Welcome members of the Port Macquarie Golf Club to this the annual report for the year 2009.
This, members, as I am sure you are all aware, has been one of the toughest if not the toughest
year financially for a very long time. Couple together the International financial downturn with the
national softening of the markets and then add to this the problems of some of the local financial
enterprises and it culminates in a large decrease in disposable income.
This has resulted in a severe reduction in club income, with a downtown in numbers at our regular
evenings and reduction in returns from poker machines.
All of the above sounds terrible, and in its own way it is, but by diligent business practices of your
board, the manager and his staff in the house and on the course, we have still managed to reduce
our borrowings and spend a great deal of money on capital expenses that will serve our needs
for many years to come.
The board continues to hold special meetings that will formalize the strategic plans for the next
one, two and three years, setting the methodology required to achieve the desired results.
This strategic plan will be a living document that will change as needs and financial abilities
dictate.
I must also take this opportunity to remind members that next year is a major year on our calendar
as it is the celebration of 100 years of the Port Macquarie Golf Club.
On the golfing side of things, we have seen the completion of the irrigation system which will
result in a saving of many man-hours of maintenance work.
The course staff led by Steve Brennan must be congratulated on the effort they have made in
keeping our course playable when other courses in the district were closed due to the consistent
wet weather. Congratulations Steve and your staff.
We as a board continue to press ahead with the long term plans for the extra holes to the south
and also we are hoping to have the extra dams dug when practicable. At this point in time we have
plenty of water but believe me we will see dry times again and the extra storage will be needed.
At the moment we are looking forward to some dry weather as we have lost plenty of golf in the
loss of the Pro-Am, plenty of days and half days plus reduced field sizes due to the wet conditions.
The Pro-am has been rescheduled for the 14th and 15th September, 2009.
On the house front we welcomed our new caterer Mr. Rob Mooney and I know you all join me in
wishing him well and may we have a long and profitable association, I trust with the quality of Rob`s food and the efficiency and politeness of his staff this is bound to happen.
We have also seen the completion of the window restoration that will stop the leaks and the
possibility of the windows falling into the clubhouse.
For the poker machine players we continue to change and update our machines. With the
inclusion of the machines on the northern balcony and with the new link system we attempt to
offer you the best available. We are studiously working towards the cashless system.
Captain Keith Heap will expand more on the achievements of our golfing members but to the
pennant players thank you for representing your club and to the Division One players
congratulations on your third year in a row of winning the district flag.
Our member of the Australian Senior Team Brian Sams continues to do well in representing Port
Macquarie Golf Club at National and International level so to Brian well done.
Again I must make special mention of all our volunteers who tirelessly continue to offer their
services both in the clubhouse and out on the course, to Gordon Bain for the effort he puts in to
getting out the newsletter on a regular time frame, to all those people a very big thank you.
To the families that have had a member suffer an illness or a passing, our thoughts are with you
during your time of sadness.
I make special mention of the General Manager, Trevor Haynes and his administration and bar
staff for the effort they have all put in to make this a successful year under extremely difficult
enconmic conditions.
To Ben Hamilton and his staff in the Pro-shop, thank you for maintaining a friendly and professional
attitude to the members during the problems faced throughout the year. We are all aware how
much pressure the year has placed on Ben and his staff.
This year members I stand before you and ask for your support to be re-elected as your President
so that I along with the board can continue to work towards the long term goal of making this club
the most highly thought of club in the district, to providing the best course and clubhouse facilities
possible and making Port Macquarie Golf Club a very successful business and the place to be.
I promise you all that I will continue to dedicate myself to the betterment of this club.
Yours in Golf
Bill MacDonald
President 2009