Committees

Tees & Greens  AGM 2009	Long Range Planning  AGM 2009
Handicap	Match
IT	Membership
Juniors

HANDICAP COMMITTEE

Why Maintain a Handicap?

The golf handicap system was developed to enable players of different
skill levels to play golf together on equal footing. We encourage all
members to maintain an accurate handicap using the computer provided
for the purpose. Doing so will let you track your variations in playing
ability and help you improve. You can then obtain an official handicap
index card. This is required to play all tournaments and to play some golf
courses. If you are unsure as to how to enter your scores, please ask a
member of the pro shop staff to assist you.

Tournament Play

If you plan on entering ANY tournaments, whether at Chester or away,
you MUST maintain an accurate handicap. This requires that you enter
ALL your scores for rounds played at Chester or away. It has been noted
that many members do not keep accurate handicaps – they either do not
enter rounds played, enter only high scores (sandbagging) or enter only
their low scores. The latter case may make you feel better when bragging
to your friends, but it will make it very difficult for you to be competitive
in tournaments. If you play a tournament that is scored individually, you
must enter your score and check the tournament check box.

Monitoring of Entries

The handicap committee will be monitoring the entry of scores
throughout the year. Those members who enter tournaments with
insufficient valid rounds may have their handicap adjusted by the
committee to reflect the players’ ability.

Become a Committee Member

We need more members on the committee. The handicap system can
only work if it is understood and monitored. A larger committee means
only a small time commitment each.

Please call Mike Brine at 275-2379 if interested.

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IT COMMITTEE

This season our club will offer its members the opportunity to pay their membership dues and fees (club storage, cleaning) online. A member will need to log in to the member portion of our website
(www.chestergolfclub.ca), fill out a form identifying the member and the services he or she would like, provide credit card information and submit the form. Of course, the other methods of making payment can still be used if preferred. This online payment service should be in effect by March 1. Members will also be able to register and pay entry fees for tournaments (GN Plastics and Schooner) online.
An email with detailed instructions on how to make such payments will be sent to those members who have provided the Pro Shop with their email address.
The IT Committee encourages its members who have an email address to provide it to the Pro Shop by phone or in the space provided in this year’s billing notice. By providing this information these members will be assured of receiving the latest newsletters, special notices and confirmation of Tee Times. Communication by email to our members will also help the Club reduce its mailing costs.

Art Varner, Chairman

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JUNIORS COMMITTEE

Our Junior golf program in 2008 was planned and implemented by our Club Professional staff Chad Pearson and Keith Wilesmith. Jason Stevens also assisted. The Junior Chair has acted as an advocate for the Junior Program at the Board level and continues to be responsible for communicating with the membership.
This past year our clinic program was switched from Monday nights to Sunday afternoons. The clinics were conducted over a nine-week period beginning May 18 and ending July 27 with a Hot Dog Day and Skills Competition. Our professional staff led all clinics providing first-rate professional instruction to all participants. Over 50 Junior golfers registered for the clinics with an average of about 30 attending each week. Following each clinic the course was available to Juniors in a Par Three format. Many of our clinic participants and their parents took advantage of this opportunity to play on the main course. This grew in popularity as the summer progressed.
We hosted the Chester Junior Invitational on August 28. The event attracted approximately 40 participants including several of the top Juniors in the province. Ally Titcomb of Ken-Wo was the winner in a playoff shooting a score of 72. I thought the event was a great success and I look forward to next year's. Special thanks to all of our volunteers.
The ongoing challenge I observe with our Junior Program is to get Junior golfers who participate in clinics to play golf on the full course. In speaking with other Golf Club Junior programs it is noted that most of the competitive Junior golfers in their clubs are children of active Senior members. Based on data provided by the long-range planning committee the demographics of our club membership are working against an active Junior golf program. It seems our Senior membership is dominated by folks whose children are well beyond Junior age. I also note that the number of Junior members at our club has dropped significantly over the last number of years. These are trends that we must watch closely.
Our Pro Staff are planning their Junior program for the coming season. Watch the website for details. Registration will be held at the Pro Shop on May 11 at 6:30 p.m.

Bob Fraser, Junior Chair



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MATCH and HANDICAP

1. All members are responsible for entering their own scores on
computer provided in lobby of pro shop building. The Match and
Handicap Committee has the right to alter handicaps of members
entering competitions who do not have properly maintained
handicaps.
2. All members’ golf bags shall be tagged to identify the members
playing privileges.
3. Club tournaments and matches will be posted in pro shop lobby
and/or locker rooms.
4. Practice, other than on practice greens, is restricted to areas
designated as such.
5 Group bookings will be published in the monthly calendar available
in the pro shop and also posted at the entrance to the pro shop.
6. Members who enter club tournaments must give the pro shop 24
hours notice if they cannot play. Any member who does not show up
for their tee time without giving proper notice may at the discretion
of the Match Committee be barred from further Club Tournaments
for the balance of the season.

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MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE

Effective August 27, 2008 (at the Club's 54th Annual Meeting), the following reflects the current information regarding membership in the Chester Golf Club.

1. Membership categories
 
A. Senior Permanent: Permanent resident of the "Chester area." This area includes the Village of Chester and eastward to the East River and westward to the Middle River, bounded to the north by Highway 103 and to the south by the Atlantic Ocean. Islands connected to the mainland are included. Residency must be a minimum of 2 years and those qualified persons whose residency is less than 5 years will be subject to a $1,500 plus HST initiation fee.
To be considered a permanent resident of Chester a prospective member must spend the majority of the year residing in Chester, and the residence must be considered the "Principal Residence” under the Income Tax Act, and/or the Province of Nova Scotia Health Act.

See Senior Permanent Map (PDF) for overview of boundaries.

B. Senior Summer: A property owner in the Village of Chester, residing in said property a minimum of 4 weeks annually. The Village of Chester for this category extends as far as East Chester Recreation Association (3292 Hwy 3) to the east and westward as far as Robinson's Corner and Countways Store (4359 Hwy 3). Only a property owner and their spouse (or a maximum of 2 persons) are eligible in this summer resident category. "Spouse" includes a common law spouse or registered domestic partner as defined by the Vital Statistics Act. The residency must have been for a minimum of 2 years and those persons with less than 5 years residency will be subject to a $1,500 initiation fee (plus HST).

See Senior Summer Map (PDF) for overview of boundaries.

C. Senior – Spouse: Spouse or partner of a Chester Golf Club member. "Spouse" includes a common law spouse or registered domestic partner as defined by the Vital Statistics Act.

D. Intermediate: This is a courtesy (dues one-half Senior rate) extended by the Club to persons who qualify in the Senior Permanent category and are full-time students in a postsecondary institution. These persons must be between the ages of 19 and 25 on April 1 and proof of student status must be provided.

E. Junior (ages 13-18) and Novice (ages 6-14): These persons must be a child of a member or a resident of the Municipality of the District of Chester. Any Junior who maintains their membership for a period of five (5) years and meets the then current residency requirements will be eligible for Intermediate or Senior membership on reaching the age of 19.

F. Sick Leave: A member may at the discretion of the Board of Directors be granted sick leave for a period of one year only, provided further that the member must apply for sick leave before July 1st of the year in which they require leave by application in writing addressed to the Club Secretary. Such letter shall contain a Doctor's Certificate supporting the member's application.

2. The Senior (including Intermediate) membership category shall have a cap of 850 members. The cap numbers are subject to review by the Chester Golf Club Board of Directors. The Junior/Novice category will have a maximum of 220 members.

3. Waiting Lists, reflecting the above, will be maintained and posted in the pro shop.
The Chester Golf Club is presently at our maximum cap of 850 Senior
members. Please click Here to view current applicant waiting list.

4. Payment of Dues

a) Annual dues are due on March 1st of each year, playing privileges being suspended after April 15th until all outstanding accounts and current year dues are paid in full.

b) On April 15th, members' names will be posted at the Club if any accounts or dues remain in arrears.
On this date, unpaid dues will be subject to a penalty of $50.00 plus taxes.

c) On May 1st, delinquent memberships will be cancelled by the Club.

d) Those persons who have had their membership cancelled may not reapply for currently open categories of membership for two years.


Download membership Application Form (PDF)

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