Hi everyone,

A few weeks ago, on a blog, I talked about celebrating. I hope that you have remembered to do that. No matter how big or small the achievement is – CONGRATULATIONS! Give yourselves a massive pat on the back. Times are hard and sometimes sad, but you are still there striving. Congratulations to all of you for keeping the rules and being part of a very special episode in our Club’s history. Thank you for your support. You could not have done it better.

Can you believe that the blog has reached double figures? I hope that you have had a good week and have been enjoying this lovely weather. If you have played golf, then I hope that you have had a great round. And if you have sprayed the ball everywhere, then welcome to my world. And that is on a good day.

If you are still at home, I hope that you are staying safe, and loving this Mediterranean sunshine. When we all get back together, we will look as though we have been on the Costa del Sol for a month. Not worth going away now, even if we could. We should have been coming back from Mallorca this week. We have rented the same house for a few years and the family who own it are like our family. They have sent us a photo of them sitting on OUR patio drinking tea. Rub it in why don’t you? We hope that we will be there next year, but not sure if we will be able to afford the flights.

Another busy week in the life of Leek Golf Club. Every day on the course is virtually full, and many members are now playing for the second, third and fourth time.

After the weekend, the volunteers will no longer be on the car park. What a wonderful job they have done. Please continue to park prettily and do not take any risks. There will be a table at the top of the car park and a running order will be on it. Please remember to book in with Greg when you arrive. And please, do not arrive until 10 minutes before your tee off time. If you do, then please remain in your car until the allotted time. Do not be tempted to gather on the car park.

Please remember to take your litter home as the bins are still out of action. Thanks to Kev Perkin, we now have a tap on the 11th, so you can fill your water bottles up there. And, last thing on this, please keep reading the safety measures. They will become a habit.

I had a phone call from Hilary Tovell on Monday. She had received my hug and was sending one back over the telephone lines. How lovely is that? Back at you Hilary. She also rang to tell me that Win May has died at the age of 92. Win, who was a member for 35 years, was 80 when I was Lady Captain and I took her a bouquet of flowers from the Ladies’ Section. She was so thrilled, and I was so pleased that we had done it. She remained a house member until just a few years ago.

We are also sad to announce that Brian Louis Smith from Werrington has passed away this week at Tree Tops Nursing Home on May 16th. Brian had been a member at Leek for over 40 years.

Our love goes to their families and friends at this sad time. We are thinking of you.

Andy de Caso and his friends completed their 101mile bike ride for the Dougie Mac in under 5 hours. Great job Andy and friends. The total amount donated is now over £1000, to a wonderful cause, Well done, and proud does not even come close. Have a look on the website for photographs.

Another massive achievement is the hole in one by Bo Robinson this week on the 4th hole. Your timing was impeccable Bo.

I have been watching the news for what feels like forever. And when I am completely Coronavirused out, I enjoy looking at the rooms where people are being interviewed. It is usually their ‘study’. Now that is posh. Have you noticed their bookshelves? Do you think that they are a barometer of the level of intelligence of the owner? Robert Peston’s shelves go on forever, and they are not that tidy. Do you think that he has read every book? There could be a Dandy Annual or Roy of the Rovers in there somewhere. Or do you think that they collect the books from all over the house to fill up what would normally be a blank space? I end up turning sideways and upside down to try and read the titles. Have a look and see what titles you can come up with.

One interviewee had the kettle behind them this week. Now you are talking. A brew is far more important.

As we are now moving into Phase 2 of normality – well I think that we are, I wonder if you still want to receive the Blogs. I am happy to keep writing them, if you keep sending me your news, or if there is something funny that has happened. But I only want to do them for as long as you want them. If you have had enough, that is fine; if you want to continue, that is fine too. Just let me know.

Well, that is about it for this week. So, take good care and look after each other.

Stay safe,

Nel

NB. Thank you to everyone for complying with the rules at the Club. A number of minor incidents have occurred where members have taken it upon themselves to address issues of non-compliance themselves. Please do not do this. Any issues regarding non-compliance should not be addressed by members and must be reported to the office or the Professional. Thank you for your cooperation.

Nel

The Dougie Mac Bike Ride for 2020 had to be cancelled due to Coronavirus. Our Member Andy De Caso and friends never the less completed the challenge virtually. 

They have raised over £1000 in online donations. What a fantastic result!

Andy says "we are all very grateful to those that have contributed. We were in the saddle for 4hrs 53 minutes and completed the full 101 miles only stopping for a 5 minute natural break and to change my shirt. It was tough going at times but the group worked hard together messaging each other throughout the duration of the ride to keep everyone supported and motivated to finish.

All at Leek Golf Club are very proud of your achievements. Well done. 

Hi to everyone who has played this week, and hi to everyone who is still at home, including me.

These blogs are for everyone, and I totally respect your decision to do what is right for you. The main thing is that you stay safe. I am sending hugs again, and particularly to Hilary Tovell. We have a hug whenever we see each other, but as we cannot do that, there is one flying over the ether to you, Hilary.

I think some of you who are over 70 may be unsure about playing or not. England Golf have said: ‘This decision is down to the individual golfer. The advice for clinically vulnerable groups remains the same. If you are in this group you are advised to stay at home as much as possible and, if you do go out, take particular care to minimise contact with others outside your household.’ Whatever you do, do not take any risks, and do what is right for you. Make sure that you stay safe. When you are ready, it will be great to see you at the Club (whenever that is right for me too), but in the meantime, you are just going to have to put up with the blog. Sorry.

It has been an unbelievably busy week at the Club, and everyone has worked their socks off to get everything open and rocking. With very little time, in fact no time to prepare, I am astounded, shocked, and humbled by the work and effort put in by all concerned to get play underway by the safest means possible. Every single member of staff: officers, office, Professional and greens, and every volunteer has had an essential role to play, and I for one, will never forget the energy and commitment which has gone into making all this possible. Wow, what an amazing bunch I have been working with. I am very lucky to be a small slice of it. Thank you. There have been very few spaces on the course, but It has been painless as you have wholeheartedly played your part by adhering to the rules and following all the instructions. Just cannot describe how good it has all been. BRS has been a real bonus and I hope that you think so too. It has made all our lives much easier, and I hope that you have found online booking to be a stroll in the park. Karen, Tracey and Greg, have been assisting members to log on, and from then on, it is away you go. One of the many things that Greg has been doing. He has been juggling 17 balls in the air all week. I do not know how he has done it, but nothing has been too much trouble, and I know that the players have received the best possible service. Good job Greg.

New member Stuart Dick had his very first round of golf this week. Welcome to Leek Stuart, I hope that it lived up to all expectations.

George Tatton, did it again; for the seventh year running George’s first visit back to Leek resulted in a score which was less than his age. You are a remarkable man George and Happy Birthday too.

Andy de Caso cycled miles for the Dougie Mac yesterday. A tremendous cause and a tremendous effort too.

The Police came to visit on Friday. Under normal circumstances that would have been a bit of a worry. But they thought that we were doing a grand job. Do not know how they saw anything, considering Jayne would not let them on the car park. Well, they were not booked in, so there was no way. They also apologised for coming in through the wrong gate. I call that a result. Those volunteers, they are terrific.

I am sending out a plea: it would appear that we have a quantity of low flying golf balls on the course. Some players may be a bit rusty and have not swung a club for a while. I am thinking though, that whilst we have been in lockdown that your voices have had quite a lot of exercise. So, if you hit a wayward shot, then please shout immediately. Do not wait to see where the ball is going, if in any doubt yell, and yell loudly. If you think that it would be useful, Greg has had the all clear to start teaching again, so you can book in with him and Jacob for lessons on 01538 384767. Long play teaching times are limited, because the 2 balls come thick and fast on the 16th, and those lessons have to be early. But bookings for: short play, pitching, putting, and bunker practice are much more flexible. So, if you want to have a warmup before you play or having played you think that you wished you had picked up a club more often during lockdown, then give them a ring. I put my clubs in the car before the 23rd March, and I am appalled to say that they are still there. Well, I have been busy!

For everyone still at home, please get in touch on nbdirector@leekgolfclub.co.uk and let me know what you have been doing. My skipping is not getting any better, but I think that I may have solved the problem. My rope is too long! Do you believe that? No, neither do I, but I am improving, a little bit, and I am blaming the rope for my ineptitude. The tap dancing has hit the buffers. It is a bit boring, or it may be that the teacher on the DVD is so uninspiring. She really irritates me. I have the concentration span of a gnat, so cannot really believe that I am still writing blogs and still enjoying it.

Our village is starting to get busier. It has been heaven on a plate with no-one around, and I have been able to walk up the middle of the road and listen to the birds. I am going to really miss it. Walkers are starting to appear, and although the pub is still not open, the roads are filling up. The reservoir is still closed, but people park their cars and then we do not see them for two hours, so I think that they must be getting onto the footpaths somehow.

I am still very worried about Coronavirus. We are so not out of the woods, and there is still a chance that we may get put back into lockdown. Please do not take any chances and follow all the guidelines.

Take good care of each other and until next week,

Nel

Hi everyone,

Things are certainly now moving on very quickly. And although we have planned as much as we can, we may have to alter some arrangements to accommodate opening pretty fast, if that happens.

I am writing this before Boris says his bit on Sunday, so if parts are a bit ‘What???’ then you know why.

A very busy week. It is really important to keep all you lovely members in touch with everything that is happening. Much of the time we are not sure either. I wrote to George Tatton this week, saying that my crystal ball was in for overhaul, as I cannot predict what will happen next.

I have heard from Andy de Caso. He and a friend should have been doing a 101mile bike ride on the roads for the Dougie Mac this coming Sunday 17th May. Because they cannot do this, they are going to ride virtually, with all the ups and downs of the real route. If you would like to help, then please contact him. Good luck Andy, we shall be thinking of you.

I love to hear that so many of you have set up WhatsApp groups. You probably know each other better now than you did when you just played golf. How great is that? I hope that you are organising your golf groups so that you can book in on BRS. I am so thrilled that members are keeping in touch. I love being part of this community. My golf group send each other videos, and silly pictures. One of the early ones is still my favourite. It is ‘I am sending you a virtual hug’. How true, please accept it from me.

I had a great email from my old friend Don Eardley on Monday. He says, ‘Things must be bad when the only thing I have to look forward to is the Monday morning blog!’ Thanks Don… I think.

Then, to cap it all, our very own Tracey Johnson sent me a video of her daughter skipping like a professional. She was so good, and I am so impressed. My excuse is that Tracey’s daughter is 16. Mind you, I am up to 18 skips, so there is some improvement. That is not to say there is not room for plenty more.

I hope that you received the Safety Measures document on Thursday and read it and thoroughly digested it too! Sorry it is like War and Peace, but we have had to try and cover every eventuality. If there are any questions you would like to ask, then we could set up a question and answer section, and we will do our best to solve your query.

Word of warning do not play emojis with Kev Perkin. I set up a challenge with him this week and lost badly. In fact, I should not have started. He won with the moving ball actually dropping in the hole, and in colour. I cannot compete with that, and so I am going to practice and see what I can come up with. Congratulations Kev and get ready for round 2.

Finally, a very big thank you to our Captain, Arthur Doherty, who has purchased a bottle of sanitiser for every single member. Thank you so much Mr. Captain. What a star you are. We will get them to the Club as quickly as possible so that they are ready for you when we open. Please can I remind members though, if you feel that you need a mask or gloves, then please bring them with you, as sourcing them now is difficult.

You are likely to hear from me quite often from now on; yes, I know, but I have SO much to tell you. Bear with the Leek Golf Club team. We just want to look after you.

Until the next episode, take good care of yourselves, and stay safe you special people.

Nel

Hi everyone,

Trying to forecast what the Prime Minister is going to say on Sunday is a bit like knitting fog. So, we are trying to put together plans for if he says ‘yes’ to golf or ‘no’ to golf or ‘not yet’ to golf.

We wanted to let you know how we are going to proceed and how we are going to keep you notified.

Let us make this quite clear, until we get the permission from our Governing Body to open our course, then we are closed.

We will keep you updated on everything we know, so please keep checking your emails to see if you have had anything new. These may start to come thick and fast. And if you have had a new message, then please ensure that members who do not have this facility know what the news is.

Our plan of action on Sunday is going to be: -

• We are going to have a Zoom meeting after the Prime Minister’s speech. If he says that we are in lockdown for some time to come, then we will email you to say that the Club remains closed.

• If he says that golf can be played, we still must wait for the approval of England Golf, as, if we open without their permission, then our insurance is void.

• If he says ‘yes’ to golf then three options would then be on the table, depending on what England Golf do: -

      1) If they decide that clubs can open on Monday, and tell us this on Sunday night, then we will open BRS for bookings on Sunday night, ready for Monday.

      2) If they give us permission on Monday, then we will open BRS for bookings as soon as we get the all clear, with a view to opening the course on Tuesday.

      3) If they say that courses will not open until a specific date, then we will email you with that information. Depending what that date is, the booking procedure laid             out in the Safety Measures sheet will operate.

As soon as we know, we will tell you and post all the information on BRS and the Club Website.

If things start happening after Sunday’s speech, then it is likely that you will be receiving a message from us every day. We will keep you informed, as once we are open, Greg and I will have a meeting at the end of each day, to review what has happened. We will then inform you of any new procedures for the following day.

Please keep looking at the Safety Measures sheet posted yesterday, as most of its contents will not change, and it will be useful as a reminder.

Having read this message through, I can see that there are lots of ’ifs’, but we are keen that you know exactly what is happening, and that you know as much as we do.

Thank you,

Nel