Happy New Year!!
Let’s hope for a Happy New Year to you all! As we approach a New Year and our 125th Anniversary, I thought it time that I introduced myself. I am Andy Smart and I am delighted and honoured to have the chance to be your Club Captain in 2021. Since Sue and I joined Ashley Wood when Canford Magna closed we have been made to feel most welcome by all the members. I have been playing golf on and off since I was 12 when I joined the then Lakey Hill (Dorset Golf and Country Club), I remained there until I was 17 when work took over and as an under 18, I was unable to play at weekends. Golf then took a break until Canford opened and I joined there, where I had many years of enjoyable golf making many friends. During my time there I had the honour of being Club Captain in 2004.
At this time I would like to say a huge thank you to Chris Wyatt for giving me to opportunity to be his Vice Captain. On behalf of us all, I would like to thank him for his sterling work through the difficult times we have had in 2020. Due to his disrupted year Chris has accepted my request to be my Vice Captain for 2021, The Ladies and Seniors are also doing this.
Apart from golf I am passionate about swimming. I have been a British Swimming Referee for 25 years and had the great opportunity to represent England as a Technical Official at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. I have been a member of Poole Swimming Club for nearly 50 years. I have been a member of the Dorset County ASA executive for 20+ years and for the last 5 years I have been on the management board of South West Region Swimming.
As 2021 approaches we look forward to many events planned for you, the members, to play in. (Subject to any Covid restrictions which may affect our plans). Alongside this are the challenges of getting used to the WHS, which will affect us all. Some planned highlights of the coming year are the four Major events and a special Ryder Cup event in September. In February and November we hope to run night golf competitions, which subject to Covid will include 9 holes golf and a warm snack at the end. During the year we will be running a Festival of Golf which will be for members and visitors alike. On October 2nd will see the completion of 125th Anniversary events with a competition and Gala Dinner, details to follow. At present we cannot play our usual Shotgun starts so most competitions will be a rolling start, I would be delighted if these events which are open to all members can be fully supported.
During my year as Captain my Charity will be HASAG. This is a charity that offers support and counselling to families who are suffering from asbestos related diseases, which still is far more common than most people think. More information on this charity will follow. https://hasag.co.uk
In these uncertain times please stay safe and follow the rules to keep us all safe in 2021. Then hopefully later in the year we will be able to return to some sort of normality.
Andy Smart - Club Captain 2021
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Hello everyone I am Penny Meaden, The Lady Captain for 2021
I would first like to congratulate last year's Lady Captain, Maxine Palmer for a successful year in very difficult circumstances. Congratulations on her fund raising and her 72 Charity Golf Marathon which she completed in the Summer raising money for her chosen charity of SSAFA.
This is just a few words to introduce myself and wish everyone a HAPPY NEW YEAR and hopefully a much better golfing year than last.
I have been a member of Ashley Wood golf club for about 13 years and am proud to be your Lady Captain for this anniversary year which as Andy says is full of great events which we hope will all take place and is meant for everyone so please don’t forget to enter when the time comes.
As I write this we have just gone into tier 3 and more restrictions but we are very lucky to still be able to play golf and I sincerely hope this present restriction will be for a very short time and we shall be able to get back to normality in time for all the spring and summer events.
We have had a lovely lot of new ladies join us during 2020 I know I haven’t met you all and I am notoriously bad with names but I hope we shall all meet soon, please just come and say “Hi” if you see me and I’ll try to get a game with you at some stage through the year.
To all the new and present gentlemen members I would like to extend mine and the ladies welcome, and maybe we will see you in some of the mixed events.
My charity is “the Injured Jockeys Fund” which I will give more information about later but basically “it does what it says on the tin” and looks after Injured Jockeys.
Thank you for your support and here’s to a very happy golfing New Year.
Penny Meaden - Lady Captain 2021
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Hello everyone I am Clive Jones, The Seniors' Captain for 2021
Firstly I would like to thank last years Seniors' Captain for 2020 John Cousens for all his efforts in such a difficult year and particularly his time and effort as the stand in Competition Secretary for the Seniors.
I joined the Ashley Wood Golf Club in the Centenary Year in 1996 and also I ran the Club Catering inhouse operation from 2002 until 2013.
In 2017 I became Club Captain when in that year my charity was Prostate Cancer UK and thanks to all the members was able to raise over £11,000 and I have decided to have the same Charity as the Seniors Captain in 2021.
Clive Jones - Seniors Captain 2021
