11 juillet 2007

Welcome to July and our monthly update. Although the weather has not been exceptionally good I think we can all agree the Golf Course is in wonderful condition. This is due in no small part to the efforts of Gilbert and his groundskeepers and when you meet any of them on the course a big ?thank you? would be in order. In addition to the good condition of the Course I am happy to report that our financial situation has also improved considerably. This is due to a number of factors, not the least of which is your increased support of the club facilities, most notably the Pro Shop. As I noted in an earlier message the Financial health of your club is heavily dependant upon your support of the Pro Shop and our Food and Beverage services. This year , even though we had a late start and several Men?s Nights hampered by rain, we are on track to meet our Financial objectives. The results achieved to date have been the due to the cooperation of everyone involved, from the Board of Directors to the Admin staff to you , the members. This year as part of our Strategic Planning initiative the Board has decided to hold a Summer ?Town Hall? meeting for all members of Gowan Brae. At this meeting we will be providing updated Financials as well as a progress report from the Strategic Planning committee. To date a great deal of work has been done particularly in the area of Food and Beverage, Pro Shop, Finance and Human Resources and we would like to share the highlights with you. This meeting, which will take place on Wednesday, July 25th is intended to be mainly informational in nature but we are eager to get feedback from you, the members.

In other news, the Junior Program under the direction of Brad and Sally Chamberlain is in full swing. A number of Juniors are enrolled in the competitive program and you may see them on the course from time to time. These youngsters are the future of golf at Gowan Brae and we are very pleased with the time and effort our Pro Dave Ross and Asst Pro Adam Chamberlain are putting in with them. Speaking of our Pros you may have noticed the increased number of ?Demo? days this year. This is part of an ongoing effort to provide the membership with the opportunity to see the latest technology in action. You need look no further than the Pro Shop for all your golfing needs! In spite of some inhospitable weather, ?Men?s Night? continues to be very successful. The proceeds from the half and half draw this year will be put towards the purchase of a new ?Bar Cart?. For those men who wish to play on Thursdays but cannot book a tee time Adam suggests that you come to the club and the Starters will be happy to fit you in wherever possible. Tuesday of course is Ladies day and the same advice applies. If you would like to play and do not have a time or a group drop by the Pro Shop and they will be glad to help you get a game.

In closing, I would like to thank you for your continued support and trust that you are having a great golfing experience. As always should you have any constructive advice, please do not hesitate to share it with any member of the Executive. We look forward to seeing you on the 25th, until then may the only sand you see be at the beach!