Welcome, all to the December Edition of your favourite organ.

Knowing your Brassie from your Elbow

I actually began golf with wooden (persimmon) woods, and an inherited putter had a hickory shaft. The balls were smaller than the “standard” American ball, and would cut wide open with an errant shot, smiling at you all the way to the green before you could replace it. But in (much) earlier times, the clubs were known by name rather than a number.

Here’s a test – see if you can match our modern clubs to this selection before reading on…Brassie? Spoon? Baffie? Mashie? Niblick? Mashie-Niblick? Cleek?

OK, I hear those of you not around in the 1930’s ask, what were they? I’m glad you asked, and I will tell you – and if you got any right you are either extremely old or lucky, and I bet you got the Spoon wrong for a start…

The Brassie and Baffie were woods, and complemented the “Play Club” which was the driver.  They were about equivalent to the modern 3 wood and 7 wood. The Spoon was not a wedge (as I guessed), but actually played the part of a modern 5 wood, and had a concave face – hence “spoon”. The others are all irons. The Cleek was a driving iron (1 or 2 iron),  Mashies ranged from 3 – 6 iron and the Mashie-Niblick like a 6 or 7, and the Niblick like a 9 iron.

All of this allows me to segue into other golfing terms about scores – we have the condor (very rare at 4 under par), albatross at 3 under, eagles and birdies. More common are “snowman” (an 8)… but a “Moose”?? – a rare animal indeed. In the dark about this term? Stand in front of a mirror, place your thumbs on your temples, and splay your fingers resembling the antlers of a moose and… the number 10!

I had the pleasure of watching one of our better players construct a great round during our Monthly Medal and closing in on what was almost certainly destined to be a par round – his first at NKGC. Our final hole was the 2nd, with a benign light following breeze, only a par needed for 72… I shan’t reveal his name, nor his score on the hole. Bad luck “Moose” Colley!!

 

President’s Message

Hi Fellow Members,

Well, the Captain v Presidents match has come and gone.  I was bitterly disappointed on behalf of my 21 supporters to have been thrashed so thoroughly by the Captain.  His much-maligned thumb which has “destroyed” his golf (quote-unquote) forgot to do so on Sunday and he played brilliantly. However, I will not reveal my own performance! (30 very ugly points – Ed.)

It was a really good day and I am sure everyone thoroughly enjoyed it.  Indeed, Captain Mike celebrated and I remorsed until late in the night.  The food was good and the free wine and beer well enjoyed.  A great occasion I believe.  My thanks to Tony Brandenburg who’s idea it was, and who then organised the event with the assistance of the ever-present Peter Manz. It was particularly enjoyed by Don “Skip” Skipworth who knocked in a hole in one on the 15th.  He had the privilege of celebrating with his fellow members by giving out free beer, and because the Club was already providing it, it was free for him as well.  But he acted with appropriate decorum and distributed the free beer.  Well done Skip!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Skippy desperately searching for the 100Rp ball marker he dropped in the hole in the excitement of his ace

It will now be an annual Trophy Board event I am pleased to advise, with the Captain’s team being the first winner and Johannes Meyer’s name going on the Honour Board as the day’s champion.

I am particularly pleased for Captain Mike as in his post-match address he advised the members that he is retiring from being the Captain with effect from the AGM in February. He will remain on the board for the following year to complete his term. However, he and Sue will be spending a considerable amount of time travelling next year.  Mike has been a wonderful Captain and has overseen a large number of events including implementation of the affiliation with Golf Australia and Golf WA,  and the implementation of a very effective digital scoring scheme which provides us with instant results at the end of each game.  He has been an excellent leader,  who has always been on top of whatever he is doing.

Speaking of Board Elections, presently our Constitution provides for a member to be only available for election to our Board if he or she has been a member for 3 years.  This is proving less than satisfactory as we are missing out on electing some very good people.  Accordingly, shortly I will be sending out a motion, already passed by the Board, for members’ approval, to reduce the eligibility period from three years to one year.  This will enable a lot of persons not presently eligible, to be able to stand for a Board position in the February election.  Please send in your proxy vote when you receive the papers.  It can be done by email.

It is also with a lot of pleasure that I can announce the appointment of our first female director to the Raffles Board. Melanie (“Mel”) Lange was unanimously voted by our Board to fill a vacant position.  With accounting experience, Mel will be a great asset to our Club.  She has at the same time been appointed to the role of Treasurer and has confirmed to me that she will be standing for election to the Board at the next AGM of the Club (subject to approval of the Constitutional Amendment).  Welcome aboard Mel!

My next note will be after Xmas so I take this opportunity to wish all members and their families a happy and enjoyable holiday season.

Yours in golf

Robert Nelson

Club President

Captain’s Corner

Winds of Change

Our inaugural Board event the Captain v President Day was a resounding success if the feedback I’ve had from members is any indication. I heard some members not even in Bali were firing off texts to find out the result!

Part of the motivation for the Board events program is to provide some variation to our regular tournament formats, and at the same time encourage the social side by having Raffles provide the after-game activities. Our local regular members are certainly a major factor in the strength of the Club today and the Board felt this goes some way to giving something back. Forty-plus members all enjoying a meal and refreshments together was a pleasing sight.

Of course, the result was never really in doubt with my team all contributing to a 7 – 4 thumping and putting paid to all the trash-talking coming from the President leading up to the event.

Fittingly the evening ended with me, Sue and our much loved, but somewhat disconsolate Prez being the last to leave after doing our best to solve the world’s problems and drink as much wine as possible – long after the NKG staff had packed up and left!

Notable individual performances were Johannes Meyer taking out the individual prize with a tidy 40 points and Skip for only needing one shot to play the 15th! Skip’s ace somehow threw Golf Genius into meltdown and it indicated he’d won the entire event – apologies to both Skip and Johannes for that mistake. Johannes’ name will appear on our website Honour Board – well done! A special note of thanks to Tony Brandenburg, Jon Dean and Peter Manz for their efforts organizing and convening the day.

My tenure as Captain will end at the upcoming AGM – early Feb 2020. I urge all members to attend the meeting and participate – including voting for the four vacant Board positions.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all Raffles members for your encouragement and support during the past 3 years.

Good golfing

Mike Barber – Captain

November Jenggala Monthly Medal

A bitter-sweet victory this month, with the runaway winner by the length of the Grand National straight – only to fall at the last, regather his scrambled wits, and limp across the line a victor, but ruing what might have been.

Playing off 6, “Moose” Colley recorded a 5 over par 10 on the last hole to hold off a fast-finishing Greg Vink by a countback, both on 1 under, 71 nett.

Greg won the Agrade consolation prize, and the B and C grade winners were Elmer Kupper (72) and Gary Yeomans (73) respectively.

Alan Legg was our Gross winner (by 2 shots from Moose who only needed a double-bogey 7 on the last to snatch that accolade too).

Member’s Trophy Day

Our repeat trophy donor Howard Otten’s turn was on November 20, and a strong field of 35 turned out to help Howard celebrate his day – and a great day it was. In the end, there was a very worthy winner indeed in the form of Thomas Linane and a sparkling 44 points. There was daylight to second place, even though Paul Campbell put in a heroic effort in earning 41 points.

Fireball champ Trevor Kuzio took out third place with 38 points, hotly pressed by a desperately skilful but unlucky Robbie Goodwin on 37.

Howard feigns good grace as he reluctantly forfeits his beloved Woodford Bourbon to a frisky Thomas

Board Events

Both Robert and Mike have well described the inaugural Captain v President day held December 1, but just to add a personal point, I think that it was the best single-day event I have experienced in 11 years of being a Raffles Member. Great day and superbly organised by all, especially Tony Brandenburg and Peter Manz, backing up Mon Cap and the Prez. Bring on the next one!

Planned Board Events

(DTBC = Date to be confirmed)

  • December 1st 2019 Presidents versus Captains Day
  • May 8th    2020 Medalist of the Year Playoff
  • May 8th 2020 Player of the Year Playoff (monthly points winners)
  • May 14th/15th
  • 2020 Club Championship
  • May 17th 2020
  • 2020 Ambrose Championship
  • August  (DTBC)
  • 2020 Par 3 Championship
  • August (DTBC)
  • 2020 4BBB Stableford Championship
  • November 2020 Raffles Singles Match Play Championship
  • December (DTBC)
  • 2020 Presidents versus Captains Day

Other Planned Events,  (not Board Events)

  • 2 Handara 2 day Events with a possibility of a reciprocal day (2 ?) at New Kuta
  • Member’s Trophy Days
  • April (DTBC)   2020 Asian Cup
  • December 2019 (DTBC)   New Kuta Staff thank you Event
  • December 2019 (DTMC)  Christmas Party with New Kuta Staff
  • Each month (DTBC)  Monthly medalist stroke event and drinks.

World Golf Rankings – MEN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

World Golf Rankings – WOMEN