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Y R T N U O C B U A CL PRETORI PRETORIA COUNTRY CLUB PRETORIA COUNTRY TENNIS SECTION 04 Message from the Chairman CLUB 32 Tennis coaching 06 From the General Manager 22 110 years’ memories 24 Families first INTERVIEW GOLF SECTION 34 George Coetzee SQUASH SECTION 10 Men’s Golf 26 “Best Squash Club” PARTNERSHIP 15 Ladies Golf second year running PROGRAMME 36 Discount offers SNOOKER SECTION WINE FRATERNITY 18 Don’t sink the white 28 Wine evenings at PCC CORPORATE MEMBERS PRETORIA CLUB BOWLS SECTION 41 Twenty and counting... 20 Conviviality and good cheer 30 Did you know...? RECIPROCITY 46 Our international friends IMPORTANT CONTACT DETAILS RECEPTION OPERATING HOURS N9NE CATERING 012 460 6241/2/3/4 012 346 1707 Monday: 07h00 – 18h00 [email protected] Tuesday to Saturday: 07h00 – 19h00 Sunday: 08h00 – 17h00 BLU SAFFRON 012 346 0223/4 OFFICE OPERATING HOURS [email protected] 012 460 6241/2/3/4 Monday to Thursday: 08h00 – 16h30 You can contact any of the management team Friday: 08h00 – 16h00 or make an appointment with them. They are situated in the main Clubhouse on the premises. PRO SHOP/ GOLF DIRECTORS 012 460 3372 [email protected] PRIVACY POLICY [email protected] Pretoria Country Club is sensitive about the confidentiality of our members’ information and GOLF MANAGER we assure you that your details will not be made [email protected] available to any third parties whatsoever. value and participation, as soon as practically Everything we do and plan to do is to ensure that, possible. With the phased opening of facilities, a upon return, you experience the value a premier slow improvement of our cash flow position means Club aims to provide. Captains Louw van Wyk that incentives will be announced when financially (golf), Tersia Pelser (ladies golf), Louis Marais (tennis), feasible. Piet Jordaan (squash, snooker), George Wesson (bowls) and Chairman, Charles Van Staden (Pretoria Secondly, I can confirm that the main committee Club), are ready to continue the excellent work is encouraged with the responses received from begun before the lockdown. Their committees are our insurer to the Club’s claims for damages ready to find new and innovative ways to ensure that suffered during the period of business interruption. membership can be enjoyed in a safe environment, Management has been tasked to keep their primary in what has become known as the ‘new normal’. focus on the submission of these claims and to ensure that we comply with all policy requirements. You are encouraged to return In this regard, we are grateful for the support and advice provided by one of our valued members, to the Club to enjoy the Russell Burgess, who has guided us in these matters admirably. If I could, I would give that man a Bells… benefits of your membership. Thirdly, the main committee will further drive the We put specific emphasis on the provision of recovery phase by implementing strategies aimed a safe environment. The main committee and at an improvement of the Club’s revenue streams. management have been monitoring the situation As indicated in my first newsletter, the seeds we closely since the COVID-19 outbreak and, as a Club, planted to generate revenue growth will now we have made it our priority to protect the wellbeing be nurtured to remove the Club’s dependency of every person who enters our premises. We have on subscription fees. The implementation of these applied precautionary measures in keeping with the strategies was inevitably delayed by the lockdown guidance we continue to receive from Government, period and it is therefore essential that we now the World Health Organisation and other relevant expedite the implementation phase so that the new authorities. We are, and have remained, committed initiatives can kick in as we return towards normality. to providing the safest environment possible and will When I wrote my first newsletter as Chairman, we were The impact of the pandemic forced South Africa into continue to update any precautions as required. just crowned Rugby World Cup champions, our golf a full national lockdown and the Club was closed As I write this, we are finalising the final proposal course was back to its best, the success of the pizza for 68 days. It was only on 2 June that we were able for our ‘new’ Pro Shop offering. I can confirm that Unfortunately, the prevalence of the virus in South oven in The Pavilion restaurant was undeniable and to invite members (in groups of three) to return for a we have completed our new golf cart storage Africa has now forced us to continually face potential member participation was growing. I have always walk on the Club premises. Golf was our first sport and maintenance facility. We have concluded an infection and a few members have been infected in enjoyed and appreciated the ability of humourist, section to open, 79 days after lockdown began. agreement with a leading golf cart manufacturer recent weeks. Fortunately, all have recovered, and newspaper columnist and social commentator, Will Understandably, as I write this, my state of mind is to provide carts and the maintenance thereof in I must commend those involved (management, the Rogers, to deliver simple truths with witty quotes. It very different from the writing of my first newsletter. a revenue sharing deal. We are also making good affected members and those in contact with them) was Rogers who coined the well-known phrase, progress in finalising a deal with a leading company for their adherence to our safety protocols regarding “Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over The Club has faced challenging financial times that provides Pro Shop stock and management required notifications, quarantine measures and the if you just sit there”. So, in my November newsletter, with no income from operations for a period, but I services. We are convinced that the finalisation of disinfecting of facilities. This has confirmed that we bolstered by these positive events, I asserted that am grateful to confirm that we have survived the these deals will improve the general golf experience have the correct measures in place to run the Club the Club was on the right track, albeit with much lockdown in a sound financial condition. Not only at our Club. I am pleased to announce that Sybies safely for all involved. We will continue to adhere to remaining to be done. I, and the main committee have we survived this period, we have done so and Athol, notwithstanding reaching the age of all cleaning regimes and the rules announced by and management were excited and ready to whilst management, with the assistance of some ‘final independence’, have agreed to remain with the authorities, with your continued support. If we tackle the tasks ahead. of our key suppliers, have kept the Club and its the Club for the foreseeable future. They have are all sensible and do not endanger the wellbeing premises in immaculate condition. The efforts of our agreed to remain in the employ of the Club and will of others through our own behaviour, the Club can Yes, I was in high spirits and we were looking forward general manager, Vivian Van Wyk, and his team to be tasked with the organisation and arrangement be a safe haven in these uncertain times. to 2020. maintain the Club, manage our service providers of all member competitions and Club days. and to keep our operational costs in check, For me, this period of forced separation and Unfortunately, we did not know that at about the are highly appreciated. These efforts are highly applied social distancing created a deep need same time a deadly virus started its devastating commendable considering that the team had to for a warm, welcoming, accommodating and safe journey towards us. Wuhan, China, seemed so accept unavoidable personal financial sacrifices. Lastly, while the recovery family environment. I thank my committee, sub- very far away, until 5 March 2020. On that day we This we will correct as soon as possible. committees and management, as I believe that this received confirmation that the virus had arrived phase demands the is what has been created at the Club. I am enjoying in South Africa, with the first known patient being Notwithstanding the challenges, we are open again involvement of management every minute of my return to Club life and welcome a male citizen who tested positive upon his return and our journey toward normality has begun. It is you all to join me in enjoying the Club. from Milan, Italy. Little did we know then how rapid now time to positively focus on the tasks at hand. and the committees, you, the spread of the virus, and how devastating its Please remain socially responsible. Stay safe. impact, would be on our daily lives. As I write this, our I must again voice our appreciation for members’ the Club member, have a Remember, it is all happening at PCC, so make it country ranks fifth globally for reported COVID-19 support and co-operation for heeding the call to pay yours again. cases. Tragically, we have experienced more than Club subscriptions. We recognise that this support valuable role to play. 13 600 COVID-19-related deaths to date, testament was forthcoming in demanding financial times and to the aggressive nature of this infectious disease the Club intends to show its appreciation, in the Dawid Muller Chairman and how dangerous it can be. form of incentives aimed at improving membership 4 ISSUE 10 | 2020 JACARANDA ISSUE 10 | 2020 JACARANDA 5 Residents got to know each other much better, with Considering that the Club could not trade for two a sense of compassion and camaraderie that could and a half months, had it not been for the support be experienced.