Our July 2024 Update
We hope you’ve all had a great start to the year. Here’s our update for July 2024 from the whole team at St Mellons Golf Club.
Update From The Board
Clubhouse Works
This June we carried out much needed improvement works to the balcony viewing areas. An all-weather Pergola has been installed fitted out with soft furniture to sit up to 20 people. The Pergola roof has louvred slats that fully open should the sun decide to make a welcome appearance. With the addition of in-built LED lighting the ambiance extends into the night. Why not invite your partners and friends to the clubhouse to sample these much-improved facilities.
We have added disabled ramps to ensure facility can be used by all. We ask our members therefore to please respect our seating plan to allow wheelchair access at all times.
Eventually we hope to add a Sliding glass door to the sides to act as a wind screen and space heaters to ensure the area remains comfortable throughout the summer evenings.
All these works have been funded by our 5 year membership deals, special thanks therefore go out to those generous patrons.
With the addition of the newly installed Solid Wall sliding partition system we are also able to section off the upper bar and balcony and thereby hold most private functions in the main function room and courtyard thereby minimising nuisance and inconvenience to our members.
New Driving Range Fence
The work erecting a fence around our Driving Range is now also complete.
Celebrating Howell Gibbons’ 90th Birthday!
This month one of our longest serving members, Howell Gibbons, celebrated his 90th birthday and fulfilled his wish of still playing golf at 90 – what a fantastic achievement!!
Howell has been an active member of St. Mellons for over 47 years and we believe to be the oldest member to still be playing golf. During his time at the club Howell has served on committee twice, been successful in winning a number of board competitions, been a member and past captain of the Jokers and instrumental, with his partner in crime Peter Thomas, in managing and organising the TATS (Tuesday and Thursdays) for many years. Prior to playing golf, Howell played baseball and football in the local Cardiff leagues. Once he finished playing football he took up refereeing and many of the members recall being refereed by him.
To mark Howell’s milestone birthday, the TATS society arranged a Texas Scramble golf day that was attended by 56 players who all had a fantastic day. Howell got proceedings underway hitting the first tee shot and was supported by his fellow team members, daughter Julie, son in law Eric and his good friend Peter Thomas. After the golf, celebrations continued in the newly refurbished bar and patio area where Howell was joined by his wife Babs and his other daughter Alison who shared many memories and stories of Howell and his time at the golf club. Following the presentation of the prizes, a buffet was enjoyed by all.
In recognitions of Howell’s contribution to the golf club, still being an active member of the club and celebrating this milestone birthday, Howell was presented with honorary membership of St. Mellons Golf Club by the Men’s Captain Gurnam Bhogal. Congratulations Howell well deserved.
Photo 1 – Howell’s team – Howell, daughter Julie, son in law Eric, good friend Peter Thomas
Photo 2 – Howell and Peter
Photo 3 – Howell and the winning team
Photo 4 – Howell and men’s captain Gurnam
A Special Mention
The board would also like to give a special mention to Andy Elson for doggedly persuading a substantial wayleave payment. Thanks for your work Andy!
From Our Captains
From Our Mens’ Captain
Dear Members,
What a busy month of June!I represented St Mellons golf club at the Gwent Captains first meeting of the season at Tredegar park golf it was a very enjoyable event.
8th of June was my Captains Charity day. The members helped to raise £3869.58 thus far for Cancer Research Uk it was a very busy day big thank you to my family and members of my staff who helped to run the half way House.The BBQ, the Saxophonist Martin Kern and the Castle Ice cream trailer were very well received by all the members. Grateful thanks to the members support for making it such a successful memorable and enjoyable day
The generation cup on Fathers day was very successful and congratulations to the winners Kevin Eley and Cameron Eley. The Sym Villas day was very successful and enjoyable with the precision organisation as ever by Simon Dibley our Board Director
The Welsh Pharmaceutical Society played at the club to celebrate my Captaincy of the club. Society members travelled long distances from Manchester, North Wales and Chester. Every one was most complimentary about our course another enjoyable and very successful day.It was a privilege and a great honour to award Howell Gibbons on behalf of the Management Board and the Captains committee the honorary membership of the club on his 90th birthday. We all wish him good health for the future
We had the Gwent Captains and Vice Captains golf day at our club on 30th of June.It was very well attended event we received a lot of compliments about the course and our new pergolas on a very warm summers afternoon were well appreciated. To top it all up I won the competition on our home course.
I look forward to the Cupid Cup organised by Stephen Parry and thank him for all his effort and time. I look forward to represent our club at Pontweydd and Llanwern in the Gwent Captains golf days this month
I would like to congratulate our first team for qualifying again for the Welsh Team Championships to be played at Morlais Castle Golf Club on 9th 10th and 11th of August.The first team are undefeated this season and are on top of the league! The second team are fourth in their division and the Third team are also fourth in their division. Both Wayfarers and the Hallett are doing well too.
I look forward to our showcase social event on 13th July the 60th Anniversary Summer Party.The Social committee have worked very hard to organise this event I would like to see as many members as possible to support the event
See you all at the Summer Party and lets enjoy and celebrate the Diamond Anniversary of our super St Mellons Golf Club
Thank You
Gurnam S Bhogal
From Our Ladies’ Captain
Dear members,
As expected June has been very busy but luckily the summer weather has arrived to help our golf along!
Our Wednesday competitions have been running very smoothly with the help of Ann Booth and Brian our Pro.
The Long Salver on June 5th was a close result but Kay O’Donnell beat Ann Booth on countback to win with a nett 75.
The Foursomes Cup on Sunday 9th was won by Frances Duffy and Lubna Rehman. Great to see a new member enjoying her golf.
The County Irene Strong on 12th was won by Chris Shewring. Second Maria Woods. They will represent us at the next stage on 22nd July at Pontnewydd.
The Welsh Dragon Brooch on 26th was a tight result but Jivan Bhogal won with a nett 73 just pipping Kay O’Donnell by 1 point. Good to see Jivan entering our competition on a Wednesday!
Other events in June were the senior Ladies Away Day to Thornbury. Sixteen ladies attended and had a very enjoyable time.
Staying with the Seniors well done to Mary Long who won the two part Marie Saunders. Congratulations! Also the section was successful with their friendly against Newport on the 24th with 2wins and an honourable draw over 18 holes. Good luck with your match against Whitchurch on 1st July.
The big event of the month was our Ladies Open on 19th. 66 ladies took part from near and far and with all the help and organisation before hand it was very successful. The halfway house cream teas were a great success as usual …many would have been happy to stay there and not play the back 9! Thanks to all the helpers here and on the desk. Also to the bar and catering staff and our starters Frank Duffy and Phil Crean. £255 was raised for Parkinsons UK by the raffle and our Pro Brian also made a donation which was very gratefully received.
Roseanne Walters, Shirley Mynett and Judith Wenman came 1st in home team category and the Newport team of J Stevens, D Morgan and M Van de Weyer won the visitors. Well done all that entered and competed!
The St Mellons Ladies team also continue to do well in their league. A draw away to Pontnewydd was a great result and a 5-0 win over Brynmeadows at home on the 28th was a real boost to our chances in our division. Well done all those that represent our club so well. Keep it up ladies!
We have a couple of events coming up in July that I would like to promote. On the social side it is our Diamond Summer Party on Saturday 13th. There is entertainment, music, dancing and good food. Tickets are available from the bar. Come along and enjoy our new upper lounge and outside patio area. Fingers crossed for continued summer weather!
On the golf side our weekly Wednesday competitions continue and we are all busy playing our knockouts. There is a Ladies Texas scramble on Sunday 14th July to encourage newer golfers to join in with fun competition. Please let me know if you are interested.
And last but not least I have my Lady Captains Day on the Sunday 28th when I hope you will join me in some friendly competition and help me raise more funds for my charity Parkinsons UK. There will be a putting competition before hand organised by James our assistant pro and the golf will be followed by a meal and a silent auction. More information to follow via email, WhatsApp and noticeboard.
Keep enjoying your golf!
Gill Rees
What’s On At The Clubhouse
Club Night
With a Quiz, Bingo and a prize pot of £400, you don’t want to our Club Night. Our Club night is hosted at St Mellons Golf Club on the third Thursday of every month. So come and join us this month on Thursday 18th July.
- FREE ENTRY
- FUN QUIZ
- NORMAL & IRISH BINGO
- FOOD AVAILABLE
If you wish to order food then please contact the clubhouse to book a table.
For bookings and enquiries call 01633 680408
Charity Day 2024
SYM Villas Charity Day 2024
Thank you to everyone that attended the MGE SYM Villas Charity Day 2024 at St Mellons Golf Club in June. The day was a great success and we raised an incredible amount of money of two brilliant charities. Thank you to all those that supported the day.
We’ll be back again in 2025! In the meantime, feel free to keep an eye out on our website for other upcoming events here.
We’d like to give a special mention to our 1st team this month, who had success in beating the Vale last week, reaching the welsh team championship final at Morlais Castle. We encourage any spectator support from the club on the 9th, 10th and 11th of August.
Thank you
That’s all for this month’s update. Thank you to everyone who has contributed and thank you to all who have left feedback. If you wish to leave feedback, then you can do so using the form below.
