1. PGC Newsletter 2015 - 2 06/05/15

2. Contents  Message from the board / Finances / AGM  Course news / Clubhouse news / Shares  Membership initiatives / Competition updates  Juniors / Club teams  Turbine / Other initiatives  Dress Code / And Finally  Other News / Next updates

3. Message from the Board; Welcome to the second newsletter of the 2015 season. We hope you find the information of interest and enjoy the new format. We’d like to welcome new members to the Club, it’s great to see so many new and returning faces around the place. It shows we’re making progress in growing Polmont into a sustainable option for local golfers and we thank you for your support and look forward to seeing you for many years to come. Equally thanks to existing members for your continued support. We’d love to hear from members, old or new on what you like about the club or suggestions for improvement. Just contact any board member or email the club. Finances; Once the data is verified we will be sending each member the latest balance sheet with notification of the date for the AGM. Without going into detail, 2014 was a year of progress for the club which is sustained into the early part of 2015. One area to note is that we are in a minority of local clubs in that we do not have a bar levy. In order to maintain this we need support for the bar on an ongoing basis. Everyone is busier now, with less free time. Buying a soft drink or water and taking it on the course is a quick, easy way of supporting the club, while keeping you hydrated and refreshed without delaying any activities you have planned after your round.

4. Course News; The difference made by the new fairway machine is sensational. John and the other Greenstaff have really made best use of the effects that the new machine has as well as the time saved by operating more efficiently to have the course looking the best it has so early in the season for a long time. The work done on the greens in March, while taking longer to recover than anyone would like due to the extreme variances in the weather from warm & dry, to wet & cold for prolonged periods will also show a benefit over the season as a whole. In addition we hope to maintain the arrangements which see us have work experience resource available to assist throughout the season. Clubhouse News; Tom has done a great job ‘chipping’ away at the various jobs around the club that have needed done and the place is looking much fresher. If you have any skills in areas that would be useful such as plumbing, decorating etc. and some time to spare, he would welcome any assistance. Shares; The process of updating the shareholders register and aligning with the Articles of Association is ongoing. Please bear with us, it needs to be 100% accurate and workable in the long term. The aim is to complete this for the AGM.

5. Membership initiatives; Thanks to Darren Murray for the flyers which have been distributed to various parts of the surrounding area and the banner which is at the bottom of the drive. Also to everyone who helped distribute the flyers your time and assistance is appreciated. We continue to attract new members through this and other initiatives including innovative and aggressive pricing. This will continue to be advertised via the club website, Facebook page etc. and will evolve as the season goes on. Competition updates; Competitions for all sections are well and truly up and running. If you’ve not joined in yet, Gents have times all day Saturday, the ladies play on a Sunday morning, Juniors on a Sunday afternoon. In addition the Gents 9 hole Wednesday medals start on the 20 th May. These count for handicap and all money taken in gets paid out in prize money. The sheets for Gents match play are up, and are available until the 10 th May.

6. Juniors; John Brown has done an amazing job getting 130 primary school children through taster sessions, with still another 45 to go, from these 28 have indicated they wish to join in with some group coaching which John will run in association with Club Golf. Thanks to Willie Ferguson, Ian Ingram, Stevie Fry & Nicky Docherty for assisting John, hopefully this will be the first step in establishing a vibrant junior group within the club. We also appreciate members and visitors understanding and support while the kids find their way around the course and get acquainted with the game. Please encourage and support them. Club Teams; Gents Stirlingshire golf union team matches will be against Glenbervie, Falkirk Tryst and Kilsyth this year home and away. Dates are posted on the website. Unfortunately after a successful season last years Mail On Sunday competition the team exited early this year. Better luck next year boys. The ladies section play in the Bronze league. Details of fixtures for this can be found on the ladies notice board.

7. Turbine; The turbine is now at that stage between heads of terms being agreed and going to formal planning. It’s very much a case of no news is good news as this can take some months to progress. As and when updates are available we will give these via a newsletter depending on the timing or via the web and Facebook pages. Other initiatives; We have had some quotes from suppliers to implement a door entry system allowing Golfers access to locker and toilet facilities when the clubhouse is closed. These are going through due diligence to check affordability, return on investment etc. Once a decision is made we will let you know.

8. Dress Code; We think we have one of the most relaxed dress codes of private courses in the area. All that we ask of Members and Visitors is that it’s respected. As a reminder – Competitions: As per most clubs we ask that you wear trousers or tailored shorts. No sports or trunk style shorts should be worn. Shirts should be polo or collarless as long as they are designed for golf. 'Trainer' socks are allowed and golf shoes or flat soled trainers must be worn. Casual Golf: As above, however jeans may be worn as long as they are not ripped. Other News; The Club treasurer, Dougie Airbright has notified the board of his intention to step down this year due to family relocation. The work Dougie has done has been key in turning the club around and we are looking for a volunteer with the drive and commitment to continue this. Ideally this will happen while Dougie is still around so any handover can happen over a period of time. If you are interested then please approach Dougie or any board member.

9. Next Update; Ideally these will happen every 6 weeks or so during the season. Feedback is welcomed, is it useful? Is there anything you’d like added? Please email the club, comment on Facebook or speak to the board. See you again mid – late June, thanks for reading. And Finally; With so much positive news to share it is unfortunate to finish on a bit of a low note. Its been noticed that there is some damage to greens, mainly 1 & 2. This has been done with a golf club, in the case of the 1 st green either on Friday evening or Saturday morning of 1 st / 2 nd May. While it is probable this wasn’t deliberate it’s not something that any member can condone. If you see anyone damaging a green please let any Board member know. Also please refer to the notice at the entrance regarding contacting the Community Wardens regarding anti social behaviour you see on the course. Thanks.