Rules and Objectives

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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE SOCIETY OF NORFOLK GOLF CAPTAINS

1. SOCIETY
The Society shall be known as “The Society of Norfolk Golf Captains”

2. MEMBERSHIP
Membership is open to all:
(a) Club Captains and Past Club Captains of Clubs affiliated to the Norfolk Golf Union.
(b) Captains and Past Captains of The Norfolk Golf Union whether or not they have been Club Captains.
(c) Members of Clubs affiliated to the Norfolk Golf Union who were Captains or Past Captains of Golf Clubs within the United Kingdom, and/or, Captains or Past Captains of Golf Clubs outside of the United Kingdom, that have the recognised affiliation to their respective Golf Unions, may also be accepted into the Society.
(d) Vice Club Captains of Clubs affiliated to the Norfolk Golf Union, be invited to join as Associate members during their year and become full members on attaining the role of Club Captain, following renewal of the Societies subscriptions in accordance with Rule 6.
(e) Associate Members shall not have voting rights at any meeting held in accordance with the rules of the Society. They will however be eligible to play golf in matches and meetings organised by the Society.
(f) Membership is by introduction and proposal by any fully paid up member of the Society and shall be subject to the approval of the Executive Committee.

 

DEFINITION:

Club Captains, Past Club Captains and Vice Club Captains shall mean the “singular” where correctly recognised and affiliated Golf Clubs operate with a sole Club Captain, or it shall mean “both” the Men’s Club Captain and the Ladies’ Club Captain where a correctly associated and affiliated Golf Club uses such a modus operandi.  For further clarification, other Golf Club section captains, such as seniors, juniors or mixed, shall not be admitted to the Society. 

In this and any such related matters the Society of Norfolk Golf Captains does not express nor imply any opinion, it has no preference and nor does it provide any direction as to how Golf Clubs should operate. 

 3. OBJECTIVES
(a) To promote goodwill and fellowship between Present and Past Golf Captains in the County of Norfolk.
(b) In so doing, to strengthen and maintain a closer bond between Members Clubs.
(c) To promote good neighbourliness with other Societies of similar nature.

4. OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE
(a) The Officers of the Society will be, the President (Chairman), Vice-President, Captain, Vice Captain, and Honorary Secretary/Treasurer.
(b) The Officers will compromise the Executive Committee and they may co-opt on to the Committee any Members of the Society for any or a particular purpose.
(c) The management of the Society shall be in the hands of the Executive Committee who shall have full powers in all matters relating to the Society, subject to Resolutions passed at any general or special meeting of the Society. Three members of the Executive Committee are required to form a quorum.
(d) Election of officers shall take place at the Annual General meeting and theses shall be from members of Norfolk Golf Clubs in rotation.
(e) The President, Vice-President, Captain, and Vice-Captain shall serve for one year only. The Office of Honorary Secretary/Treasurer shall have no limiting period. His Honorarium will be determined from time to time by the Committee.
(f) An Officer of the Society must have three full members of the Society in his Golf Club.

5. COMPETITIONS
The Committee will organise and control through the Honorary Secretary all competitions within the Society and matches with whom so ever. Such competitions and matches will be played in accordance with the Rules laid down from time to time by The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews. Trophies presented to and by the Society for Annual Competitions shall remain the property of the Society.

6. ENTRY FEES AND ANNUAL SUBCRIPTIONS
The entry fee and annual subscription are to be fixed at the Annual General Meeting. The current entrance fees £30 and the Annual Subscription is £30. Subscriptions must be paid in advance by 31st December. Members aged over 80 become Honorary Life members, subject to there being no outstanding dues.

7. ACCOUNTS
The Honorary Treasurer shall produce a statement of the accounts of the Society to 30th June at the Annual General Meeting.

8. MEETINGS
(a) An Annual General Meeting shall preferably be held at either the Captain’s Day or President’s Day, whichever is held at the end of a season. In the event that both of these ‘days’ are deemed to be not suitable, then the Executive Committee has the right to schedule the AGM to another date within the same calendar year. This could alternatively be at an evening meeting or within the so-called ‘Turkey Trot’ day.
(b) A special General meeting shall only be called by the Honorary Secretary on the instructions of the Executive Committee or on receipt by him of a request in writing signed by at least 30 members. The Secretary must give members 21 days notice of the Special meeting.
(c) Resolutions- Any member wishing to move a Resolution at any Annual General Meeting must send a copy thereof signed by the Proposer and Seconder to the Honorary Secretary to reach him at least 14 days before the Meeting
(d) Voting on Resolutions shall be by show of hands. The resolution shall be called by a simple majority. In the event of a tie the Chairman shall have an additional casting vote.

(e) The Executive Committee can propose that due to any prevailing special circumstances, such as a pandemic or a pressing Society administrative matter, that any General meeting can be held by live digital (e.g., Zoom or other) means. Members will be canvassed for general approval of such a requirement prior to holding the General meeting.

 9. NON-PAYMENT OF SUBSCRIPTIONS
No Member may attend or have any vote at a General meeting or play in any Society Golf Competition or match unless he is a fully paid up member of the Society. Any Member whose subscription is in arrears at 31st December in any year shall cease to exercise any of the privileges of membership but such privileges may be restored on payment of all outstanding dues if the Executive Committee so decides. A Member wishing to resign shall give notice to the Honorary Secretary in writing to reach him not later than 31st December in any year.

10. RAFFLES
At all Society Meetings a Raffle will be held to raise funds for charitable purposes. The Charities to benefit will be chosen by the President and Captain in their year of office, and announced at the Annual general Meeting when they take office.

11. ALTERATIONS TO THE RULES
Any Member wishing to propose any alterations to the Rules shall at least one month prior to the Annual General meeting submit his proposal duly seconded to the Honorary Secretary and a notice of such alteration shall be set before the Annual General Meeting where a majority of 75% of those voting shall be required to alter any Rule.

12. DISSOLUTION
The Society may be dissolved by a resolution proposed at a Special General Meeting duly called for this purpose. Such Resolution shall only be passed if it receives 75% of the votes of those attending and entitled to vote. The funds of the Society on dissolution shall be expended in discharging the debts and liabilities of the Society and any balance shall be expended in such a manner as shall be directed by the resolution of dissolution or in such manner as the Executive Committee may decide.

13. FORCE MAJEURE OPERATIONS

In the event of Force Majeure, as defined below, which prevents the normal operation of the Society and/or prevents the Society from complying with this constitution and the rules therein, the Executive shall be permitted to assume full control and direct the Society to maintain a holding position or reduced functions as it see fit. Should the aforementioned Force Majeure occur, the Executive is expressly charged with ensuring continuing full legal compliance of the Society and to execute due diligence to protect the interests of the Society. The Executive shall also be permitted to seek general confirmation for its actions, in whatever form they find available and necessary, from the membership, where this is possible. Where any of the individual rules can still be applied the Executive should make sure they are fully implemented. Furthermore, the Executive is expressly charged with returning the Society to normal operations as soon as it can after a Force Majeure incident.

The Executive, in finding that it is prevented from carrying out its obligations hereunder the Constitution shall give notice to the members as soon as possible, by such means that it can utilise. 

DEFINITION:

Force Majeure shall mean an event beyond the control of the Executive which prevents the Society from complying with any of its obligations under this Constitution; including but not limited to:

Act of God (such as, but not limited to, pandemics, fires, explosions, earthquakes, drought, tidal waves and floods);

War, hostilities (whether war be declared or not), invasion, act of foreign enemies, mobilisation, requisition, or embargo;

Rebellion, revolution, insurrection, or military or usurped power, or civil war;

Contamination by radio-activity from any nuclear fuel, or from any nuclear waste from the combustion of nuclear fuel, radio-active toxic explosive, or other hazardous properties of any explosive nuclear assembly or nuclear component of such assembly;

Riot, commotion, strikes, go slows, lock outs or disorder;

Acts or threats of terrorism.

RELEVANT RULES ON ENTRY FOR SOCIETY MEETINGS
1. A separate entry is required from each member wishing to play
2. The total sum shown on the entry form must be paid at the time of entry.
3. Cheques to be made payable to the Society.
4. In the event of the meeting being over-subscribed
4.1 Members not complying with Rule 2 will not be included.
4.2 If still over-subscribed lots will be drawn on the date stated.
4.3 Any members not drawn under 4.2 will have priority at the next meeting.
5. Refunds will not be made for cancellations received after numbers for catering have been agreed with the host club unless the club waives the charge or the vacancy is filled.
6. All conditions imposed by the host club must be observed.

Revised 8th December 2023