This latest feature, courtesy of your GQ Councillor, will keep you abreast of happenings at GQ level, and will be updated as information comes to hand.
REPORT ON GOLF QUEENSLAND MEETING FRIDAY 11TH APRIL 2008
I attended the Golf Queensland meeting in Brisbane on Friday 11th April for the first time as our representative. I must admit that is was a very interesting and informative time. Along with Joan Lloyd, the NQ Women’s representative, there were people in attendance from all the Districts.
Many things have change recently with the formal unification of the Women’s and Men’s Associations at a State and Australian level complete. District unification is to be run by the Districts and we have attended meetings of our counterparts together with Women’s items now going on the website as a preamble to eventual unification.
Major topics at the meeting were the smoking laws as well as the Licensing reform proposals. The changes to the Licensing laws will have a dramatic effect on all golf clubs and there is grave concern that many smaller clubs could be forced to close. The introduction of Licensing fees, as well as the need for a Member to undergo the necessity to obtain a Manager License, are the major points that will cost all clubs money. No trading before 10.00am is also another major concern as most clubs have numerous events that rely on the early morning trade. The smoking laws as applied to a golf course are under review and could, hopefully, be repealed due to the fact that a course is such an open area.
There will be no changes in the near future to Course Rating or Handicap, either going out to 36 or how they are calculated. Golf Australia is currently investigating the Slope system for both but change is awhile away. New Zealand is currently using this system but there is many versions out there and it is being looked at closely.
The way that the Inter District Association’s events are being conducted is under review as the Men’s is run by the State Association while the Women’s are run by the Districts. There is a very large cost difference and we are to submit our thoughts on whether we feel these events should be conducted in the future.
There is money available for coaching and encouraging both Junior’s and Women to participate in the game. Golf Queensland vision is “More people playing more golf”. The numbers show that there is a large variance between the numbers and worse in the isolated areas.
Golf Queensland are in the process of doing up a disc of a power point presentation of Rules Seminars and we will be able to do them up here with our people who are Rules Accredited. This will enable us to do these at a time that suits i.e. a clubs open or whatever and does not require people from Brisbane to be up here.
A hard copy of local rules for events has been produced and will be forwarded out to all in the near future in an attempt to have a unified approach to this area.
In 2009 there will be another Golf Industry Conference held and it is expected to be a more grass roots approach than the last one. Golf Queensland is also looking at setting up a succession program whereas people are not just thrown into positions at clubs without some form of formal training/information available.
6th October 2007.
RE: GQ DELEGATES MEETING
The inaugural Delegates meeting of the newly formed Golf Queensland was held at Palm Meadows on Saturday 6th October 2007. Delegates from most Districts in Queensland were represented at the meeting, along with all the Board Members under the Chairmanship of Tom Crothers.
Peter, the facillitator for the day, capably directed everyone's thoughts in a strategic planning forum, with the intention of formulating a Strategic Plan to guide Golf Queensland throughout the next decade.
As a result of brainstorming at the meeting, it is envisaged that the Mission Statement for Golf Queensland will be ; "MORE PEOPLE PLAYING MORE GOLF."
Some of the guiding principles of the plan will be;
**Cooperation through communication - not competition.
**Is it good for golf for all.
** Caring for the environment.
**Driving innovation whilst respecting tradition.
**Proactive leadership.
As well as providing guiding strategies for the Board, the Strategic Plan will also form the basis for future funding applications. It is anticipated that the plan will be finalised by late October 2007.
Dave Morrison
Golf Queensland Councillor.
DATE: 3 August, 2007
RE: Golf Queensland Update
The amalgamation of the Queensland Golf Union and Women's Golf Queensland is now fully complete and the Board is pleased to announce that Tom Crothers will be the inaugural President of the new entity.
The Board, which comprises Tom Crothers, Carmel Smith, Peter Castrisos, Tricia Harding, Val Johnston and Barry Shepherd, is also pleased to announce that Carmel Smith will be the Vice President.
We received advice from the ASIC earlier this week that the new entity has been registered and is ready to commence trading. There are still a couple of logistical issues that now need to be finalised including the opening of bank accounts and the transfer of insurance and these will be done in the near future.
The other two major things which are currently underway are the creation of a new logo and the development of an integrated website. Until the new website is launched the two existing websites of WGQ and the QGU will be maintained to ensure people can still get access to appropriate information. We are hopeful of having the logo completed before the end of August and the website launched in October.
Golf Queensland’s first official Board meeting was held last night and a report from that meeting will be sent out to districts in the near future.
I can confirm at this point in time that GQ will have four committees reporting to the Board and these will be the Match Committee, High Performance Committee, Technical Committee (covering Rules, Handicapping, Course Rating and Amateur Status) and the Game and Club Development Committee. Other committees can be constituted as required.
Initial Membership of these committees will be appointed by the Board; however, the plan is to have more non-board representatives on these committees than has previously been the case. The committee members will be in place for a period of two years at which time the Board will call for nominations and select replacement committee members.
We are hopeful of finalising the composition of the committees by 15 August and this
information plus each committee’s terms of reference will then be sent out to all Member Districts.
Dave Morrison
Golf Queensland Delegate.
4.4.07.
At the AGM of the Queensland Golf Union held in Brisbane on 30th March 2007, the proposal as outlined below was discussed, voted on and carried by the Management and Delegates who attended such meeting.
• Existing Men’s and Women’s Districts are the members of the new organisation.
• Each district will have one delegate. These delegates will comprise the State Council.
• The State Council will meet twice per year, including the AGM when elections are held.
• The Board is empowered to manage golf. It will have 8 directors. On the initial Board three directors will be appointed by the WGQ and three will be appointed by the QGU. These six directors will appoint two independents directors.
• The ongoing Board will have six directors elected by the State Council and two independent directors appointed by the Board.
• Candidates for directorship can be nominated by clubs or districts. District delegates or committee people must resign their district role if elected/appointed to the GQ Board.
• Board terms are two years and there must be a minimum of two directors of either gender at any time.
• Votes to members are allocated broadly in line with the number of registered golfers per district. One vote per 4000 (or part thereof) players for male districts and one vote per 2000 (or part thereof) players for female districts.
The WGQ had also voted on and carried the proposal at their AGM earlier that day, so both bodies will now sit down and finalise the Golf Queensland Constitution.
At the meeting Delegates raised a number of issues concerning the Constitution, with most being thrashed out during the meeting and the necessary wording changes made to the draft Constitution. As time progresses, any other issues which may arise will have to be presented to an AGM as an amendment of the Constitution.
It was stressed at the meeting that the new Constitution was written with the main aim being the good governance of golf in Queensland for both male and female golfers.
Mr. Stephen Pitt, CEO of the QGU anticipates the new entity, Golf Queensland, will commence operations on the 1st July 2007. In the meantime, both organisations will wind up their affairs as far as legal matters are concerned.
6.3.07.
Subject: Unification of QGU & WGQ
The Unification of the Queensland Golf Union and Women's Golf Queensland has been the major issue for golf in Queensland over the past two years. Last year at the AGM in March 2006, WGQ members voted to support the proposal as it was outlined. Although the QGU members voted against the proposal in its then form, they gave a unanimous vote of support in principle for unification of the bodies.
Since then a large amount of work has been done to put together a proposal that is equitable, based on the Principles of good governance and structured in a way that will allow the sport to grow and prosper. The QGU have previously forwarded out the proposed model and have received widespread support for what has been outlined. The constitution has now been developed and has been signed off by the Boards of the QGU and WGQ.
The QGU are now asking the members of the QGU to vote on this final proposal which will bring about the Unification of the two bodies. They understand that members will be asked to read and digest the Constitution in a relatively short period of time, but preference is to vote on this issue at the AGM on Friday 30th March 2007, after which the QGU will hopefully be in a position to commence the new entity in the next few months.
By way of summary the following are the key points of the proposal:
• Existing Men’s and Women’s Districts are the members of the new organisation.
• Each district will have one delegate. These delegates will comprise the State Council.
• The State Council will meet twice per year, including the AGM when elections are held.
• The Board is empowered to manage golf. It will have 8 directors. On the initial Board three directors will be appointed by the WGQ and three will be appointed by the QGU. These six directors will appoint two independents directors.
• The ongoing Board will have six directors elected by the State Council and two independent directors appointed by the Board.
• Candidates for directorship can be nominated by clubs or districts. District delegates or committee people must resign their district role if elected/appointed to the GQ Board.
• Board terms are two years and there must be a minimum of two directors of either gender at any time.
• Votes to members are allocated broadly in line with the number of registered golfers per district. One vote per 4000 (or part thereof) players for male districts and one vote per 2000 (or part thereof) players for female districts.
The Board and staff of the Queensland Golf Union are very excited about the opportunity that stands before them. They feel they have the chance to establish a new organisation that governs the whole of golf In Queensland and is structured in a manner that will help golf to reach its full potential in this State.
Your club will have the opportunity to discuss this important matter at the Annual General Meeting of the North Queensland Golf Association which will be held at the Ayr Golf Club at 7.00pm on Saturday 24th March 2007. Please have your Club Delegates attend this meeting if you wish to discuss anything contained in the proposal and attached Constitution.
1.5.06
The following proposals will be presented to the next meeting of the QGU for approval by Delegates.
At the Annual General Meeting of the Queensland Golf Union debate regarding the amalgamation of mens and womens golf was again prominent. The proposals presented for “in principle” approval by the Steering Committee were debated and not approved.
At the subsequent delegates meeting consensus was obtained on the majority of points put forward by the Steering Committee. All agree that amalgamation must proceed at least at a state level in an endeavour to move our game forward. Sacrifices will have to occur for this to happen and it is believed that the proposals that are now presented will minimise these sacrifices.
If you honestly consider these proposals, in particular the region changes, amalgamation can proceed with little change to the way we currently operate.
The following proposals are presented for your serious consideration and approval so that amalgamation may proceed sooner rather than later.
1. The Regions are to be the members of the new entity.
2. That each Region will elect two councillors (1 male and 1 female) to a State Council.
3. That this election of councillors to the State Council occur at the Region’s Annual General Meeting.
4. That each club has two votes (1 male and 1 female) in the case of amalgamated regions or one vote in the case of non-amalgamated regions i.e. separate Annual General Meetings of mens and womens would occur in non-amalgamated regions as currently occurs.
5. That the Board of the new entity consist of 8 members.
6. That the initial Board consist of 4 females and 4 males for the first term.
7. That there be a minimum of 3 of each gender on the Board thereafter.
8. That the Chair of the Board be elected from within the 8 Board members.
9. That 6 Board members are elected by the State Council to the Board.
10. That the final 2 Board members are appointed by the 6 elected Board members from a list of nominees recommended by the State Council.
11. That after the initial Board completes its term (2 years) subsequent Board members are elected for 2-year terms with 50% retiring each year.
12. That its optional for Regions to amalgamate.
13. That the number of Regions is 10.
I am sure that most of you will agree that we are all in favour of the above proposals with the exception of item 13. My proposal to you is that the existing smaller regions become zones of an amalgamated region.
The new regions would be as follows:
- Brisbane District Golf Association remains as is.
- Gold Coast District Golf Association remains as is.
- Sunshine Coast & South Burnett District Golf Association remains as is.
- South East Queensland Golf Association remains as is.
- Wide Bay District Golf Association remains as is.
- Moreton District Golf Association remains as is.
- Far North Queensland with the inclusion of Karumba remains basically unchanged.
- Darling Downs Golf Association become the Downs and South West Golf Association and the existing two regions become zones of the proposed Association.
- Central Queensland District Golf Association encompasses the existing Central Queensland, Central Highlands and Central Western Associations. Each of these three existing regions becomes zones of the combined Association.
- North Queensland Golf Association encompass the existing North Queensland and North West Queensland Golf Associations. Each becomes zones of the combined Association.
To protect the interests of the existing structure the following guarantees would need to be agreed to by the new entity Golf Queensland Pty Ltd.
1. The existing information transfer that currently exists be retained. All literature or the like be forwarded to the Regions or Zones as currently happens.
2. That all direct cost incurred on behalf of the Regions to allow for the amalgamation process to be finalised be met by Golf Queensland Pty Ltd.
3. That the allocation of venues and playing conditions, selection of teams, etc. for the current Inter-Association teams event remain as is.
4. That no increase in affiliation fees be proposed by the existing State organizations or the proposed combined entity to meet any of these amalgamation costs.
That the combined entity Golf Queensland Pty Ltd offer proposals to the new Associations with combined zones the most economical method in the use of teleconferencing or vision conferencing
4.4.06
The below Notice of Motion was drafted and was voted on at the Annual General Meeting of the QGU held on 31st March 2006.
(a) “That the Queensland Golf Union give “in Principle” endorsement of the following framework for the amalgamation of the Queensland Golf Union and Women’s Golf Queensland entities.”
- That Regions are to be the members of the new entity.
- That each Region will elect two councillors (1 male and 1 female) to a State Council.
- That this election of councillors to the State Council be undertaken by a postal ballot process conducted by the new entity for each Region.
- That each Club has two votes for the election of their Regions councillors (1 vote for a male councillor and 1 vote for a female councillor).
- That the number of Regions be 10.
- That the Board of the new entity consist of 8 members.
- That the initial Board consist of 4 females and 4 males for the first term.
- That there be a minimum of 3 each gender on the Board thereafter.
- That the Chair of the Board be elected from within the 8 Board members.
- That 4 Councillors are elected by the State Council to the Board.
- That 2 Board members are elected by clubs by postal vote (1 vote / Club).
- That the final 2 Board members are appointed by the 6 elected Board members.
- That after the initial Board completes its term (2yrs) subsequent Board members are elected for 2 year terms with 50% retiring each year.
- That while the Steering Committee strongly encourages male and female Regions to amalgamate; it will be optional for Regions to amalgamate.
(b) “That should “in principle” support be given by the meeting to the above framework the Amalgamation Steering Committee be given the authority to develop a draft constitution for further consideration at an Extraordinary General meeting of the Queensland Golf Union.
The above motion was defeated.
Whilst all Delegates were in favour of amalgamation, they were not satisfied with the framework as proposed by the Steering Committee, which would form the basis of the new Constitution.
Delegates expressed concerns re points 3 - 5 - 10 - 11.
Basically the Delegates did not consider that postal ballot voting was the way to elect Councillors or Board Members, nor did they consider that the proposed ten District boundaries were workable.
Therefore, further discussion will ensue before the Steering Committee will present a revised proposal at the next Delegates Meeting on 21st June 2006.
At the AGM a Notice of Motion to increase Affiliation Fees will also put to the vote.
“That the capitation fees payable to the Queensland Golf Union in (accordance with clause 10 (a) (ii) of the constitution of the Queensland Golf Union be increased by an amount of $1.65, taking the Total fee payable to $18.15.
The above motion was passed.
Affiliation Fees payable by NQGA clubs in 2006 will be $25.85
