Notes to Members

This page holds information distributed to members and links to other pages containing similar information.

copy of email from Vice-Captain to members 2023-09-04

Good evening all Gaffer league members,


Our Senior Men's League season for 2023 will soon be coming to a close. As part of the activities in bringing the league season to an end, a fall general league meeting has been scheduled. At that time, prize envelopes will be distributed, contest and trophy winners will be announced and other league business will be discussed. 


This year's fall league meeting will take place on:

Wednesday, October 4 at 8:30am in the Doon Clubhouse


Part of the fall meeting will include electing your Golf Committee for 2024. As you know, there were some departures from this year's committee. In order to operate, the committee requires a minimum of 6 members and could have up to 9 members. If there are any individuals who would be interested in volunteering to join the committee for 2024, please express your interest by contacting me (Michael.e.Barkans@gmail.com) or by contacting any of the other members of this year's golf committee.


Any further information about the fall meeting will be provided in future updates. In the meantime, please mark your calendars and come out to attend the fall league meeting on Wednesday, October 4 at 8:30am in the Doon Clubhouse.


On behalf of your Golf Committee,


Kindly,

Michael Barkans, Vice-Captain

Doon Valley Senior Men's League


copy of email from Captain to members 2023-07-27

On behalf of Art,


With the help of the Pro Shop, we now all have a second 10 hole round on the Championship18 on 2nd. It is booked for 2½ hours after the start of our first rounds. 


If you do not wish to use this booking, please alert Rob Worsnop as he will manage cancellations. 


In addition, we have created a "novelty competition" for the first of those 10 hole rounds, based on the Quota concept. 


You can read about that on our website at Gaffers Special Quota Event


Rick



copy of email from Captain to members 2023-07-14


Hi All

We have been informed that the MTO has advised Kitchener Golf they are changing the closure dates.

The access to the holes on the south side of the 401 will now be closed from Thursday July 27th to Friday Aug 4th.

The course will be reduced to 10 holes and that means we will not be able to play the full 18 holes on Wednesday August 2nd.

If you have any question please let me know.

Take care,

Art


copy of email from Captain to members 2023-07-06


Good evening 

We have been informed by Kitchener Golf that the 18 hole course will be closed from Thursday July 20th through to Friday July 28th for work related to the 401 construction.

If there are no hiccups and they ae able to stick to this timing it works well for our League as we would only be closed for one Wednesday.

Take care

Art Kelly, Captain

Doon Valley Senior Men's League



copy of email from Captain to members 2023-04-05
Hello fellow Gaffers

Your Golf Committee hopes you are well and that you have had a good winter. As we get ready to begin the 2023 season here is some information we would like to share with you.

From Kitchener Golf:

- The course opening date is dependent on weather but at this time Kitchener Golf have indicated the course is likely to be open by Wednesday April 26th.

- For any of our members who pay a ‘green fee’ to play Wednesdays, Kitchener Golf have indicated they will be implementing package deals. Check it out if you are a green fee player as you may be able to get your rounds at a better price.

- Kitchener Golf are looking at implementing a system requiring a credit card number when booking a tee time. Nothing has been finalized at this time and we mention it here so if they proceed it will not come as a surprise. We will keep you up to date when/if we receive any additional information.

- Kitchener Golf will not be booking our block of tee times until Wednesday May 3rd , so if the course opens before May 3rd all players will have to book their own tee times.

From your Golf Committee:

- We will hold our Spring Meeting on Wednesday April 26th beginning at 8:30 am in the dining area of the Doon clubhouse. We will be collecting fees, so please bring the $45 fee in cash (exact amount please). Individuals will be responsible for booking their own tee times following the meeting which should be over around 9:45 am.

- Our regular block of tee times will begin on Wednesday May 3rd and our Booking Coordinator (Rob Worsnop) will be booking our tee times from that day forward

- To help our Booking Coordinator begin to figure out his booking sheets in advance of our opening day we are asking you to indicate preferences for playing partner(s) and tee times. Your tee time choices are EARLY – MIDDLE – LATE (not a specific time) If you wish to indicate preferences, please send your information in an email to Rob Worsnop (robworsnop2@hotmail.com) Otherwise Rob will schedule you in as he is able.

- For the CTTP event we looked at rotating the par 3’s but it was going to create some problems so for this year we will again use hole #2. We will review this again.

- We are attempting to implement a Consolation Round in the Match Play event, as requested at the 2022 Fall Meeting. For details on how this will work please go to the web site and under the EVENT DESCRIPTIONS heading refer to the Match Play section.

- Everyone will be included in both the Match Play and Two Man Team events unless you specifically indicate you do not want to play in those events. To indicate your interest in playing in the Match Play and Two Man Team events please go to the DASHBOARD. To access the Dashboard your ‘key link’ is the same as last year. Alternatively, you could ask any Committee member to make your choices for you.

- Over the past few years there have been a number of rule changes implemented by golf’s governing bodies, which have an impact on our game. You are encouraged to check out the web site Rules & Guidance section, subsection Rules of Golf. There you will find links to a variety of pages and sites which will provide you with the latest information on all the various rule changes which apply to play in 2023.

- The Golf Committee has decided to rename the Gaffers Cup to the Cec Archibald Memorial Cup.

We realize there is a lot of material covered here but it is all information we thought you should hear as we get ready to open our 2023 season. If you have any questions, please contact any member of the Golf Committee.

We look forward to seeing you at the meeting on April 26th.

Art Kelly, Captain

Doon Valley Senior Men’s League



copy of email from Captain to members 2022-12-18 (and 2022-12-22)

Update 22ⁿᵈ December 2023  Art provided a further update ...

In an exchange of emails with Todd Doering he said that for sure we would be getting a new tee box on #16. He has been working with the same contractor who did the renovations to #1 & #8 on the 9 hole course.

Update 18ᵗʰ December 2023


Local Rules: There are no plans to add or alter any Local Rules for 2023


Events: For 2023 will we continue the process of automatically enrolling players in all events, including Match Play, (including the Consolation Event which you can indicate separately) and Two Man Team. 


If you explicitly do not want to play in an event, you will be able to indicate that in the Dashboard, or any committee member can do it for you. If you do not intend to play, please make your decision know early on (before 15ᵗʰ May) so that your name is not included in the draw

See the Events page for explanations of how all the events will be running.

Other information: See the Guidelines for other information about league plans for 2023. In addition a proposed schedule will be published here in future.


copy of email from Captain to members 2022-08-10

Gentlemen

We had a great day for golfing today. I hope you all enjoyed this weather and if you didn't have a good round you at least enjoyed the company you were with.

A couple of issues did occur so I am sending this reminder to all in the hope we can avoid these situations in the future.

1) some scores were not entered into the system by 5:00 pm and this delays the posting of results. The 5:00 pm cut off has been in place for a couple of years now and given the time we tee off in the morning that time seems more than reasonable. So please make sure whoever is to enter scores for your group, is able to do so by the 5:00 pm time. And if you have trouble with the scoring system please contact Rick Lugg prior to 5:00 pm so he can help you work through it.

2) someone removed the CTTP maker from the second hole and the person responsible for collecting it had trouble locating it. Please do not removed the marker. A person from the first group out each Wed will place the marker and then that same person will return to pick it up after they finish their round.

Your assistance with both these items is appreciated.

Art Kelly, Captain

Doon Valley Senior Men's League


copy of email from Captain to members 2022-07-29

Hello All

By now you should have received an email from Kitchener Golf informing you that the construction at Doon has progressed to the point the 18 holes will be open as of tomorrow (Saturday). That means that for our League all things will return to normal next Wdnesday. All our contests will be operational and match play rounds might be scheduled. Please check the web site to see if your match is coming up.

Also, a reminder at this time to please let Rob Worsnop know if there are Wednesday dates you can not make. Here is his email address ( robworsnop2@hotmail.com ). When he has this information in advance he is able to properly schedule the tee times we have available for our League.

It has been an interesting two weeks but we did know that interruptions were likely to happen. Thankfully it has just been the two weeks and we can now return to our normal operation.

If you have any questions please let me know.

Take care,

Art Kelly, Captain

Doon Valley Senior Men's League


copy of email from Captain to members 2022-06-27

Hello Gentlemen

You all should be aware by now that the 401 construction at Doon will close the 8 holes south of the 401 for a brief time potentially starting next week.

Bob Cheyne's note said it could start July 4th, 5th or 6th and would likely last approximately 10 days. This means only the 10 holes north of the 401 will be available for play.

Obviously this will impact our League.

Our Web Master has looked at how this will affect our scoring system and has determined the system is not able to accommodate the reduction to 10 holes in regard to the calculations necessary for all our contests and events. Therefore, the weeks we are reduced to 10 holes, and we hope there is only a couple, will be considered 'No Play' weeks and there will be no accumulation of points for Gaffers Cup, Skins. Two Man Teams or CTTP.

Matches in the Match Play event cannot be played at Doon when the course is reduced to 10 holes. However, if you have a match scheduled during that time you could play it at another course. As long as both players agree to the course and the number of strokes to be given then the result would be considered valid.

This interruption is something we were warned about when the construction was first begun. So while it may be frustrating please be patient, especially with the staff at Doon as this is something outside their control. Quite frankly we think our League has been very fortunate to not have been impacted more.

Well here we are at the end of June and we hope your golf season has gone well so far. Once this interruption is over we hope the rest of your season proceeds smoothly.

As always if you have any questions or need any clarification please do not hesitate to contact any of the Golf Committee members.

On behalf or your Golf Committee

Art Kelly, Captain

Doon Valley Senior Men's League


copy of email from Captain to members 2022-05-14


Gentlemen

There were a few problems this past Wednesday with the scoring. Some people put their score cards into the Gaffers box in the lobby, some tried to enter scores had a problem but then waited until after the 5:00 pm deadline to get things sorted out and some seemed to not understand how to input scores.

So here is a gentle reminder of how the scoring process should work.

1) score cards should never be put into the Gaffers box

2) all scores need to be entered on line through the Dashboard on our web site

3) every Wednesday each group needs to determine one person who will keep the scores and be responsible to enter them on line. It does not have to be the same person every week

4) if you are not familiar with how to enter scores through the Dashboard or you do not have a 'key' in order to enter scores in the Dashboard, you should contact Rick Lugg

5) all scores need to be entered into the system by 5:00 pm following play each Wednesday

If you have any questions concerning scoring and or how to enter scores please contact either myself or Rick Lugg.


The weather was great this week for golfing, let's hope there is more of the same coming our way.

Take care.

Art Kelly, Captain


copy of email from Captain to members 2022-04-30


Good evening Gentlemen

There have been a number of questions concerning how the Committee is handling the booking of tee times this year and also how cancellations should be handled. To answer those questions we have developed the procedure you will find below. This procedure will be added to the web site so it as to be available for future reference.

If you have any questions this email does not answer please let me know.

The forecast at this point indicates some rain next Wednesday but that is several days away and hopefully will change.

Take care.

Art Kelly, Captain

Doon Valley Senior's Golf League

<< the procedure is shown on this  site - Click this link Bookings and Cancellations>>

copy of email from Captain to members 2022-04-24


Hello All

Given that the weather for Wed does not look the greatest temperature wise, high of 3 degrees, I would like to remind everyone of the League's policy concerning weather.

The Golf Committee does not issue a general cancellation, it is left up to each person to decide if they wish to play or not. However, in order for the round to count toward all our contests there must be at least 40% of our membership play the full 18 holes and submit scores. This is all explained on the web site under

Rules & Guidance - Guidelines - Inclement Weather

The 40% rule was implemented to avoid a situation where a very limited number of members might play, submit scores and have a disproportionate affect on the contest numbers.

In regard to Wed, I have spoken with Rob Worsnop who coordinated the tee times and if you plan to cancel Rob would like you to contact him first so he is aware of how many might be playing and whether or not he needs to make adjustments to the tee times.

If you will be cancelling please contact Rob tomorrow (Monday) as Kitchener Golf have 24 hour cancellation policy..

Rob's email address is robworsnop2@hotmail.com

This is definitely not the start to the season we were hoping for, however let's look for brighter days ahead.

If you have any questions please let me know.

Art Kelly, Captain

Doon Valley Senior Men's League


copy of email from Technical Desk 2022-04-18



As we will soon be starting our new season (looking out the window at near blizzard conditions) I wanted to draw your attention to the fact that, as over the past two years, we will be using the Online Scoring System to collect scores each week.


This page on our website explains the dashboard and there is a link to the  "Get A Key" page so you can use it. Past members that can find their key from last year are able to continue to use it. New members (and those that cannot find their 'key') can request a key and it will be emailed.

https://sites.google.com/site/kitchenergaffers/home/online-services/players-dashboard


The online scoring system description can be found at this page, please take a look.

https://sites.google.com/site/kitchenergaffers/home/online-services/scorer-guidelines


Once you have your key and seen or can remember how the scoring system works, a member should go to their dashboard and look around. Near the bottom of the dashboard is a link to the scoring system which is set in a Test Mode for a few days. Try entering scores for yourself and others. 


Scores entered will be cleared out before the League has our first week and they will not be posted - it is just to provide a view or reminder of the Scoring System.


If you experience any difficulties, you are welcome to email me (mailto:Rick@Lugg.ca) 

 


copy of email from Captain to members 2022-04-13

Hello Gentlemen

Well the 2022 golf season is finally here. In case you haven't heard, Kitchener Golf are planning to open Doon and Rockway on Wednesday April 20th. Your Golf Committee has been busy planning for the upcoming season and there are a few things to share with you.

1) When Doon opens on Wed April 20th our League's block of tee times will not be in effect. So if you want to play on that Wed you will have book your own tee time. The Tee-on system is open for you to book a time.

2) Our League times will officially begin on Wed April 27th.

3) In 2021 there were many complaints about not being able to get into the Tee-on system at 7:00 pm on the Tuesday nights. So we are trying a new approach in 2022. A member of the Golf Committee, Rob Worsnop, will be preparing a sheet with names and tee times each week and it will be posted on our web site for you to view. In many cases we have been able to establish regular playing groups and times. For players without a regular group Rob will be making sure everyone is accommodated every week.

4) Another change for 2022 is that every member will be automatically enrolled in every contest. For the Match Play and Two Man Team events please check the web site. There you will find an explanation of how those events will be run.

5) The CTTP contest will be reinstated for the 2022 season. However, we will not be able to rotate the holes this year so we will be using Doon #2 as the CTTP hole. A regular group will be taking the marker out in the first tee time each week and they will also be responsible for retrieving it once they have finished their round. So if you are the last group out on a Wed please set the marker to the side of the green and it will be picked up.

6) Please check out the web site for all the latest information concerning Penalty Areas as we have tried to simplify and add consistency to how players deal with difficult situations they get into.

7) With the changes to the 9 hole course as a result of the 401 construction it became obvious it was going to be very difficult to maintain a 9 hole membership group. As a result the Golf Committee made the difficult decision to no longer offer a 9 hole membership category. All those players who were part of our 9 hole membership group were given a variety of options going forward.

8) The round played on Wed April 27th will be considered our first official League day, all contests will operate and the results will count toward the yearly totals.

9) Membership fees will be collected on April 27th. The fee remains $45 to be paid in cash. Please place your $45 cash in an envelope with your name on the front. If you are in a regular group and one person is able to collect all the players fees that would be helpful. Please make sure all the names appear on the envelope.

10) We have permission to set up a table in the club house this year. So, Jamie Wilkinson (Treasurer) and myself will be in the club house at Doon on the morning of Wed April 27th to collect the fees. Please leave yourself enough time to come in and pay your fee before your scheduled tee time.

11) There is a new person managing the Pro Shops this year, his name is Colin Campbell.

If anyone has any questions please reach out to one of the Golf Committee. The contact information is listed on the web site.

To those who are new to the League, welcome. To those who are returning, welcome back. We hope everyone has a fun and enjoyable 2022 season.

On behalf of your Golf Committee

Art Kelly, Captain

Doon Valley Senior Men's Golf League


copy of email from Captain to members 2021-12-21


Hello Fellow Gaffers:

We hope this note finds you and your family doing well.

Your 2022 Golf Committee held a very productive meeting on Monday December 13th. Our discussions included reviewing new local rules, reviewing our contests and the survey results, looking at the Kitchener Golf membership deadlines, creating back up roles and various other items in preparation for the 2022 season. The full minutes of the meeting are posted on the web site for all to see.

However, there are a few items from our discussions the Committee would like to highlight here:

1) There have been a number of changes made to the local rules we play under, especially as they deal with the areas identified previously as "ugly areas". Check out the web site where you will find a complete listing of all the local rules which apply to our League play.

2) There have been changes made to how the Match Play and Two Man Team events will be conducted. This information will be on the web site so please check it out. Cec Archibald and Steve Munro will be coordinating these events. Their contact information is on the web site.

3) Everyone is being reminded/informed of the Committee's decision that to play in the League all players will be required to be fully vaccinated against the covid 19 virus or have a valid reason to be exempt. Everyone will be required to show proof of vaccination or proof of a valid exemption, at the time they pay for their 2022 League membership.

4) Everyone is reminded that while most Gaffers are members of Kitchener Golf, there are some who are not and if you are speaking with a potential new member they do not have to take out a Kitchener Golf membership to play in our League.

5) If anyone is aware of someone expressing interest in our League please direct them to contact Bill Dow or Rob Worsnop. These gentlemen will be coordinating all new member contact and welcoming activities. Their contact information is on the web site.

6) There seemed to be some confusion over the Kitchener Golf membership renewal deadlines. We have reached out to Kitchener Golf and asked them to clarify this item. Specifically we asked if 2021 members actually have until Jan 9th to renew for the 2022 season. The answer we received is shown here below:

yes the early bird price will be available for 2021 members up January 9th. We do have a handful of people on a waitlist for the Weekday 55+ membership, our most popular membership. We have also had a number of members convert from a Classic 9 membership to a Weekday 55+ membership. We do have quite a few spots remaining and that there are still many that are waiting until January to renew for various reasons. We also know there will be some Weekday 55+ members that will not be returning next year for various reasons. It is hard to predict if we will fill completely by January 9th, so I wouldn’t wait to purchase. However, if it is necessary that members need to wait until January, please send a quick email to Kelley Schell so we can gauge how many that will be and that way we can accommodate the best we can.

So everyone needs to decide for themselves if they take out a membership now or wait until January. If you decide to wait then we think the direction is pretty clear you need to be communicating with Kelley Schell at Rockway. ( kelley.schell@kitchener.ca )

5) We tentatively have a meeting with Kitchener Golf set for Thursday January 13th, 2022. We will be discussing items which came out of the survey as well as items from our Committee meeting. We will keep everyone informed of these discussion as they happen.

If you have any questions you are welcome to reach out to any member of the Golf Committee.

We wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a healthy & happy New Year.

Stay safe and we look forward to seeing you all at Doon in the spring.

On behalf of your Golf Committee

Respectfully,

Art Kelly, Captain

Doon Valley Senior Men's League



copy of email from Captain to members 2021-11-24

Hello Gentlemen

I am pleased to announce that 8 members came forward to indicate their interest in volunteering to be part of the Golf Committee. This number is consistent with the number required by our Operational Guidelines.

The following names, listed in alphabetical order, will be the Doon Valley Senior Men's League Golf Committee for 2022.

Cec Archibald, Michael Barkans, Bill Dow, Art Kelly, Rick Lugg, Steve Munro, Jamie Wilkinson and Rob Worsnop

We hope to have a Committee meeting in the next few weeks to consider the Evaluation results and look at some other items requiring consideration.

We will continue to keep you aware of these discussions as they take place.

For those who are interested in checking out the Evaluation results you can do so by clicking on the link below.

https://sites.google.com/site/kitchenergaffers/home/survey-results

Or you can go to the web site and click on the Survey Results listing found in the left hand margin.

If you have any questions please let me know.

Take care.

Art Kelly

Captain