WINNER OF THE DAVID LITHGOW CUP

1. Paul Tudor 40 Points
2. Dave Bright 39 Points
3. Roger Rabone 37 Points

Team Prize
Kelvin Warren-John Round-Paul Russell-Alan Lane 106 Points

A great morning in kind weather had by 90 plus great Barr seniors, followed by a good, cooked breakfast afterwards.
Club Captain Ranjit Khakh and Seniors Captain Pradip Chandarana presented the David Lithgow Cup to Paul Tudor, also the seasons trophies to all the other winners’
A farewell gift from Great Barr Golf Club to Bill Perry was made by Seniors Captain Pradip Chandarana.
Bill had organised the popular Seniors Open for over ten years and is stepping down.

Here at Great Barr Golf Club we believe we are a friendly, welcoming and forward-thinking club and this award helps us to spread that message and to tell people that children are safe and secure here and that we understand about beginner golfers.  You can find more information on our dedicated SafeGolf page of our website which can be found on the following link https://www.greatbarrgolfclub.co.uk/safeguarding-and-welfare/

SafeGolf is firstly, a website which can be found at www.safegolf.org.  This website allows anyone with a concern about the welfare of a player, or the behaviour or practice of a coach, volunteer, organiser, parent or a player, can contact the lead safeguarding officer at their national governing body.

Secondly, it is the safeguarding standard England Golf will promote to all their affiliated clubs to ensure all clubs provide a safe and positive experience to children and young people whilst playing golf. The PGA are also using the standards to apply to all their PGA professional Coaches.

Bill leaves nothing to chance, his infectious enthusiasm means he starts contacting previous players before Xmas, with almost a full field by the end of February, then filling any vacant tee times from late requester’s, right up to the last moment.

Bill has many friends and acquaintances from his golfing years, in particular from his year as Captain of GBGC, who continue to support him by attending this event. There are also a lot of new faces entering as gents become of age to enter the Seniors Open competition, that being 55.

The competition is split into under and over 70 categories with the overall winner being presented with the Bunny Staples Trophy.2020 was different to previous years as can be expected, there was no carvery meal after 18 holes, no raffle or presentation for the Bunny Staples Trophy and the other attractive prizes, no socialising after the game to share the missed putt or the cracking drive with other groups of players, but that didn’t put people off.

The weather was very kind to us, so despite the restrictions a great day was had by all with the winner of the Bunny Staples Trophy going to Paul Cooper with 44 points.  Here’s hoping the 2021 Seniors Open is able to revert back to the previous years format, whatever the future holds, with a Bill at the helm it will still be a roaring success for GBGC.

1) Electronic diary – Always up to date / removes printing costs from the club
2) Competition results – Quickest way to get the results of competitions
3) Course status – The greenkeeping team will now update the course status
4) Push notifications – Allows the club to send important messages such as course closure due to bad weather / social events and other promotions (you will have the option to opt-out of these communications)
5) Your golfing stats – So you can show your fellow golfers your stats and help you track your progress
6) Update your personal information – You can update your telephone number, address details or even add a selfie to your profile.

We had a small window of opportunity to reduce the costs of running the club’s website and moving the membership features over to the Members Hub, it was tight, but we are happy to say that we managed it!  This does mean however that you may notice a few duplication’s on the diary.  Over the next few months we will be working on the processes for updating the diary so it is always up to date and allows you to keep on top of all the events happening at the club.

The October Survey showed that you wanted modern means of communication and this is our first step towards that.  The upgrade gives us the ability to distribute news via the app rather than email (we will continue with email for the short term as we train the office staff on using the new system), it also allows us to send urgent push notifications either for course-related information or for other activities that are happening at the club – this will remove the need to dig out the newsletter in your email for the important information.

Keep an eye out for new features in the Members Hub as we continuously improve the platform.

Ready to get on board?  Here’s how:

1) Android SmartPhone or Tablet
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.clubsystems.clubv1hub

2) Apple SmartPhone or Tablet
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/clubv1-members-hub/id1247886260

3) Computer / Laptop
https://greatbarrgc.hub.clubv1.com/

Once you have installed the app, simply log in using your HowDidIDo passport account.  If you do not have a HowDidIDo passport account then simply head over to https://passport.howdidido.com/Account/Register and register for an account.  Please make sure the email address you use for this account is the same email address we hold for you in the office.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q) Can I still use the calendar that is synchronised with my GMAIL account?
A) No, the GMAIL calendar synchronises with the old calendar system.  Whilst disappointing, it was clear only a handful of members used this feature because of the complexity of setting it up.  The old diary is no longer updated and therefore please remove the synchronisation from your devices.

Q) What about the HowDiDIDoApp that I have already got installed?
A) You can continue to use this if you like, however it will not contain all the club information that gets published.  We would recommend only using the ClubV1 Member Hub app to get the best user experience.

Q) Do I need to keep the Whole In One Great Barr Golf Club App?
A) This app only was provided by a company who generated the flyover videos for the course.  Whilst you could keep this on your device please note the Club do not actively update the app.  We are asking Whole In One Golf to remove this app from the app store to avoid confusion.

Q) I can’t link my HowDiDIDo account with the Members Hub.
A) Please check with the secretary that you have used the same email address that the clubs holds for you.

A Rugby Hero

The book is about a teenage boy, Barry Carr, living in a council house in Birmingham, has his life changed when his Father comes into money. A good footballer, but dreams of playing for his beloved Blues are shattered when he has to go to a Rugby playing private school. He becomes very good at Rugby, and eventually plays for England schools and turns professional. One of the main characters is Kevin “Chalky” Carr, a real person, a real hero, who lost his fight with cancer, but set up the Chalky Carr foundation. The book tells of the trials and tribulations of Barry’s journey and the influence Chalky has on him. A percentage of the profits from this book will be donated to the Chalky Carr foundation. The book does contain some strong language
Ian invites you to bring your your copy of the book down to the club where he will only be to happy to sign it for you!
The book is available on Amazon now – you can get the book in both paperback and Kindle formats.
Great work again Ian!

I have really enjoyed writing my 2nd book, and I think I now have the bug for writing more! I would like to take this opportunity to thank Barry Haywood for his valuable contribution in helping me write this book. Author of A Rugby Hero – Ian Neal

We know many of our members have talents outside of golf. If you have an interesting story to tell, then please get in touch just like Ian did as we welcome the opportunity for you to talk to your fellow members about what you get up to outside of golf.

Barry’s golfing colleague Paul Marston, thought it was such a special achievement that he contacted the Sunday Mercury to see if they would be interested in featuring Barry in an article around his amazing achievement, as you can see from the write up below they were only too happy to oblige.

Well done Barry, we are sure number 11 won’t be too far away!

Click on the image below to see the article.

Barry Thacker In The News

Mr Kitsis

It could be your driving, your approach shots or your putting that is stopping you getting the handicap you want – but surprisingly enough the answer to better golf could be in your own hands!

If hand or wrist injuries are preventing you from taking the correct grip of your clubs then your golfing problems are really starting before you even tee-off, says Consultant Hand and Wrist Surgeon Mr Christos Kitsis.

“When you visit your golf pro one of the first things he looks at is your grip – that is how important it is. Yet many players struggle on with injuries that really are hampering their chances of improving at the sport.”

Here Mr Kitsis, who will be making a presentation at Great Barr Golf Club on November 19, looks at some of the most common complaints experienced by golfers around the West Midlands.

Dupuytren’s contracture

This is very common and can be quite debilitating but it can, on most occasions, be treated reasonably easily and with a short recovery period.

It occurs mostly in men over 50, when one or more fingers become permanently bent in a flexed (fist-like) position.

“While not usually painful you can see the problems this can cause for someone wanting to grip anything properly, never mind a golf club. There are several procedures I can perform to restore use of the fingers and you should have full use of your hand soon after treatment – although a return to golf would obviously take longer,”

Mr Kitsis

Trigger finger

Symptoms include pain at the base of the affected finger or thumb along with stiffness or clicking when you move it.

If the condition gets worse, your finger may get stuck in a bent position and then suddenly pop straight. Eventually, it may not fully bend or straighten.

“Medication, such as steroid injections can sometimes be enough to resolve the problem but, in some cases, surgery may be required. That means freeing up the affected tendons allowing them to work properly again.”

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Symptoms include an ache or pain in your fingers, hand or arm, numb hands, tingling or pins and needles or a weak thumb which makes it difficult to grip things. Again, physio or steroid injections can help but sometimes surgery is the best option.

“Surgery, under local anaesthetic, involves the carpal tunnel inside your wrist being released so it no longer puts pressure on the nerve. The operation takes around 15 minutes and success rates are very high,”

Golfer’s and Tennis Elbow

Symptoms of pain and reduced grip which can be debilitating. It may co-exist with trapped nerves in the elbow and wrist. Usually, it is caused by injury or, degeneration of muscle origin but sometimes can be the result of overuse or poor technique. Treatment consists of Physiotherapy, Orthotics, Equipment modifications, Injections and Surgery

Tendon and Ligament acute and chronic injuries

A multitude of tendons in the forearm, wrist and hand can be affected by sports. As they are associated with movement and grip they cause significant functional problems and often remove any enjoyment from sports and other activities. Early recognition and prompt treatment is the key to successful outcomes. A multitude of treatments is available.

Joint and bone problems

Bone and joint problems: such as stress fractures, osteochondritis, osteoarthritis, Triangular fibrocartilage complex injuries, post-traumatic problems. All can be complex to diagnose and treat. Keyhole or open surgery may greatly improve outcomes. Wear and tear arthritis affects most people but this does not mean they have to compromise with a life of pain and misery. Modern hand surgery provides highly effective solutions for most wear and tear conditions in the hand, ensuring great reduction or abolition of pain and preservation of function. A modern multi-disciplinary approach by a dedicated Hand surgery team led by Mr Kitsis at Spire Little Aston Hospital will ensure excellent outcomes and patient satisfaction.

The last few weeks have been a rollercoaster ride, needing to win our last two games.  First up, Halesowen were our rivals, we wanted a big win, and we achieved it with a 6-2 result.  I was biting my nails to the bone!!  Ellis Muckley showed what a player he is; 5 down at one stage, turning it around to win 3-1.  Our youngest player, Ethan Ives came into the team and I never once doubted this kid and his ability.  He rose to the occasion and won his match.  He will be a tough guy to beat!  Jason, Matt, Myles, Jim and Aaron all emerging as strong Scratch Team members.

Scratch Win

We then moved onto our last game of the season against Perton Park, another good team and another victory required.  Our team of Ellis Muckley, Jason Sturmey, Warren Dempster, Myles Dudfield, Dean Mellings, Ethan Ives, Aaron Guarini, Jim Dudfield all stepped up to the task with a 6.5 1.5 win which secured the league title….proud Captain!

Lastly, Joey Jones retired from the Scratch Team due to injury.  Over the years, Joe has been a fantastic player with dogged determination and great enthusiasm.  The team will miss him and we wish him well.

A quick mention to Stu Munn and Martin Nugent for sponsoring the team.  Also thanks must go to our Chairman, Graham Dudfield, his mate Kevin and Glen Muckley for their support on and off the course, thanks guys.

From me personally, a big thank you to my Vice Captain, Dean Mellings; but mostly thanks go to Ellis, Jason, Wozza, Milo, Dean, Steve, Aaron, Jim, Ethan, Joe, Dan, Matt and Andy.  Sorry if I’ve missed anyone!

Thanks also to Steve and the girls for looking after us and the away teams.

From a proud Captain, thank you all!

Mick Cooper