Constitution and Rules

                                                                 

      1. NAME OF CLUB

 

The Club shall be called the “Abbotsford Golf Club”

 

2. OBJECTIVE OF CLUB

 

(a) The objective of the club shall be to encourage and promote the game of golf and to create a social atmosphere and recreational activities for the Members.              

 

(b) To administer and apply the Rules of Golf as approved and published by R. & A. Rules Limited and the United States Golf Association.

 

(c) To administer and apply the rules of the Unified Handicapping System as approved by the Council of National Golf Unions (CONGU) from time to time.

 

         

3. Constitution

    

The Club shall be governed by a Committee elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Club.

The Committee may set up a junior section for Members under eighteen years of age.

 

4. Membership

 

4.1 The Membership shall consist of: -

(a) Honorary Members,

(b) Ordinary Members,

(c) Country Members, and

(d) Social Members

 

a)    Honorary Members

It shall be competent for two-thirds of the Ordinary Members present at a General Meeting of The Club, to confer upon any person the distinction of Honorary Member of the club, in recognition of that person’s renown as a golfer, or for services rendered in the promotion of the game of golf, or for any other reason considered sufficient by the General Meeting. No Annual Subscription is due from Honorary Members.

 

 

b)  Ordinary Members

 

A candidate for Ordinary Membership shall be nominated by two Ordinary Members of the Club, of not less than two years standing, both of whom must be known to the candidate.

 

No Ordinary Member may nominate more than two candidates for Membership in  any twelve month period.

 

Membership application shall be on a form supplied by the Secretary, and duly signed by the proposer, seconder and candidate.

 

The Committee may at its discretion wish to interview candidates for membership.   The election of Members shall rest with a majority of the Committee and their decision shall be final.  On the admission of a new Member, the Secretary of the Club shall give forthwith to such new Member notice of his election in writing together with a copy of the Constitution, Rules and Byelaws of the Club.

 

In the event of there being no vacancies, a notice to this effect shall be displayed on the Club notice board, but candidates may apply to the Secretary to have their names placed on a waiting list.

 

If the Committee considers that the admission to membership of a candidate would further the interests of the Club, the Committee shall then have the power to advance the application of such a candidate on the waiting list.

 

c)  Country Members

Country Members will normally be resident outwith a 50-mile radius of the ‘Clubhouse’.

Applications for admission and election to Country Membership will be as for Ordinary Members and Members so admitted will enjoy all the benefits of Ordinary Membership.

 

d)  Social Members

This category of non-playing Membership will be open to individuals who have demonstrated a genuine interest in the Club and the promotion of its sporting and social activities. Social Members shall have no voice in the general management of the Club, no liability in connection therewith, no right or interest in any of its assets and no right to vote.

 

4.2 Duration

Membership of the Club will be for a fixed-term of one calendar year. Renewal of Membership will be by specific invitation of the elected Committee which will be issued before the expiry of the then current fixed-term.

Any Member not invited to renew his Membership will have a right of appeal to the Committee, in the first instance. Should he remain aggrieved, thereafter, he will have the further right of appeal to a Special General Meeting of the Club.

 

 

 

5.     MEETINGS OF THE CLUB

 

(a) Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held during the month of November and on a date to be fixed by the Committee. At the Annual General Meeting the Office Bearers, appropriate Members of the Committee and Auditor(s) shall be elected. An audited abstract of the accounts for the previous financial year shall be submitted.

 

 

(b) Special General Meeting

The Committee shall have the power to call a Special General Meeting of the Club, when deemed necessary, and a Special Meeting may also be called within twenty-eight days of receipt of a written requisition, signed by no less than sixteen  Ordinary Members and stating the business to be discussed.

 

 

(c) Notice of Annual General Meeting

The Secretary shall intimate at least fourteen days in advance by notice on the Club Notice Board and by circulation to all members the Annual General Meeting date. At the same time, the Secretary shall intimate the date for last day for lodgement of notices of motion, which shall be at least fourteen days prior to the AGM date.

 

(d) Quorum

At the General Meeting 20% of the total membership shall constitute a quorum.

 

(e) Chairman

The Captain, whom failing the nominated Vice-Captain will be Chairman at all meetings of the Club, and the Chairman shall, where necessary, have the casting, as well as a deliberate vote.

 

 

6.     OFFICE BEARERS

   

     (a) The following Office Bearers shall be elected at an Annual General Meeting,

by the Members present:-

 

The Captain

The Secretary

The Treasurer

The Competition Secretary

 

 

(b) The Captain shall nominate an elected Member of Committee to be his   Vice-Captain during his term of office. Such nomination shall be subject to the approval of the Committee at its first meeting following the Annual General Meeting.

 

 

     (c) In the event of the Office of Captain becoming vacant during the year, the

     vacancy shall be filled by the Vice‑Captain until the next Annual General Meeting.

 

 

     7. Treasurer

 

The Treasurer, on behalf of the Club, shall receive all monies payable to the Club, and shall settle all payments due by the Club.

The Club funds shall be lodged in a bank or building society, or invested as the Committee may instruct, in the name of the Club.

The Treasurer and one other nominated member shall sign any cheques. The Treasurer shall keep correct accounts and books showing the financial affairs of the Club, and a printed statement of the Club’s accounts and balance sheet shall be forwarded to every member along with the notice to call an Annual General Meeting.

     The number of signatories to be used shall be as the Committee shall nominate.

 

 

8. COMMITTEE

      

(a) The administration of the Club shall be vested in a Committee consisting of the Office Bearers and up to: -

 

FIVE Ordinary Members

 

elected by Members present at the Annual General Meeting.  In addition, the retiring Captain shall remain on the Committee “ex-officio” for the period of one year from the date of his retiral.

 

(b) The Committee shall hold a meeting of dispatch of any competent business not less than ten times each year, within the confines of Ayr.

The Captain, whom failing the Vice-Captain, will be Chairman at all meetings.

 

(c) The Chairman shall, where necessary have a casting vote in addition to a deliberate vote.

 

(d) Five members of the Committee shall form a quorum for any meeting of the Committee.

 

(e) The Committee shall have the power on behalf of the Club to institute all proceedings and action which they deem necessary and the Secretary on receiving instructions from the Committee, shall raise or take such actions or proceedings in their own name and in the name of the Club.

 

(f) The Committee may appoint a Match Committee, Entertainments Committee, or any other Sub-Committee considered desirable for the efficient operation and management of the Club, and shall appoint the Convenors of any said Sub-Committee and determine the quorum of the Sub-Committee.  The Office Bearers shall be “ex-officio” members of all Sub-Committees.

 

(g) The Committee shall record and keep Minutes of its proceedings, as well as any Minutes of any Sub-Committee. Copies of said Minutes should be circulated to all Members of the Committee prior to the next ordinary meeting.

 

   

   9.  Election of Office Bearers/Committee Members

 

All Office Bearers and Committee Members shall be elected for a period of two years, retire bi-annually by rotation and be eligible for re-election.

 

The names of candidates to be proposed for election, having been submitted on the appropriate form, duly signed by the Members proposing and seconding,  shall be placed on the Notice Board not later than fourteen days preceding the Annual General Meeting.

In the event of no nominations or of a post falling vacant during a year, the Committee shall be empowered to fill the vacancy by appointment until the next Annual General Meeting.

 

10.  Financial Year

 

     The Financial Year-end shall be the last day of September in each year.

 

 

11.  Entry Fee

 

The Club at the Annual General Meeting shall fix any entry fee.

 

 

   12.  Subscriptions   

 

The Annual Subscriptions, payable by each member, shall be fixed at the Annual General Meeting.  All subscriptions shall be payable within four weeks after December 31st in each year, or at the date of admission. Any member failing to pay his subscription within the specified four-week period shall be in arrears, and will not be entitled to compete in any Club competition or exercise any of the privileges of membership until such times as his subscription is paid.

After further application by the Secretary, if a subscription is still unpaid at the end of the month of February, it shall be the option of the Committee to cancel his membership, but he shall remain liable for his subscription. In the event of loss of membership, the Committee may re-instate such a person on payment of arrears, providing good cause for the non-payment is shown. The serving Captain, Secretary Treasurer and Competition Secretary shall be Honorary Members for the duration of their Office, without prejudice to their rights under paragraph 17.

 

13.  Conduct of Members

 

It is demanded by this Constitution that any Member, whilst acting under the  name of the Abbotsford Golf Club, shall conduct himself in such a manner as to  ensure no disrepute or cause for complaint shall fall on the Club.

 

14. Suspension and Expulsion

 

(i) Suspension – The Committee shall have the power, on a vote carried by a  two-thirds majority of its entire number, to suspend for a period any Member whose conduct appears to have endangered the character, interests or good order of the Club, but only after such Member has been given the opportunity to be heard by the Committee. Suspension shall not relieve a Member from his  financial obligations to the Club.

 

(ii) Expulsion – In any case where the Committee considers that the reason for   the suspension of the Member warrants expulsion from the Club, he must be informed by Recorded Delivery letter that his conduct will be considered at a Committee Meeting of the Club, with a view to expulsion, and, at the same time, be given the opportunity to resign within seven days of receipt of such letter.

 

  A Member may appeal against an expulsion/suspension determined by the Committee to a specially convened General Meeting of the Club which will review all the evidence and give its decision by a majority vote.

 

 

   15. Resignation

     All resignations from membership must be intimated to the Secretary in writing not later than four weeks after the Annual General Meeting. Failing such intimation, the member shall be liable for the subscription then current.

 

 

    16. Complaints

 

Any complaints must be made to the Secretary in writing. The Secretary shall then submit them to the Committee, which will have the power to deal with them as they see fit. The Secretary shall advise the complainant of the decision of the Committee relating to the complaint.

 

 

 

    17. Property

 

The monies and property of the Club shall belong equally to the members during Membership, but the right and interest of every member shall be personal, and limited to himself.

 

In the event of dissolution, each fully paid Member, at the time of dissolution, shall have one share in the Club. All shares shall represent the net total assets of the Club.

 

    18. Alteration of Constitution and Rules

 

   No alteration in the foregoing Constitution and Rules shall be made, except at the Annual General Meeting, or at a Special General Meeting called for this purpose and the notice calling such a meeting shall state the proposed alteration to be made.   No such alteration shall take effect unless it is affirmed by a majority of two-thirds of those voting. Notice of any proposed alteration must be given in writing to the Secretary at least fourteen days before the date of any General Meeting.

 

 

 

Approved, as amended, at the Annual General Meeting of the Club, held on 11th November, 2007.