Management and Operations
Dooks is very busy and there are many
activities to report on. Our Manager Brian Hurley left us on 17th
May to take up the job of Manager at Portmarnock Golf Club. We wish Brian the
best of luck and thank him for his service to the Club since 2008. Aidan Gannon
took up the job of Interim Manager from 20th May. Thanks to Aidan
for his dedication and diligence and for stepping up at a very busy time for
the Club.
Our new manager, Michelle McGreevy,
started working with Dooks on 22nd July. Michelle previously worked at Slieve Russell
Golf Club as Director of Golf and in Failte Ireland as Golf Tourism Development
Officer. Michelle is an ex International and Inter-provincial Golfer at all
levels. We extend a warm welcome to Michelle and look forward to her expert
management and development of Dooks Golf Club.
We are currently promoting Overseas Life
Membership, a new category of membership. This is full life membership for Overseas
residents. Candidates must not be resident in Ireland for more than 10 weeks
per year. There is currently an inaugural offer of €5,000 for this Overseas
Life Membership. Please promote this offer on behalf of the Club to any of your
friends who may be interested. All enquiries to the Manager.
Course
After a pretty wet and frequently cold winter, followed by a period of
what can best be described as a drought, the Course has held up remarkably well
and throughout the first half of 2013. The Course has always been fully
playable, by those who were prepared to brave some weather extremes.
This is testament to the long term development programme being
undertaken by the Course Staff. Without doubt, Dooks Links has improved
significantly over the past few years and will continue to do so as the longer
term plans continue to be implemented. Clearly there are always elements that
will not suit all players, sometimes it’s the Rough, sometimes it’s the
Bunkers, sometimes it’s the Fairways or Greens, but let’s face it “ That’s Golf ”.
The major benefit for all Members, is that Dooks is playable practically
every day of the year and that represents great value for the Membership fees
we pay. We will continue to make improvements and upgrade features on the
Course as and when funds and manpower are available.
The recent STRI (26th June) report describes the Greens as:
“ The
putting surfaces were in very good condition. They offered good pace, good
smoothness and excellent firmness…. characteristics of the very best Link
greens “
In the next week or so, a number of Divot bags will be made available to
Members who would like to help us all by carrying one on their round to fill
and repair divot marks. There will be a number of refill stations placed on the
Course, in addition to those already on the par threes. Any help undertaking
this important task would be very much appreciated, as will the ongoing repair
of Plug marks on Greens.
The Course Staff have taken delivery of some new machinery. Two tees
mowers arrived this week to replace their two old high maintenance
predecessors. There should now be a much reduced risk of machinery fluid
leakages, which result in scarring and serious damage to the Course and reduced
maintenance costs.
The Course Committee still require volunteer help in maintaining the
Course and Clubhouse environs. Our Green-keeping Team need support from
volunteer members to help with tidying, weeding gardens and trimming bushes
etc. Planning days for this work by volunteers is difficult. Finding suitable
days and times is proving almost impossible.
Therefore, the Course Committee would ask that any Member who has any
free time, to please just turn up when you can , bring a few gardening tools
and “ Work Away “, wherever you choose, especially around the entrance driveway
and car park areas. You don’t need permission to help.
Black bags and any equipment can be provided and a call to the shop to
let them know you will be arriving to work is all it will take. The Course staff will remove any debris. We
thank you in advance for your efforts in helping us maintain our Club
surroundings for both Members and especially our Visitors.
Commonage and Lands
Site testing at Foley’s Shack has been completed in
the past week and the results were positive. It is hoped a planning application
to demolish the existing dwelling and replace with a standard construction
bungalow will be lodged within the next 2 weeks.
The testing at Clifford’s Field was a failure and
all plans to develop sites here have been abandoned for the time being.
Further testing has taken place in the old practice
area at Treanoughtragh. After several
attempts to get positive results close to and across the road from existing
houses, it was necessary to move south-westwards to find soakage sufficient to
pass the test. We are currently working on a revised layout and hope to have an
application for 4 sites submitted before the end of August.
A topographical survey was carried out on the area
close to the 10th hole where it was intended to construct an
alternative layout and green which would have been the longest par 5 in the
world. Following a visit and draft proposals from Hawtree Design this proposal
has been shelved. Sketch draft proposals have been prepared by Hawtree
incorporating 5 new holes in the commonage and including draft proposals for a
relocated clubhouse and practice facilities. Due to the lack of development
funds within the Club at present it is not envisaged any works will take place
in the commonage for some time yet.
Dooks 125
2014 is our Quasquicentenary and we have
a 125th Anniversary Sub-committee planning events to celebrate.
Proposed events include a match with Golf Club, Mixed Foursomes Week, 125
Scramble and Special 125 Events 25th-27th July. Watch out
for more news from our 125 Committee. Input is welcome, contact Adrienne
O’Sullivan.
Membership
The Membership Sub-committee was formed in 2012 to
examine how the club could attract new members. The Sub-committee came up with
a number of ideas and these were presented to the Club Committee.
One of the ideas launched by the club in June of this
year is to create a new membership category, Overseas Life. You will no doubt
have seen the signs for this in the lobby and outside the pro shop. The
inaugural offer is for a once-off fee of €5,000. Persons who live outside the
island of Ireland and who are resident in Ireland for less than 10 weeks per
year can apply to become an Overseas Life Member. The once off fee represents
superb value and it has generated a lot of interest from visitors to the club
with a number of expressions of interest already received from the US, Germany
and even as far away as Hong Kong.
Hopefully this category will prove popular with our
overseas visitors and will help to spread the magic of Dooks around the globe.
Members who have family or friends abroad are encouraged to tell them about
this offer and to contact the Manager for more information.
Finance
The accounts are performing generally in
line with the forecast and budget for the year. We are continuing to
trim expenditure and seek additional revenue from Green Fees, Shop and Bar
sales.
The increase in this year's subs
balanced the drop in member renewals and the winter working
schedule proved a good decision providing a much needed boost to cash-flow.
The expenditure on the course continues
to be well managed and there has been 3 new machines purchased recently. The
Shop continues to improve while there has been a drop in Bar sales.
The sales in the last 3 months of the
financial year (July-September) are a significant part of income and we are
hoping they meet our expectations, initial bookings are on target.
Our cash–flow has improved this year and
this will also be a benefit, reducing the cost of our overdraft.
_______________________
Club Management Committee
2nd August 2013
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