We hope you and you families are safe and well during these stressful times and look forward to a time, hopefully not too far away, when we can welcome you back to the course.

This is simply to give you an update about what is going on behind the scenes at Richmond Golf Club.

First of all a big thank you to those members who re-joined RGC and paid their subscriptions due 1st April. We understand that it is a tough call to pay fees when there is no golf being played but without this cash we would not be able to pay our bills. So to the about 2/3rds of you who did so; thank you!

We still have 30 full members and 9 who are either in the 19-30 years or overseas groups plus 19 in the 9-18 yr old group who have not renewed or notified us that they are not re-joining. Could we ask that these members pay their subscriptions as soon as possible so that they play their part in RGC’s plans to get through this crisis and thrive going forward.

We are all aware that some members may be facing genuine hardship. Those “working but on furlough” or “self-employed having to await payments in June” are just two examples and for these members we understand that a full year’s fees comes at the wrong time. If you want to stay with RGC but just cannot pay for the full year, please contact admin@richmondyorksgolfclub.co.uk and we will agree a reduced payment schedule: for example 3 months at a time whilst wages are down, so you are up and back on the course as soon as we are open. If you’re stuck, let’s talk; we do not want to lose anybody who is struggling to pay their bills. The Chairman is in the office on Tuesday and Thursday mornings to ensure things tick over so he will answer emails and help wherever he can; he may even accept payments!

The Board is cutting all feasible costs. Most of the staff have unfortunately had to go on to furlough as RGC cannot afford to pay them whilst no income is coming in. We are enrolling them in the Government Job Retention Scheme (not yet formalised) to ensure at least 80% of their wages are covered and their jobs are retained. We want them back and raring to go as soon as we can!

Anthony, alone, remains working but within strict guidelines from the Green-keepers Association, BIGGA. This is to ensure that when we get the all clear, the course is ready to go and doesn’t suffer a one month delay which we judge will happen to clubs who let their courses grow.

We have applied for the Government’s Business Grant for Retail and Leisure Cos which we hope will give us £25k, we have received written confirmation that our Council rates for 2020/21 will be “nil” and agreed with the Earl of Ronaldshay to once more defer ground rent payments until the CV crisis is over. We are, of course, exploring other grant schemes and seeking payment holidays wherever we can.

We have agreed with our Head Pro that he should leave now rather than wait until end April which saves us his April retainer. The Pro shop is empty and Dan has been liaising with members with money on their accounts about how to spend it though most is of small amounts. We have had one top Pro (winner on the European circuit) show interest in our Head Pro position and when we are up and running again will invite him to come and visit us to talk about possibilities.

Richmond Golf Club has been around for 128 years and we are determined to see it last a good deal longer. We will get through this CV crisis and when we do, we will go full steam ahead to recruit new members to join this great club. New blood who want RGC to succeed and will work to make it happen.

Chris Lamb, Chairman of the Board

Greetings from the Captains

Hi fellow Golfers, I hope you and your families are all okay and staying safe at this worrying time. I’m looking forward to when this is all over and getting back out to have a few rounds of golf and enjoy, hopefully, the warmer weather and the club getting back to normal. Here’s wishing you all a lovely Easter. I’m hoping to do the Easter hamper draw in the coming weeks and once drawn the winner will be informed. My captaincy so far has been a strange and challenging one and I would like to thank you all for your support so far: hopefully it will get a lot better soon!

Your Captain: Ivan Rookes

Hello fellow members, here’s hoping the club newsletter finds you all keeping fit and safe and well. Thank you to all of you who renewed your membership at the end of last year and at the end of March. I hope as many of you as can are able to get out to do your daily exercise to keep golf fit, ready for when we can get back out again. Unfortunately, I’ve had my message from the NHS and I’m confined to barracks for 12 weeks. Nevertheless, I’m keeping fit with You Tube activities (I’ve not resorted to housework yet!). I can venture out into the back garden; it’s never been this tidy so early in the year! It’s important to stay connected with family and friends and with all of today’s technology it couldn’t be easier. The lady members are kept up to date with my weekly emails, if you aren’t receiving them, please email me at Barbara.gregory13@gmail.com and I’ll add you to the list. We also have a WhatsApp group, “Richmond Yorks Lady Golf”, that is keeping us connected and entertained, sharing our tips on keeping fit, quizzes (we will be ready when the club opens again!) and “pupdates” on a litter that arrived a few days ago. The ladies are also sharing photos of views around where they live when they go out for their daily exercise, very important for those of us who can’t get out. My clubs, bag and trolley have been spruced up in anticipation of getting back on the course later in the summer.

Best wishes to you all, Barbara Gregory Lady Captain.

An update from the Head Greenkeeper

Work on and around the course has been restricted to ‘essential maintenance’ which consists primarily of mowing close mown playing areas which are greens, tees and fairways. After the wettest winter I can remember, the course is drying and firming up well to give some clear definition across the course. I have taken advantage of the temporary lack of playing pressure to keep the greens at a higher height of cut as this is less stressful to the plant and as a result will require less inputs. I will of course adjust the height accordingly before the season starts up again. More importantly the higher height of cut will allow me to address some of the disease scaring on a greens 2, 12 and 14 which have been spiked and seeded. I am sure that the course will be fantastic when you all return!