AGA News (Novice Program, Events, etc.)

1.   Welcome to the 2024 Spring Novice Program. 

Interested in learning how to play golf?  This program is tailored just for you whether you are a true beginner or you have some experience but want a tune-up.

AGA membership is not required to participate in this program, but new members are always welcome.

We are pleased to inform you that, following the great interest in our program last year, that we – Tom Dozier, Dan St-Cyr and Joergen Hansen-Nord have decided to also offer a 2024 Spring Novice Program. As usual, the program will start with an Information Meeting at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, 26 March 2024 in the snack bar at Sewell’s Point Golf Course. At this meeting, Tom Dozier – PGA Golf Professional, Dan and Joergen shall briefly introduce the new golfers to the game and its’ rules and etiquette, talk about the Novice Program, and take them on a guided tour of the practice facilities as well as four-five of the holes on the course to give them an idea of what golf is all about.

Lessons are scheduled from 4:45pm to 6:30pm, starting on Monday 15 April 2024. Depending on the number of participants we may have training sessions will be on Mondays, Tuesdays and/or Wednesdays. If there is sufficient interest, we are also looking at the possibility of having a mid-morning session for parents who have kids in school and may find it too hard to participate when the kids are back from school in the afternoon.

Tom Dozier will teach our new golfers, with the assistance of some AGA members. The Novice Program is estimated to comprise of 7-8 lessons depending on daylight and weather (1 ½ hours each) at 25$ per person/per lesson. On the driving range we shall focus on the short game and the long game, and we shall also have a number of sessions from a sand bunker and on the putting green, ultimately concluding with a lesson on the course. Golf clubs – for right-handed as well as left-handed players – will be available.

You are welcome to join the program again if you want to. You don’t need to attend the Information Meeting, just let us know by email that you want to join. Also, if you are aware of newcomers or other colleagues – and their family members – 16 years old and older – who might want to join the program, please help us spread the word.

For more information about this program, please contact the Novice Coordinator, Dan St-Cyr at danielst-cyr@cox.net or Joergen Hansen-Nord at actgolfassociation@outlook.com.  For membership information, please click on the ‘Join Us’ feature in the Menu Bar above.

2. Celebrating NATO  Golf Tournament – 17 April 2024

The ACT Golf Association is delighted to announce that the Chief of Staff at HQ SACT has approved the holding of our AGA Celebrating NATO Tournament to take place during the Norfolk NATO Festival week – specifically during work hours (subject to confirmation for HQ SACT staff from their Branch Heads that their attendance does not conflict with other priorities) at Sewells Point Golf Course during the afternoon of Wednesday 17 April 2024. The invitation is open to AGA members, and all staff at HQ SACT (including NCIA), JFC Norfolk, CJOS COE and any other local Commands with direct links with NATO – the aim being to celebrate our Alliance together in an informal fun way. The event, open to all (including novice players) will be in the form of a Captain’s Choice Scramble over 18 holes and will commence with a ‘shotgun’ start from several tees at 1300 (teams should be ready by 1245).

Teams should be of 4 players that include at least 2 team members with officially recognized handicaps.  For those players without an official handicap, 36 will be allowed.  A handicap allowance of 10% of the combined team’s handicaps will then be applied to the gross score at the end of the round to give the team’s final net score.

In a ‘scramble’, each player tees off on each hole.  The Captain of the team selects the tee shot and all players then play their second shot from within a club length of that spot.  The next (best) shot is then determined, all play their third shots from that spot and so on until the green is reached.  Once on the green, the Captain selects which ball position to putt from, then each player has a chance to sink the putt.  Once the putt is made (i.e. the ball is in the hole) the total for the hole is recorded.  (Note: do not ‘tap in’ while there are still other putts to come…if ‘tapped in’ the score including the ‘tap in’ must be taken).  Each of the 4 players in the team must contribute a minimum of 3 drives during the round.

Fees – green fees should be paid directly to Sewells Point Golf Course  when checking in.  A match fee (to provide some small team and ‘nearest the hole’ prizes) of $5 per team member (team captains please collect $20 per team).

To register for the event (teams must be registered by close of play Mon 8 April) – please email the following information to ACTGolfAssociation@outlook.com; Jørgen  Hansen-Nord (jhnusa@hotmail.com) and Bruce Hutchison (bruce.hutchison@act.nato.intbnkhutchison@yahoo.com):

Team name / individual names / contact emails / official handicaps (if none – please annotate NH)

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