To All Members

I would like to announce that next year I am proposing a three day Charity Bike Ride from Sines to Silves Golf Club. I realise most of you think I am deranged in trying to propose this to such an elderly membership!!!! However, so far there are a few members already who are ready to take on the challenge. The Proposed Agenda is as follows:- 

• Date 2/3/4 May2017

• Day One - Sines to Aljezur (Approx 80k) Night Stay in Hotel/B&B
• Day Two - Aljezur to Praia da Luz via Sagres (Approx 60k) Night Stay in Hotel/B&B
• Day Three – Praia da Luz to Silves Golf Club (Approx 50k)

Obviously, the objective is to raise as much money as possible for the Captains Charity which will be advised as soon as possible.

SdM Captain Peter Chapman recently presented his chosen charity, CRACEP – Cooperativa de Reeducação e Apoio à Criança Excepcional de Portimão, with a new computer system which they will use in their administration department allowing them to provide improved services to the whole organisation. The system cost €900 and was paid for by the SdM Members by way of their generous support to the Captain’s Charity.

In addition Peter also presented CRACEP with a refurbished computer system donated to the Captain’s Charity by FLIC (Funds for Locally Identified Causes). This system is planned to be used in the re-education centre where mentally handicapped young adults are trained to enable them to obtain employment.

The weekend of June 18-19 saw the annual SdM Captain's Day and Reception. The format for the golf was a Pairs Betterball Stableford and a record field of 96 players produced some great golf - well done to all those who won a prize but especially Stu & Maz McGill for taking the Captain's Jug home and to Malcolm Cooke and Jackie Bettles for winning the Best Guest prize.  

The results:

Captain's Trophy

Winners - Stu & Maz McGill 47 points 

Runners Up – Martin Brand & Stu Deans 46 (B9-23)

3rd Place  - Don & Ruth Simpson 46 (B9-21)

4th Place – Paul Spallin & Dave Underwood 45 (B9-25) 

5th Place – Jimmy Goodfellow & Chris Price 45 (B9- 23) 

Well how time flies! I am already through the first 3 months of my year as Captain yet it only seems a few weeks ago that we were standing on the 18^th green watching Ray make his final putt as 2015 Captain and then wandering to the first to watch my first drive as the new Captain. I would like to report that I hit a glorious shot straight down the middle of the fairway but in reality was a hook into the lake on the left! Not to worry it was a great event with over 80 players participating and an excellent score by Arthur Greenwood and Hannelore McMahon won the day. There was also a “book” on the length of my drive organised by the Marja and Pippa the proceeds of which gave a good start to my Captain’s Charity.

Captain’s Charity

It was a cloudy but dry day at Silves for our annual Captain's Drive In. This sees the outgoing Captain (Ray Groves) putt out on the 18th green,and the new Captain for 2016 (Peter Chapman) drive off from the first.

It was then followed by a 2 ball Seattle Shambles competition, the results can be found at the end of the article. An amazing 80 players participating!

There was a side wager on the 18th between the Captains, should Ray not manage to putt out in 2 a donation would be made to the present Captain's Charity. Sadly he didn't meet the challenge, eventually 4 putting! There were mitigating circumstances however - the ball used did have a large slice missing.

Peter was born in 1956 in to Welsh parents in Corby, Northants, his father working in the steel works at that time. When he was 6 years old the family moved back “home” to Old Colwyn a village in North Wales and he attended school there until he went to The Polytechnic of Wales in South Wales. He gained technical/engineering qualifications in the Gas industry. He was mainly concerned with operational management during these early days but later he transferred to the “dark side” of commercialism and negotiations.