Welcome to the Q4 edition of your favourite organ
This will be a somewhat unusual (and very short) edition of the Ramah Rag – a publication justifiably renowned throughout the length and breadth of Pecatu…
Normally it is filled with the incisive, jolly or plainly captivating observations of the Captain and President, lists of the achievements of players in the preceding period, and a glittering panoply of interesting snippets and coming events for your entertainment.
Sadly, this will not be the case this issue, for the good ship Ramah has been sailing through some difficult waters these past few months. Since travel bans and the tyranny of distance have prevented our past Captain Tony Brandenburg from continuing the leadership beyond his term, our Board has been unable to find even a temporary replacement until the upcoming AGM, and no “Captain’s Corner” delegate has come forward, so, no report from the “bridge”.
Serious illness to our President Robert Nelson in the form of Covid 19 has laid him very low, and has him just now making a slow recovery after many months of struggle. This has of course seen him unable to provide the President’s Report.
The descriptions of the achievements of our members each month – the Players of the Month, Monthly Medallists, Member Trophy Days – have lately been brought to you all in emails from the Board, complete with photos, and very clearly available to all on our website, so there appears little point in me testing your patience, Dear Reader, by repeating them here even though wrapped in golden sarongs of breathtaking prose.
As you will be possibly aware, we are facing an existential crisis in our Club. Because of the situations above, we are struggling to keep our once-sturdy vessel afloat. Our AGM will have to be held some time in the next few short months, and the terms of half of our Board will expire. It is also quite possible of course other members of the Board will not continue. We have no Captain, and no successor in place nor even in mind, and as our President will be standing down for obvious reasons, no successor in place or in mind.
More and more of the operational tasks of Ramah have been directed to Peter Manz, who has done an amazing job in keeping our games running smoothly. While he has been supported by a depleted Match Committee, this temporary solution is not going to get us to and through Golf Week expected to be possible in May 2022, or the many operational and organizational decisions required before then.
For twelve years now, Raffles/Ramah has been a growing golf club, and continually improving its offerings to our members. It remains undoubtedly the premier such club in Bali, and enjoys financial and social health, but without a strong leadership group, it most certainly will be impossible for that rude health to continue, so…
What is the solution, I hear you say? Actually quite simply stated, and so far impossible to execute.
Members need to step up, join the Board- or at least offer their talents to assist Board Members who will take on roles like Captain, Treasurer, Match, President etc. I have spoken to members in the past willing to help, but unsure of the extent of their experience/knowledge to handle certain roles. My response has been: willingness is far more important a quality, and the ability to delegate and take advice. Use the considerable depth of experience within the membership to assist you on a case by case basis. Easier for you … and not too onerous for the tapped advisor.
Please… think about helping Ramah Golf Club continue to offer the best golfing experience in Bali. Stand for the Board, or make yourself known as willing to assist from time to time in your areas of knowledge. We can’t all just state “I just want to play golf”. We all need to help in some way to make sure we can all do that.
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And finally…
Yes, I really think that light at the end of the tunnel is not a train coming, it is Hope!! More and more countries are opening their borders as their health crisis recedes, and Indonesia is amongst them. We are becoming hesitantly optimistic that our visitors will start to return soon, and that our wonderful Ramah Championships will recommence next May.
We have missed the fellowship of our large International membership, and are very much looking forward to welcoming you all back in the not too distant future. Here is the proposed schedule for next May to whet your isolation-starved appetites:
o Thursday 12th May NKG & Bukit Pandawa – Warm-Up round
o Friday 13th May – New Kuta Golf Round 1 – Golf Week Champion
o Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th Bali Handara – Rounds 2 and 3 Golf Week Champion
o Monday 16th Bukit Pandawa – Round 4 – Golf Week Champion
o Tuesday 17th Bali National Round 5 – Golf Week Champion
o Wednesday 18th New Kuta Golf – Practice round Club Championships
o Thursday 19th & Friday 20th New Kuta Golf – Club Championships
o Saturday 20th New Golf World Cup Charity Event
o Sunday 21st – Four Ball Ambrose
Come on back! You know you want to…