PRESIDENT’S NEWSLETTER

This will be my final newsletter to the membership. I say that with mixed feelings. On the one hand, it will be good to be “just a member” again. But on the other hand, after nearly 4 years on the committee, you do feel it is almost a part of your life. When I look back at where we were as a club 4 years ago, I am very proud of what we have been able to achieve in that time. Back then, we knew we had a great product, the trick was being able to unlock its potential. As expected, not everyone shared our vision. However, I would like to think that even our greatest critics back then are now converts to our madness. I assure you, we did have a plan 4 years ago and I’m glad to say we are nearly there. And to that extent, I would like to acknowledge the committee, the staff and the volunteers of this club. Especially so this year, they have gone above and beyond to get us through this difficult year. This is a year unlike any other and sometimes it takes a catastrophe to show our resilience. I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again, we are Nedlands Golf Club, and that’s the difference.

Financially, we are in the best position we have been in a very long time. Our cash position (as at 13 August 2020) sits at $415,308 excluding the Greens Shed Fund of $156,543. So in short, we now have a cash total of $571,851 at our disposal. That being said, there will need to be quite a bit of expenditure required to upgrade some of the ageing equipment and facilities around the club. But at least we are now in a position where we can look at the bigger picture and spend wisely rather than under duress.

On top of that, after years of lobbying the Nedlands City Council we have finally been granted $50,000 in funding for our greens shed. To go with that, we have also managed to get an extension of our lease which gives the club secure tenure up to 31 December 2034. The development approval for the greens shed currently sits with the council and we will commence works as soon as it is approved. This is an extremely important project as we now have a facility that allows us to maintain our greatest asset, which is of course, our golf course. And we should not be satisfied with just having the best nine hole course in Australia, we should strive to have the best clubhouse to go with it. That will be the next major capital project and we are in a position to look at that given our strong financial position.

Another bit of funding that we have been able to secure is the Community Energy Efficiency and Solar Grant for $12,500. We anticipate that the total cost of the project will be in the region of $41,500 so there is quite an incentive for us to go ahead with this project now, pending the structural report of the roof. Apart from helping the environment, the utilisation of solar power will lead to a decrease in our power costs and that will further boost our bottom line.

One of the things that we lacked previously was a vibrant social scene. Critical to achieving that goal was a good caterer. I think we can now see the effects of having a chef like John O’ Hara in the kitchen. From the fully subscribed dinners and take-away, we can only assume that the members have given their thumbs up to the quality of the food. Having revenue from catering and other sources other than membership fees reinforces the strategy of having external sources of income subsidise our membership subscriptions. This is something that we can now build on.

And on the topic of membership subscriptions, it is the wish of the committee to implement a zero increase in subscriptions this year. Please continue to support the club in the way you have done these last few years. It is our club, and the more we contribute to it, the more it prospers for all of us to enjoy. We are now in an enviable position where we have placed waiting lists for certain categories of membership. As much as we would like to increase our membership base, we are mindful of the fact that we have to look after our existing members and their ability to access the services of the club. But what a great position to be in and again, to build on. We have worked hard to create value to your membership and as it turns out, it is becoming a sought after thing to be a member of the Nedlands Golf Club.

I would like to end now by thanking all those of you who have supported me on this journey. It has been an honour and a privilege to have been a President of the Nedlands Golf Club. But this was not a job I could do without the support of my family and for that, I thank my long suffering wife and 3 boys for their understanding. And Wilfred, if it was I that have caused you to go grey over these last few years, I apologise. This is a great club with a wonderful community spirit and tradition. I can honestly say that I have put everything I had into this club during my time on the committee. And it was worth it! But it is time for a new era and I wish the new committee all the best and sincerely hope that they continue growing the club and take it to newer and greater heights.

Timothy Tan

President – Nedlands Golf Club