 58 active Members.  This may seem far below past seasons but really reflects a change in arrangements with visiting players in the annual Wirkola Cup.  The Club continues to have a very positive relationship with these players and was able to join in playing arrangements during the season.
 
Apart from standard formats for Stableford and Stroke rounds, the inclusion of more social events such as Texas Scramble and 3 clubs and a putter proved popular with players looking for some novelty element in their round.
 
A feature of the Club’s away game and 2 round championship was a day/night format under lights at the Pinehurst Golf Course. Congratulations go the ‘masters’ of this event with Tore Wirkola as the incoming Club Champion and the Ladies Champion, Lene Rosenstand.
 
The Club has always welcomed players new to the game of golf.  This season included instruction and practice sessions; well attended as a confidence and skills boost to some of our newest Members.
 
The Club now has its own banners to display and promote the Club at golf courses where we play.
 
Providing Members with best deals to play golf is a constant quest for the Club which last season included pre purchasing vouchers when they were on offer, including at ‘expos in Bangkok which were auctioned along with a Mercedes golf bag as just another Membership advantage. 
 
Management Committee Matters
At the January 2019 Annual General Meeting a requirement for a nomination fee of 500 THB for new Members was removed and the Annual Fee of 1,000 THB remains the only requirement for all Members.  Outgoing Committee Member Kolbjørn Moe was replaced by Bjørn Braaten who joins the other Committee Members now actively involved in planning the 2019/2020 Season:
 
Your current Management Committee is: Hans Ewalts (President), Rogeir Heimstad (Captain), Paul Graff (Treasurer) and David Watson (Secretary), Bjørn Braaten (Member).
 
Kolbjørn rightfully received the accolades of all Members for his very active involvement in Club activities, including training sessions. He has now been awarded a Certificate of Appreciation from the Club.
 
A hole in one at the Club event earlier on the day of the AGM at Kaeng Krachan by Roar Løvseth was also acknowledged with a Certificate of Achievement now available for him to boast about this great feat.
 
Expenditure of Club Charity funds that had accumulated over several years proved to be a very satisfying achievement with local school children now enjoying a renovated playground and Stray Dogs Cha-Am funded to steralise and vaccinate around 80 soi dogs to make a real difference to the dangers of stray dogs in town. 
 
The Club was also able to hand over a 10,000 THB contribution for the stray dog project from the Cha-Am Bridge Club and help to facilitate collection boxes at business premises.
 
An animal clinic providing free treatment for rescued dogs is about to open very close to Cha-Am and may be the focus of future charity funding as a Club contribution to our community.
 
Facebook & Website
The Club’s Facebook page and website have greatly improved in recent years.  Further improvements are still needed.  Comments about a need for additional photographs and video content have been noted.
 
Importantly information about significant changes to the Rules of Golf which can into effect from January 1st this year is featured and should be considered by all Members.
 
Maintaining, upgrading and uploading content is another voluntarily task for Management Committee Members.  There is no paid website manager, photographer or Facebook manager!  Members are always welcome to post their own appropriate Facebook content; why not you?
 
These portals have become a most important source of information about Club activities, regional golf opportunities and more.  You will soon find this Report posted online along with photos from the year.
 
Please like and follow www.facebook.com/chaamgolfclub/ and visit www.chaamgolfclub.com
 
What Did You Enjoy the Most and how Can the Club Continue To Improve?
Continual improvement is the goal of all good organisations and Clubs and we are no exception!  Please take the opportunity to reflect on the past Season and think about the answers to these questions:
 
Ø    How could your experience as a Member be made better?
Ø    Are there Club events that you would like more of / less of?
Ø    Are there golf courses that you would like to play on more/less? (consider cost differences) 
Ø    Do you have any new ideas for the Club?
Ø    Are you willing to assist the Club in any way either on or off the golf course?
 
Finally from President Hans;
“I would like to thank everybody who’s worked with me on the board during the past year that I have been President of the club. It has been a pleasure to see how these people again and again commit themselves to the club without self-interest to create the conditions for its members to be part of this wonderful club.  My sincere thanks and admiration for this; thank you all!