Welcome to the July edition of your favourite organ
“We’ll meet again, don’t know where, don’t know when…”
It is tough, and will be so for some time, but the death of Vera Lynn, the voice of wartime Britain, during June gave me pause for reflection. As has been suggested by others, it is a bit like wartime at the moment, with the hardships and restrictions forced on us. Difference is, that back then many more were dying, and it was dragging on for years, so I guess it is worthwhile counting our blessings that our parents and grandparents prevailed with more daunting problems…
Raffles is well and truly back in business, albeit under the “New Normal” conditions necessary, and our numbers are steadily increasing at our events. Leading the attractions devised by our Board is the Good Shot Eclectic comp, which kicked off the last week very successfully indeed. More than 50 Members and Guests registered and played, which was a fantastic result. More on that later.
The Caddie Support Fund continues to provide some financial relief for our beloved and beleaguered caddies who of course welcome the 
increased rounds of golf Raffles is also initiating. My own caddie’s uninhibited derision for many of my shots is completely unimpaired by her always-masked face… her rolling eyes are still visible, well-complemented by her mocking gales of laughter.
Pro golf is also back, so I will update the current standings later in the Rag also.
President’s Report
Dear Fellow Members,
Well it is now a new financial year. Like everyone I am nervous as to what it is going to hold for us all. I hope it is a good one for us all.
We are about to send out a survey to all members. It is not a long survey and should not take more than 10 or so minutes to complete. I respectfully request of all members that they complete the survey so we can learn more about our membership at large. Rest assured that in no circumstances will your personal response or any part of it be made public or provided to any other person or company for any purposes whatsoever.
The information we get will be collated and these collated results used for internal purposes within the Club and to provide potential sponsors with verifiable information about our membership.
Sponsorship is a particularly important component of the success of our Club. Our membership fees alone do not enable us to break even financially, indeed, the shortfall is significant in terms of our turnover. We therefore need to rely upon sponsorship to cover all our overheads. If you are interested in being a sponsor of the Club or know of someone or group who may also be interested in doing sponsorship, please provide either myself or the Captain with details of the same. The sponsorship can come in various forms of course, ranging from the donation of goods or services to a cash sum in return for an agreed sponsorship arrangement. We do need sponsorship and would appreciate your assistance if you can.
Our fundraising for our Caddies is now on a care and maintenance provision. It is still being carried out, however. We have now supported financially every caddy in Bali we are proud to be able to say. Whilst our principal efforts have surrounded New Kuta and Pandawa Clubs we have also provided assistance in either cash or food parcels to caddies at Bali National, Handara and Bali Beach Golf.
Like everyone else we do not know how long this pandemic is going to last, but we do know that Australians are not likely to return to the shores of Bali in any numbers for the balance of this year at least. This is going to continue making life exceedingly difficult for the caddies and their families. Hopefully, we will be able to assist a little all the way through the main part of the pandemic. We do have a number of members who are contributing monthly.
If any member can find it within their budget to further assist or assist for the first time, the caddies really do need support. I am sorry to harp on this subject but for a lot of them survival is now their main objective. I will continue to remind you all of this every month, for which I do not apologise.
The Good Shot Eclectic has now begun and is off to a great start. Registration has been most impressive to date considering the pandemic and financial climate we are now living in.
Until next month,
Yours in golf
Robert Nelson
President
Captain’s Corner
It’s an interesting and humbling experience being the captain of a social golf club. Interesting, as there is never a dull moment and humbling as you quickly realise there is much knowledge, enthusiasm and passion in the members of your club and that you are only one of many who work for a common goal. The Raffles Golf Club is a fantastic organisation that has the most wonderful presence in Bali. Our members play golf, they contribute to Bali society, they are respected by those who know golf, and Raffles is a destination for more than 1000 golfers each year. The global pandemic may have slowed our activities down but it has certainly has not bought them to a stop. The success of the Raffles Caddies Support Fund, our sponsors remaining with us for this year and next year (and for the Tournament in May) and our playing numbers are all a signs of a vibrant club.
I hope to continue this vibrancy with two events I would like to promote to you. The first is our first ever Eclectic event to be held on all Wednesdays in July and in August. This is an open event to which we have invited all our neighbours: the other social golf clubs in Bali, members of New Kuta and the wider Bali and Indonesian golfing communities. Why hold this you may ask? The answer is simple, bring more people to New Kuta Golf Course, more golfers means more caddies/staff get work, the restaurant gets more patrons and the snowball grows in size. Special thanks to two new sponsors that have enabled us to plan this event., Yanti. Bar & Restaurant, and Lucky Day Sports Bar – both owned by Raffles members.
The second event I only intend to mention at this stage in the hope that I will tease your interest. In September there will be a Raffles Members’ Stableford event that every Raffles Member no matter where they are in the world will be able to participate in. …. Somewhere in September …… with excellent prizes for members! Again we thank a key sponsor, Bali Gardens, for their significant support for this event. More information to come. Why the event? I don’t want 2020 to pass without Raffles members having the opportunity to have a round of golf and a social catch up together!
Congratulations to Mark Wiggins on the winning the May Monthly medal, to Howard Otten for winning the April medal and to Ron Fletcher for his win as Player of the month in May.
Let me finish by thanking the Bali based members who have shown their captain patience and respect even though he is 4,303 km from their golf game and also let me thank the Bali based Board members: Howard, Melanie, Hugh and Ron for the additional work they do as I am not there.
I write this from Ballarat in Victoria, Australia, and yes, its very cold!
Tony Brandenburg
Captain – Raffles Golf Club Bali
http://rafflesgolfclub.com/
ABN 60 750 059 835
June Jenggala Monthly Medal.
June’s winner of the Jenggala Monthly Medal, in a rerun of May was the very much in form Mark Wiggins. Despite the extra burden of a newly minted 10 handicap, Mark closed out the 21 player field with a fine 79 off the stick, giving him a nett 69 (mighty fine). There was clear air between him and second place getter Ron Fletcher (also in form) on 71 and Barry Lyon making a more rare appearance on 72.
Best Gross was the redoubtable Alan Legg with a workmanlike 76.
Well done Mark, especially the two-peat!!
Player of the Month
No surprise, as consistency is the name of the game to win the Player of the Month. None other than the camera-shy Mark Wiggins took out June’s accolade with a win over fast finishing Malcolm Manson and ‘Moose’ Colley also on the Podium in third place. Well done to all, especially Mr Wiggins. I think his Charity Run around Bali this month may curtail his dominance on the course and give the rest of us a chance.
Member’s Trophy Day
In the temporary absence of Mum and Dad, Brendan Durkin stepped up to provide the MTD prize on June 28. A great field of 28 players fought to win the excellent Chivas Regal trophy, and the end result was a real nail biter.
Clubhouse leader on 39 Malcolm Manson watched on the live leaderboard to see if he had done enough. To his dismay, Board member Hugh Brown walked off 16 with a bogey and 37 points, needing just 3 points from the last two holes to take the prize. 17 did not add his score, sadly, leaving Hugh wanting a par to win, or a bogey to tie and force a count back.
As the clubhouse leader and donor watched the final group walk off the green, the leaderboard screen remained …unrefreshed.
A few anxious moments passed before Hugh’s score was finally revealed – a double bogey and a solitary point, leaving him stranded on 38 points and in second place, with Michael Fitzpatrick third on 37. Great finish (for Malcolm at least) and a worthy winner!
Brendan hands over the loot to Malcolm, whilst Hugh desperately begs for at least a wee dram… (His mendication was rewarded, I’m told)
World Golf Rankings
Men
Women
(Unchanged from March)
