Name
The name of the organization is "The Annapolis Valley Senior Men's Golf Association", abbreviated AVSMGA. It is sometimes referred to as the Valley Seniors.
Objectives
The objectives of the Association are to provide greater opportunity for seniors to play other courses, to renew old acquaintances and to make new friends.
History
The Association was formed 8 September 1980, when 60 senior golfers from Annapolis Royal, Avon Valley, Clare, the Digby Pines, Eden, Greenwood, Ken-Wo and Paragon met at Eden for 18 holes of golf followed by dinner and an organizational meeting. Orman Watkins, a member of Eden Golf & Country Club, provided the initiative for this event. In the beginning, one club was selected each year as the host club. The host club then provided the executive for the Association, maintained the records and hosted the opening and closing tournaments.
In September 1987, the decision was taken to have a permanent Secretary-Treasurer, without voting or executive status, and one Representative from each member club with full voting power. The first Secretary-Treasurer was Tom Edwards, from September 1987 to April 1997. Carroll Kinsman followed him from April 1997 to January 2003, and he was followed by David Pollard. The President of the Association is one of the Representatives in yearly rotation.
From the very beginning there has been a strong demand for increased membership. Several formats have been tried. Finally, in the mid-90's, the membership was split into two grou[s. This necessitated two competitions each year at each member club but it also allowed the membership to very nearly double.
In 1996, Eagle Crest Golf Club became the 9th member club and, in 2001, Berwick Heights Golf Course rounded out the number at 10 member clubs. In the first year of operation, Berwick Heights was called Valley Vista.
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Executive
The Executive of the Association is composed of the Club Representatives from the member clubs. The President shall serve a one year term and shall be a Club Representative selected in the following rotation: Eden, Paragon, Ken-Wo, Avon Valley, the Pines, Clare, Annapolis Royal, Greenwood, Eagle Crest and Berwick Heights.
Club Representatives
Each member club shall appoint one member to servew as the Club Representative. The Club Representative provides the liaison between the Association and the member club. In particular, the Club Representative shall:
a) Collect members' dues and Leave-Of-Absence fees and remit them to the Secretary-Treasurer.
b) Maintain a Membership List and inform the Secretary-Treasurer of all changes.
c) Maintain a Waiting List.
d) Keep members informed about Association matters and assist the Secretary-Treasurer in mediating any disputes.
Secretary-Treasurer
The Secretary-Treasurer is selected from the membership by the Executive and serves at their pleasure. He receives an honorasium as established annually by the Executive and from which he pays all of the Association's stationery and supplies. In particular, the Secretary-Teasurer shall:
a) Keep the minutes of all meetings of the Association.
b) Maintain a list of all members, together with their handicaps.
c) Prepare the annual competition schedule.
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d) Allocate membership openings in accordance with the agreed format.
e) Provide membership cards for all members.
f) For each competition, provide the Club Representative wioth a list of eligible participants together with score sheet labels. He receives the prize money, determines prizewinners and prepare and distributes gift certificates. He shall publish a complete list of tournament winners.
g) Manage the Association's funds.
h) Reconcile and settle with participating Pro-Shops for redeemed gift certificates issued by the Association.
i) Prepare and submit a report to the membership at large at the annual closing dinner.
j) As of 31 December of each year, provide each Club Representative with a financial report for the year.
k) Monitor the operations of the Association on an ongoing basis, identify problems and potential problems and make suggestions or recommendations to the Executive for solution.
l) Has no voting or executive right.
Meetings
A general meeting of the membership is held annually in conjunction with the closing dinner. The Executive meets twice annually; once immediately following the closing tournaments and again in mid-January.
The President or the Secretary-Treasurer may call additional meetings of the Executive should matters of an urgent or pressing nature arise. Members may submit suggestions or items for discussion through their Club Representative. A majority of Club Representatives constitutes a quorum and motions are passed by a simple majority of those present. The President shall preside at all meetings.
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Financial
The Association's funds shall be maintained in a branch of a Canadian chartered bank in an account in the name of the Association. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be the sole signing authority.
Membership
Any male member in good standing at a member club, who is or will be 50 years old during the year, is eligible for membership. Application is made through the appropriate Club Representative.
Since June, 1998, total membership has been capped at 395 members divided into 2 groups. This number has been established on the basis of an average attendance at competitions of just over 120. On most courses, the desired maximum, in order to maintain a satisfactory pace of play, is about 132. We sometimes exceed that number by quite a few.
When we have a waiting list, available openings will be evaluated each spring. These openings are allocated to member clubs on the basis of what percentage each club's waiting list is to the total waliting list. For example, assume that Clare has 10 people on its waiting list and the total for all member clubs is 100. If 50 openings were available at the start of the year, Clare would be given 10% of 50 or 5 new positions. The Clare Club Representative would then admit the first 5 people on his waiting list. The following exceptions apply:
a) clubs admitted prior to 2001 shall be allowed a minimum of 20 members. If any of these clubs falls below 20 members, the overall membership must be limited to permit that club to reach the minimum as soon as possible. For example, if one such club falls to18 members, 2 positions would have to be reserved to that club. The total membership for the other clubs could not exceed 375, leaving room for the club with 18 to expand to 20.
b) No member club may have more than 100 members.
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c) The Executive shall determine the basis on which memberships are allocated to new member clubs untin such time as they reach 20 members. At this point they will be governed by the 2 rules previous.
Membership Requirements
Members must pay annual dues to their Club Representative by 1 May each year and must play a minimum of 4 AVSMGA competitions each year.
For good and valid reason, a member may request and obtain a leave of absence, for one year, upon payment of the required fee. One extension may be granted.
Members transferring their club membership lose their membership in the Association. They must re-apply at their new club and wait their turn.
The members at each club are divided into 2 equal groups, called Group A and Group B. Each year, the Secretary-Treasurer rotates the groups at 3 of the clubs in accordance with a prearranged schedule. Group A becomes Group B and Group B becomes Group A. In this way, at least in theory, over a period of time every member will have the opportunity to play with every other member of the Association.
Dues, Fees and Assessments
The Executive set the annual dues, leave of absence fees and prize levy. At the present time these are:
a) Annual dues $20.00
b) Leave of Absence fee $5.00
c) Prize levy - at each competition $5.00
The Secretary-Treasurer may impose an assessment, payable upon registration at the closing tournament, to assist with the cost of the closing dinner. The amount of this assessment may not exceed the cost to the Association of each individual meal.
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Competitions
Each group is scheduled to play 1 tournament at each club during the season. The tournament schedule will be posted on the notice board at each club. Please note carefully the time for each competition. Most begin at 9:30 but some start at 9:00 and some even at 8:30. Members are asked to register at least one half-hour prior to the scheduled start time.
All members must register to play in a competition. The procedure requires 4 steps: first, have your name checked off by the volunteer taking attendance; second, pay green fees and prize levy; third, ensure that your name label is placed on the appropriate handicap division sheet; and, finally, fourth, obtain a starting tee position as either a walker or a rider. Please show your membership cardbecause this makes it much easier for the volunteer committee to do their jobs.
Members are encouraged to mix up the foursomes. No more than 2 players from the same club should be in the same foursome.
Handicaps
The Secretary-Treasureer maintains a record of handicaps for each member based solely on rounds played in Association tournaments. New members are assigned a handicap on the basis of handicap index at their home club. If, prior to posting 5 scores, a member's scores indicate that his index may not have appropriate, the Secretary-Treasurer may arbitrarily assign a handicap based on the lowest score posted.
Prizes
The Club Representatives decide the number and value of prizes to be awarded. At present, Group A and Group B are each divided into 5 handicap divisions, as numerically equal as possible. The handicap range for each division may be changed from tournament to tournament to maintain equality of numbers. Equality of numbers is based on the numbers who are eligible, not on the number of actual participants. Six prizes are awarded in each division - 6 Gross and 6 Net. All prizes are gift certificates that may be redeemed for merchandise at the Pro-Shop of any member club. The gift certificates must be redeemed by 31 December of the year of issue.
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Prizes are as follows:
Low Gross and Low Net $25.00 each
2nd Gross and 2nd Net $20.00 each
3rd Gross and 3rd Net $15.00 each
Posting Tournament Scores
It is the responsibility of the man keeping the score card to post the scores for all members of the foursome. On the appropriate handicap scoriing sheet, enter the total score for each nine, the total gross score, the handicap and the net score. The member's current handicap is written on the label affixed to the score sheet. The score cards are to be left with the score sheets.
Hole-In-One Trophy
A member scoring a hole-in-one during an Association competition will receive a crystal trophy giving details of the feat.
Valley Seniors Cup
Each season the Valley Seniors Cup will be awarded to the member recording the most points for Low Net Score. When played as a single group, 20 points will be awarded to the member with the lowest net score, 19 to the next lowest and so on down to number 20 who would receive 1 point. In the event of a tie, the players tied receive the same points. For example, if 3 players tied for first place, each of them would receive 20 points and no points would be awarded for second or third place. The player in fourth place would receive 17 points.
Where the competition is played as two groups, the low net score would be awarded 10 points. Number 2 would receive 9 points and so on down to number 10 receiving 1 point. Ties would be treated in the same manner as when plat is as a single group.
Rules
All competitions are played under the rules of the RCGA. In order to speed up play in the Valley Seniors, the following special rules shall apply at all competitions:
Rule 1 - Lost Ball. Members may spend a maximum of 2 minutes looking for a lost ball. If the ball is not found within that time, a ball is to be dropped on the mowed portion of the fairway within 2 club lengths of the spot opposite the point where the original ball is thought to lie. Playing partners are to agree to the drop area. The player must take 1 penalty stroke.
Rule 2 - Lost Ball. If a lost ball is found within the 2 minute time limit, it may be played as it lies without penalty, or, with 1 penalty stroke, it may be dropped in the fairway as in Rule 1.
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Rule 3 - Ball Out Of Bounds. A ball out of bounds is to be disregarded. The player's next stroke is to be played from the mowed portion of the fairway within 2 club lengths of the point opposite where the ball crossed out of bounds. Playing partners are to agree to the drop area. The penalty is 1 stroke.
Rule 4 - Lift, Clean and Place. The host club will determine when conditions warrant this procedure.
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Rule 5 - Order of Play
Though usually golf is played by position of honour, at AVSMGA tournaments, members are urged to play ready golf through the green. However, members are cautioned not to get ahead of their foursome so that they are not in danger of being hit by a ball.
Rule 6 - Putting
Continous putting is recommended unless your stance would be on another player's line of putt.
Rule 7 - Slow Play
You must keep pace with the group in front of you. If, for some reason, you have an open hole in front of you and the group behind is waiting, you must let them play through. You must then keep pace with them.
These special rules have been established to speed up the pace of play at AVSMGA tournaments. Please be fair, but reasonable, in interpreting them. For example, we do not want players to walk all the way back to the tee when they discover that their ball is lost or out of bounds.
Guests
Guests are not encouraged. However, under exceptional circumstances guests may be permitted; they must be male, preferably 50 years of age or older and must pay a green fee determined by the host club. Guests do not pay the prize levy and are not eligible for prizes.
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Special Arrangements with Member Clubs
The Association has the following agreements with all member clubs:
a) The green fee paid at AVSMGA tournaments by non-members of the host club is one half the regular green fee that would be in effect for the day of the tournament.
b) NSGA or Club courtesy cards are not to be honoured at any AVSMGA tournament.
c) AVSMGA members may use their own power carts at any AVSMGA tournament without paying a trail fee.
d) All tournaments are shotgun starts at 9:30, but this has been advanced to 9:00 and even 8:30 at some clubs.
e) Pro-Shops will honour gift certificates issued by the Association.
With the exception of starting time, these arrangements have remained constant since the Association was formed. Every effort was made to maintain a standard starting time of 9:30 but this has not been possible at every club. Members should be aware that on several occasions, one club or another has attempted to change these arrangements. Until now, we have been successful in maintaining the status quo and the Association continues to believe that these arrangements are mutually beneficial. However, in order to maintain good relations with all our participating clubs, and keep these arrangements in place, members are urged to meet their attendance requirements so that club revenues are maximized, and to do everything possible to have our tournaments completed in 5 hours, or less, so that our host club's regular membership will not be inconvenienced any more than is necessary.
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Avon Valley Golf & Country Club (Pro-Shop 798-2673)
Take Exit 7 off Highway 101. The exit ends at Highway 1. Turn right. A few hundred yards ahead, at Pothier Motors, the road forks. Take the left fork, which is the Falmouth Back Road. Follow this 2 km to the golf course. Look for the golfer signs.
Ken-Wo Country Club (Pro-Shop 681-5388)
From the east, take Exit 11 off Highway 101. Turn right and drive .8 km to Highway 1 (Traffic Lights). Turn left. Follow Highway 1 for 2.6 km. From the west, take Exit 12 off Highway 101. Turn left and drive 1.6 km to the traffic lights. Turn right and follow through New Minas for 3.2 km.
Eagle Crest Golf Club (Pro-Shop 679-3033)
From the west, take Exit 14 off Highway 101. Turn left on to Highway 1 and follow through Kentville. At the Cornwallis Inn turn left and follow Highway 359 North to Centreville. Turn right on Lakewood Road and look for the golf course on your left. From the east, take Exit 12 (Big Stop) off Highway 101 and go north through 2 sets of traffic lights. Then follow the golf signs.
Berwick Heights Golf Club (Pro-Shop 847-9000)
From the east, take Exit 15 off Highway 101, turn right (north) and drive 3.7 km on Route 360. Turn left on to Highway 221 and drive 4.8 km. From the west, take Exit 16 off Highway 101 and turn left (north) and drive 2 km to Highway 221. Turn right and drive 3.4 km.
Greenwood Golf Club (Pro-Shop 765-1494)
Exit Highway 101 at Kingston and make your way to the only set of traffic lights. Turn on to Bridge Street and head towards Greenwood. At the next set of traffic lights turn left and follow this street through the Main Gate of 14 Wing and keep on to the T intersection at the hangar line. Turn left and follow this road all the way round to the other side of the runway. The golf course is on your left.
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Paragon Golf & Country Club (Pro-Shop 765-2554)
Same as for Greenwood but don't turn at the only set of traffic lights in Kingston. Go straight ahead about 2 km.
Eden Golf & Country Club (Pro-Shop 665-4257)
Go to Paradise on Highway 1. Turn south at the General Store and cross the Annapolis River. This street ends at Highway 201. Turn right and drive about 4 km.
Annapolis Royal Golf & Country Club (Pro-Shop 532-2064)
Take exit 22 off Highway 101 and follow Highway 8 to the traffic lights in Annapolis Royal. Turn left on to Highway 1 and drive about 1 km.
The Digby Pines Golf Resort and Spa (Pro-Shop 245-4104)
Exit Highway 101 at Digby. At the second set of traffic lights turn left. Follow this road all the way to the bottom of the hill. Turn left on to Market Street and the golf course is at the top of the hill.
Clare Golf & Country Club (Pro-Shop 769-2124)
Take Exit 29 off Highway 101 and turn right. Drive 1.7 km to the Mark Melanson Road (Little Blue Golfer Sign), turn left and drive 1.3 km to the golf course.
