WGC Meeting 24^th July

Opened at 9.50am

Present Steven,Graeme, Stan, John, Hodgey, Leigh, Chris

• Previous minutes were accepted
• Lee reported we around $6000 available, of which a portion will need to be spent on the club championships. That will still leave a significant surplus. Suggestion was made that we should try and return some of that to members this winter season maybe at the club championships. Lee was of the opinion that we should think further about how we spend this amount and was agreed to think about options and talk about at the next meeting. Lee did agree that we could spend around $200 on catering so that a booking can be arranged as we are getting already close to the Champs. Subsequently Steven made the booking for both days.
• Captain’s report. Graeme asked if a player who was injured and had played around 3 games, could use this injury time as being counted towards qualifications for the 10 game for the club championships. Was decided this could not be done.
• Discussion took place about whether the draw for groupings should be an open event. There is an understanding already that those people in carts will generally be drawn in groups with other cart players so that they can spread the cost of the cart. Also that we allow one off circumstances that may mean someone has to leave early (so an early group), or if we have a new player they are generally allowed to play with a friend for a couple of rounds. Other than that it was agreed by majority that the rest of the club is better served by people mixing together, makes it also easier for the organizing, and the club would not be held to ransom in changing from this policy by people threatening to leave the club.
• Club Championships – Agenda item titled as “time, food/drinks, prizes, overnight stay” was discussed as to who may organise it. Lee said he may be too busy and suggested Hodgey as he was involved last year. Hodgey agreed to that. Subsequent to that Lee has agreed to help in organising as well and will co-ordinate these issues with Hodgey.
• Discussion took place as to why we were not having an away trip this year. This was because the Club Committee decided to have a 36 hole Championships at Marri instead. The votes being 8-0 to have at least one round of the Club Champs at Marri Park. And then a vote to have at least one round away was lost 3-5. So that cancelled the traditional away trip.
  
  Although the committee tried hard to fit in an away trip the week before the Grand Final (it was deemed too hard to have a Club Champs followed by an away trip so close together) then mid season instead of Harvey (but some members preferred the Harvey trip instead - although this ended up not happening), we ended up not being able to fit it in.
  
  Steven at today's meeting said that all members will have the chance at this years AGM to vote on the future of the Club Champs. In particular whether they want at least one round at Marri, and similarly whether they want at least one round away. If the membership then votes to have an away trip component this will allow future committees to then pencil in an "away trip" each year as part of the club champs. And importantly give some structure in the standing rules to the Club Champs, where at present, there is none.

• Standing Rules. Lee objected to non financial people having any scores counting for eclectic and consistency, even if they are just qualifying for their handicaps etc. Was voted 6-1 to reflect this in the standing rules as not being allowed. Also was decided to clarify that people are allowed to count cards towards their 3 card handicap prior to becoming financial. Agreed by all.
• Life membership - was proposed that members be asked at the AGM about some criteria for life membership in the standing rules. Steven suggested that 10 years seemed reasonable from other sporting clubs. Lee suggested 15-20 years, and that he has a website that has this longer period. This criteria would not mean life membership, it would just mean that it was a minimum eligibility and that a decision could be made whether any one single person deserved to be a life member having met this. Again no agreement could be reached and may be discussed at the next meeting in terms of eligibility rules. Was generally agreed that it is better the person is decided by the current life members to protect the privacy of the decision and the awkward position that members may be put in if they have to vote for/against a decision in the presence of a nominee (as has happened previously). To be discussed later.
• Next meeting mid August.

Steven