Another year has flown by and I have the pleasure of presenting my sixth report as your President.
In my opinion the first task in a Presidents report is to acknowledge and thank the many people who make our club what it is. Please bear with me as it is a long list!
Firstly, Nick and Ian, thank you once again for the fantastic effort you both put in to make our course what it is. The reputation of our course continues to grow and many long standing members of our club have commented to me in recent months that they believe the course is in the best condition it has ever been in. Having a favourable year, weather wise, has certainly helped but the efforts you have put in, particularly in new drainage and green maintenance has been outstanding. We are lucky to have you both!
To the Woodies, we have put in another stirling year. Wood income is down, mainly due to the fire and machinery ban we had for most of the summer, but the work effort, if anything is up. To front up almost every Monday and Thursday morning doing the many and varied jobs we do is another critical success factor for our club. Lets just hope that we don't get too many trees falling over in the coming year because, while we are getting older, the trees are certainly getting bigger!
To the many ladies who assist on the course thank you so much. Your work is greatly appreciated. As is the work the guys do as relief mower drivers when Nick and Ian call for help.
To my Management Committee thank you for your support and commitment over the last twelve months. Rex, in your role as Match Committee Chairman you have added so much to our club, not the least being improving the vocabulary of the Saturday golfers with your never ending, if somewhat obscure, supply of "words of the day". Rob thanks also for presiding over the House Committee. Bryan you continue to be my rock and your guidance and advice is invaluable to me.
Thanks Grace for another full on year as Ladies Club Captain. Tony thanks also for your humour, enthusiasm and jokes of the day. Your Saturday presentations are always a highlight despite the fact that they can make me somewhat nervous.
To all the members who sit on the House and Match committees, you are the oil that makes our machine run so smoothly, thanks heaps.
Also thanks to Kevin and his helpers who so capably run our "She Loves Golf" programme. A programme that has also morphed into a "He Loves Golf" programme. Both of which create a steady stream of new members to our club.
To Rob, Jenny and Rachel thanks for being the face of our club. We really appreciate both your food and your smiling faces. The way you greet visitors to our club is always a delight to me and you really do live our goal of being "The Friendliest Golf Club in the Top of the South". When thanking people there is always the risk that you miss someone out and if I have done that I apologise. However I want to mention one more person for the work they have done this year. Daryl Graham has been outstanding in project managing our new deck and, on behalf of our grateful members, I thank you for that Daryl.
To the many golfers who have represented our club in various events throughout the year, congratulations. At the risk of repeating myself, congratulations to Mike and the Sloan team for once again restoring the Sloan Trophy to its rightful place. My congratulations last year proved to be premature but order has been restored this year. To our 18 hole ladies, congratulations on retaining the Acheson Cup and the 9 hole ladies on retaining the Biddie Smith Trophy. Those of you who have got your names on the honours board during 2019 should be very proud. But just as importantly thanks to all our members who participate in the various comps throughout the year. It is your participation that makes the comps as interesting and competitive as they are.
We now come to our family of Sponsors and Partners. We are so lucky to have you all. To Greg and his team at NBS thanks for the continued support and confidence you have in our club. To our new partners who joined us this year, Hamish.Fletcher Lawyers and Bowater Hyundai/Isuzu, welcome! We hope our relationship with both your companies continues to flourish. To our members, if you need the services of a quality Law Firm or want to purchase a quality car then these are the places to go! You know what I am going to say next and I make no apology for it. These relationships are a two way thing, we, as members, need to support those who support us. So please put our sponsors on you shopping list and, better still, let them know why you are purchasing from them!
I will now move on to look at some of the outcomes of the last twelve months.Our machinery replacement programme continues in line with our strategic plan. This year we purchased a Fairway Mower at a cost of $70,000. Our old mower is still going but nearing the end of its life. We agreed to retain it as a back up.
We also purchased a Drain Cleaner. Cost $5000, previously we did not have the ability to clean our drains and we realise that this is becoming more important, particularly as we continue to replace, improve and create more drains on our course.
The other capital expense item was our new windows, door and deck. I am sure that all will agree that this has made a significant difference to our clubrooms. Not only as an extension to the clubrooms themselves but also a huge improvement to the vista from within the clubrooms. The cost was close to $25,000.
This year I applied to The Lion Foundation for financial assistance with our deck and Pub Charity for assistance with the purchase of the fairway mower. I was successful with both applications and we received a total of $49,200. I want to acknowledge the assistance that has been provided by both organisations and thank them for the confidence they continue to show in our club.
Our website continues to develop and is becoming increasingly popular. By way of comparison we had 8,125 visitors to our website in October last year compared with 11,187 in October this year. Visitors viewing our website went from 1,864 last October to 3,867 this year. We have a wealth of information on the site and I encourage members to use the website to enter our open tournaments. It makes the Match Committees job a lot easier.
Our membership across our main categories has remained virtually the same as last year which is an excellent effort. Our overall membership as at end October was 410 compared with 374 at the same time last year with this increase occurring mainly in the junior categories.
While our Treasurer Geoff will go into our financial performance in more detail I wouldn't be true to form if I didn't make some comments. Firstly let me say that our financial performance, in my opinion, is outstanding and it would be the envy of many clubs in New Zealand. Secondly, let me say, that this doesn't come about by chance. It happens as a result of a number of factors, a few out of our control such as weather. But a result like this mainly comes about as a result of good systems, a welcoming environment, a quality course, hard work and planning.
You will recall that last year we were adversely impacted by the two cyclones. With our course suffering, this naturally flowed on into our financials. The weather has certainly been kinder this year. Our income is up across most lines and our expenditure flat on last year. Which means our financial perform is significantly up on 2018. Which is excellent. However if you go back two years income lines are very similar to 2017 while our expenditure is up. We have therefore not replicated the spectacular result of 2017. However a profit of $49k after depreciation is still an outstanding result.
The other very pleasing result this year is that we have maintained our cash position in relation to last year. This is an excellent position to be in. It gives us the flexibilty to continue to meet the goals as detailed in our strategic plan but, just as importantly, a buffer against adverse weather events such as occurred in 2017. A healthy bank balance comes with its own temptations but my view is that, like any good business, an accumulation of cash is an insurance against the future. It is hard earned and should be protected accordingly.
I now move to next year. A significant event in the history of our club. 100 years is a major achievement and I acknowledge and thank the centenary committee who have been working hard to ensure it is a significant and enjoyable year for the club and for the members. A few years ago I was approached by Norma with a proposition. She proposed to me that if she was here for the centenary then would I stay on as President. To ensure this happens she has nominated me each year since! I am meeting my side of the bargain by standing again next year and I have no doubt that Norma will keep her side of the bargain as well.
This last year has been another year of challenges, progress, satisfaction, frustration, fun, debate and commitment. The same as the previous five actually. Next year will be my seventh year as President. That's a hell of a long time, in fact it is the same length as the average marriage! It will also be my last as your President as I have no intention of outstaying my welcome. I will continue to support the club as I always have and assist the incoming President in whatever way I can. Likewise next years Motueka Open is my seventh as Tournament Convenor and it's time for someone else to step up there as well.
Finally I acknowledge Shona for the tireless work she does for our club, not just for the great work she does liaising with our sponsors but the work she does on the course, assisting with the Open and keeping me sane and on track. So that's my Presidents report for 2019. I welcome any questions from the floor and wish you all good golfing for 2020.
Peter Johnson
