COST OF PETROL WILL INFLUENCE NE ALLIANCE CHOICE OF VENUES
By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
When the North-east Alliance joint secretaries sit down shortly to map out the venues for the 2011-2012 season, they will be well aware that the ever-increasing price of petrol is making trips to places such as Buckpool - a round trip of more than 120 miles for Aberdeen-based members - an expensive day out.
The field for today's meeting was only 83 compared with over 100 for the previous Wednesday at Banff. Now that may well have been due to players who had poor scores in the first round considering it was not worthwhile playing in the second round, although there were stand-alone prizelists for both Wednesdays.
Buckpool, because it remains in a very good condition throughout the winter months, should survive on next season's list but with only one visit, not two as was the case in the second half of the fixture list.
Expect the 2011-2012 set of venues to lean heavily towards a 20/25-mile radius of Aberdeen. Places like Stonehaven, Portlethen, Westhill, Kintore, Inverurie, Banchory, Alford, Insch and Oldmeldrum - none of whom housed an Alliance fixture in 2010-2011 - would fit the bill.
There is good news in that direction. I hear that Craibstone Golf Centre has been bought by a not-so-far-away but unrelated company and will re-open soon. Watch this space.
In the days when I played in the Alliance, I can certainly remember one fixture at the Kings Links, Aberdeen and possibly others at Hazlehead and Nigg Bay.
Perhaps the powers-that-be who manage the city's municipal courses these days would not accept the much reduced visitor green fees paid by the Alliance to the host golf clubs. But surely a guaranteed cheque for £400-£500, maybe more, maybe less, depending on the size of the Alliance field, is better than what they would get from the public at large on a Wednesday in the winter.
Just a thought.
Any comments from NE Alliance members? E-mail them to Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
When the North-east Alliance joint secretaries sit down shortly to map out the venues for the 2011-2012 season, they will be well aware that the ever-increasing price of petrol is making trips to places such as Buckpool - a round trip of more than 120 miles for Aberdeen-based members - an expensive day out.
The field for today's meeting was only 83 compared with over 100 for the previous Wednesday at Banff. Now that may well have been due to players who had poor scores in the first round considering it was not worthwhile playing in the second round, although there were stand-alone prizelists for both Wednesdays.
Buckpool, because it remains in a very good condition throughout the winter months, should survive on next season's list but with only one visit, not two as was the case in the second half of the fixture list.
Expect the 2011-2012 set of venues to lean heavily towards a 20/25-mile radius of Aberdeen. Places like Stonehaven, Portlethen, Westhill, Kintore, Inverurie, Banchory, Alford, Insch and Oldmeldrum - none of whom housed an Alliance fixture in 2010-2011 - would fit the bill.
There is good news in that direction. I hear that Craibstone Golf Centre has been bought by a not-so-far-away but unrelated company and will re-open soon. Watch this space.
In the days when I played in the Alliance, I can certainly remember one fixture at the Kings Links, Aberdeen and possibly others at Hazlehead and Nigg Bay.
Perhaps the powers-that-be who manage the city's municipal courses these days would not accept the much reduced visitor green fees paid by the Alliance to the host golf clubs. But surely a guaranteed cheque for £400-£500, maybe more, maybe less, depending on the size of the Alliance field, is better than what they would get from the public at large on a Wednesday in the winter.
Just a thought.
Any comments from NE Alliance members? E-mail them to Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Labels: Alliance
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Wednesday, March 16, 2011
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