In this ever changing world, where the announcements have just been made regarding the revised rules of golf that in some eyes are long overdue, this month’s article marks the end of a long relationship with the present publishers of our monthly magazine ‘Golf Club Management’.
Over the last 18 years the Association has enjoyed a partnership with the publishers Union Press, the first issue landing on your desks in January 1999 – and as you will see from the attached picture, the hot topics then revolved around the millennium bug and the fear that the electronic world was going to come to an end as the clocks struck midnight to mark the beginning of a new century. As we all know the world didn’t come to an end and here we are 18 years on – to reiterate what has been said on a number of occasions ‘The only thing constant is change’.
The arrangement with Union Press began its life in the day of the then AGCS Secretary Ray Burniston and some will remember his regular articles at that time, along with other contributors such as a good friend of mine Stuart Phipps. At the time Stuart was the Secretary of Kingsdown GC in Wiltshire and one of the main instigators of the Bucks University golf certificate; he still remains in touch with the office to this day. The Union Press arrangement has continued uninterrupted since then. However, with the need to communicate and deliver information in many different guises, the time has come to move on. But not before publically thanking Union Press for all their help, support and assistance in both producing the magazine and their assistance with the Manager of the Year awards. I would like to offer special thanks to the editor, Alistair Dunsmuir, who I have enjoyed a long standing working relationship with since well before I took on the Chief Executive role. We wish him well for the future.
Your next monthly magazine will land on your desks in April (and will be available on-line) with a different title, a new look and a totally transformed style. The new title ‘Golf Club Manager’ is aimed to provide you with a range of content that we believe will offer information and education, as well as inspiration. We are all very much aware that whilst we have been working on this project for well over a year we do need your feedback and opinion. Please feel free to comment and let us know – it is your magazine.
GCMA Recruitment – one of the features we are aiming to develop is the delivery of a jobs board and recruitment service which will offer a value for money service for job advertisements. If you are moving on, please advise your club that this service will now be available. It will provide an instant vehicle for recruitment with jobs being posted within 24 hours of agreeing the avert and we can offer professional advice on creating the right advert for your club.
To round off this final article of an ever changing world where one door is just about to close, another one has just opened for the recently appointed Manager at our Headquarters at Bristol & Clifton GC, Neil Newman has taken up his appointment after moving from Kingsdown GC and, as shown in the picture below, is beginning to enjoy our company.
Dates for the diary:
Annual General Meeting at Chesterfield GC
Monday, April 24, including the Captains Cup pairs competition.
National Golf Day at Kings Lynn GC
Monday, June 19 for the Greenshield Memorial Trophy and the Founders Cup.
Bob Williams
[email protected]
By Bob Williams
