Date: 2025-12-13
Type:
Annual General Meeting
Chair/Author:
ROBERT CROWTHER
It is a mandatory requirement of any organisation such as ours to hold an Annual General Meeting. Our AGM was held at Colmworth on December 13th 2025.
The 2025 season started at Aldwickbury in March 2025 with the winner being Gordon Cordes. Since then we held nine other meetings culminating in the annual Christmas Jumper Texas Scramble. The prizes have been spread around the society as you’d expect, with each venue having a different winner. As usual at each meeting, some very good golf and scores have been achieved.
2025 was our 28th year as a society. This is the 229th meeting (Mt. Pleasant last season ‘24 was deferred due to closure).
Our golf society continues to evolve: We have a mix of handicappers across a wide range, and membership continues to grow albeit at a slow pace as some longer-standing members drop away. However, 2026 will see some recent guest players join as members which is encouraging to see.
The Christmas meeting at Colmworth was a chance to enjoy a different format and have a bit of fun. We usually hold a charity collection of £5.00 per person which is given to a nominated charity. This year, our £80 prize fund was instead used as the charity donation. With £22 of additional donations £102 was collected for donation to Embrace as chosen by the winning scramble team, lead by Sherry Pugh: www.embrace.org.uk
The Millbrook was the venue where Player of the Year was finally determined. There were several players in the mix but it was Warren Edwards who prevailed, increasing his best-of-six aggregate by enough points to pip our chairman to the title. Congratulations got to Warren, this is his second POTY title with the first being in 2018.
Alongside the POTY trophy we also played our "Pairs Competition" also at The Millbrook. Alan Cullen and Warren Edwards were the pair who won. Congratulations Alan and further congratulations to Warren.
The society funds continue to maintain a suitable ‘float’ level which enables us to pay deposits and in-advance balances for all ten meetings. The current total fund base stands at over £2100.00 (Subject to the cash surplus from the last event at Colmworth being accounted-for). The cash balance will rise prior to the commencement of the 2026 season through membership renewals, currently set at £30 per member, and it is anticipated the society will have at least 30 members renewing.
The society accounts are administered via Internet banking, and it is the intention to add the Chairman and Secretary roles as signatories which will simplify cash management and accounting of each event. We hope to have all signatories resolved and in place before the start of the 2026 season.
Action: ROBERT CROWTHER — by 2026-02-05
The Presidents position is a lifelong posting. Paul Lamond will continue to administer the treasurer duties for as long as he wants as he has for the last twenty eight years working with Robert Crowther who deputises at meetings.
For 2026 the current committee all wish to remain serving the society. The current positions were not opposed at this AGM therefore the current committee will continue administering their duties for the 2026 season.
The Society Secretary has carried out his duties for the first time in 2025. However, on occasion when he’s been unable to attend (or has attended but been overwhelmed by the administrative burden!) certain MGS members have gladly stepped in to assist, namely: Ian Stuart, Neil Greenaway and Alan Cullen.
Many thanks are due; it may seem like a small input to proceedings but it’s ideal training for the Club Secretary post should any of the aforementioned wish to step into that role after 2026.
Action: ROBERT CROWTHER — by 2025-12-13
Ray Ward continues to wield his handicap scalpel with the poise of a brain surgeon. Those who have won (or come second) at any of the events will have seen a slice excised (substantially excised in some cases) from their MGS handicap. The committee and MGS members were unanimous in re-electing Ray into his current role; his was a confusing task at times with patience tested by improperly marked cards and the occasional incorrect determination of prize winners. We all thank you and will strive hard to make your job easier in 2026.
There are several players that are close to 100 meetings:
Hugh Dimery on 97
Grant Brook 97
Steve Allen 96
Jason Hay 96
Neil Greenaway on 95
- Prior to commencement of the 2026 season we should remind our members of the MGS handicap policy and prize winner determination rules; newer members have sometimes found one (or both) subjects quite confusing. This action is on the Society Secretary.- The Society Secretary was requested to add at least 3 Friday events to the 2026 calendar. It was unanimously agreed by all present that with more and more members no longer working full time hours, it would open up opportunities for playing at better quality venues outside of the premium weekend days. This action is on the Society Secretary.
- Some members felt the Whatsapp group was being used for too much non-MGS chat which made identification of relevant MGS postings difficult. It was suggested that we have an event-specific group and a social-specific group. The current group should stay as-is for event-specific communications, and a new [duplicate] group should be set up for social purposes. This action is on nobody specifically; please may one of the non-commitee MGS members resolve this action.
Action: ROBERT CROWTHER — by 2025-12-13
No attachments for this meeting.