Several reasons for golf club being in financial bunker
The current management structure of the club is new - from the club captain in January 2013 to the club manager in July 2014.
EDITOR – In response to Paul’s letter published in last week’s Sun, entitled ‘Give people a reason to help Bluff golf course’.
The Bluff Combined Facility Committee (BCFC) was indeed formed to help tackle the financial crisis at Bluff National Park Golf Club.
However, the brainchild of the concept, Clint Landsberg obviously envisaged the BCFC assisting the entire Bluff regions’ clubs on a financial basis. It is just that the most pressing need currently is the golf club.
With respect sir, and in your own words, ‘the management team that put the club in this precarious situation has been given the boot’. I think this statement needs to be qualified. The current management structure of the club is new – from the club captain in January 2013 to the club manager in July 2014. The club’s financial woes did not arrive overnight, as late as the 2009/2010 financial year, the club was in the red and this stemmed from a variety of reasons, of which I will name but a few:
* Diminished number of rounds per month, economic downturn, golf perceived as a luxury
* Diminished number of member base, PlayMore Golf began in 2007
* Mismanagement of Bluff clubs funds
The ‘bunch’ that you are referring to is definitely out. The monies paid into the fund are strictly managed, systems have been put in place for the management of the money whereby three different signatories must sign off any transactions.
Finally, what people get in exchange for their donation is the survival of this green lung. I do not mean to sound flippant but this is the stark reality.
Every cent donated will be a step to saving this green lung, remembering of course that this green lung extends from Fynnlands/Bluff Bowling Club right through the valley to Bluff Nature Reserve.
MARCUS INGRAM
Club manager
