As the course, Golf shop and Spike Bar/O Parque restaurant are all closed it is necessary to change the rules concerning the expirery date of vouchers so Members still have a full year in which to spend them.
Therefore, any voucher issued after March 1st 2019 will now still be valid for the whole time the course and facilities are closed plus one month after it reopens. For example; If the course and facilities remain closed until the 31st of May, any voucher issued in March 2019 will remain valid until the end of June 2020. Please be clear this is only an example as the date of the course reopening is unknown at this time. All vouchers issued before March 1st 2019 are now expired.
Stay safe!
Giles Fox

We have been asked by GSA to contact our Members in order to reinforce to them the message that the Golf Course, Practise Areas and the Driving Range are closed until further notice.
Certain people are not observing these restrictions.
Dogs are being walked on the course and sometimes their owners fail to clear up after them and/or prevent the dogs digging and scraping in the bunkers and on the fairways.
Some people are taking their children out on the course in bicycles and using the course as a playground.
Some people are using the course as an exercise arena.
Some people are even taking the opportunity to hit balls around.
Please observe the restrictions that have been put in place for everyone’s safety. The course is surrounded by accessible countryside for dog walking, exercising and giving children somewhere to play. There is no reason why anyone should be on the course.
Maintenance work is continuing on the course and chemicals, that are harmful to humans and animals, are being applied.
The Portuguese Government have decreed that all golf courses and practise facilities must be closed in order to reinforce the policy of Social Isolation. This is being done to protect the whole population.
Stay safe.
Your Committee

Your Committee met today in a scheduled meeting and addressed the worsening situation of the Coronavirus pandemic.
The Portuguese Government have introduced strict new rules for gatherings of people, which will affect as all in many ways, but we have had to address the way our competitions will be played for the foreseeable future to fit in with these guidelines.
As players from yesterday’s comp will have witnessed the Spike Bar now has a limit 10 customers internally at any one time and the Spike Bar Terrace has a limit of 15 customers. The O’Parque Restaurant has a limit of 40 Customers.
As a Club we have a responsibility to keep our Membership and the GSA Staff around us safe so the following changes will be implemented immediately;
1) Club competitions will continue to be played as scheduled until further notice. However, they will be played with no cash competition entry (this limits the handling of money for all concerned and reduces congestion and time spent in the closed confines of the Golf Shop) and consequently there will be no vouchers (which means the card rota team are not obliged to sit around waiting to the end of the competition). There will be no prize giving because of the restrictions in the bar and on the terrace and those that do not want to remain after completion of their game can leave immediately. The competition cards will be reviewed by the Card Rota team member wherever they choose to work and then 1st, 2nd and 3rd positions will be announced on the website.
2) The Charity competition scheduled for Wednesday and the Ralph Griffin Trophy competition scheduled for Friday will be postponed until such time as competitions return to normality. The actual games scheduled for Wednesday and Friday will still be played but no charity contribution will be taken and the Ralph Griffin Trophy will be competed for at another occasion.
3) Players in competition’s are expected to fully observe and respect the guidelines issued by the Portuguese Golf Federation; sanitise hands before play, make no social contact greeting and at all times maintain a physical gap of 1m between yourself and any other player or member of staff.
It is impossible for any of us to predict the future but we will endeavour to keep us all golfing for as long as possible. However, it is every Members responsibility to ensure all precautions are made to ensure we are safe and fully compliant with all guidelines issued by the Government and Federation.
Please stay safe,
Your Committee

This is just a short update to keep you up to speed on what has been happening at your club and on the Golf course here at PDF during February.
We had a really nice event on Valentines Day when the ‘LEGS’ (the Ladies Elite Golf Society) invited the men to join them for a fun Pin Splitter Golf Competition, followed in the evening by a very nice dinner at Thiago’s. A real bonus was that the day coincided with the 50th Wedding Anniversary of Allan and Gloria Pooley, so we had a brilliant double celebration over dinner, even with some live music throughout the evening. Many thanks to Gloria and Allan for organising a really special day.
The weather throughout February has been really excellent, in fact it has probably been the best we have had in many years.
Looking forward to events in March, on Wednesday 18th there will be a Charity Putting Competition before the normal Golf Competition. Players who wish to join in are asked to arrive 20 Minutes before their tee time to allow plenty of time to show off their skills. The prize giving will be after the Competition with a finger buffet in the bar.
On Friday the 20th March we have a special event in our social calendar with the Inaugural ‘Ralph Griffin Trophy’ in memory and honour of our good friend Ralph. The format will be a pairs golf competition followed by a Dinner Dance in the Clubhouse. I hope as many people as possible will join us to remember this special man.
Finally, for those who will be joining us on our Captains Away trip to Rompido in November, we will need to ask that the first payment of 85 euro per person is paid before the end of March. Payment can be made directly to myself or Brigitte, alternately payment can be made by transfer directly to my bank account at

Joseph Brian Newsham
IBAN PT50 026901810020251174383
BIC BKBKPTPLXXX

Please remember to include your name(s) as a reference for the payment

Thank you for your support. Have a good springtime

Your Captain

Brian

February 2020 – Top 20 Places

1 Carol Newland 0
2 Ivor Newland 34
3 Ian Galloway 57
4 Rei Cherubini 57
5 Mark Arundel 58
6 Malcolm Berry 59
7 Michael Abbott 66
8 Filipe Da Silva 68
9 Mary Berry 69
10 Michael Shropshall 71
11 Graham Harries 78
12 John Brodie 81
13 Janice Galloway 87
14 Duane Wessels 95
15 Paul Anthony 97
16 Allan Pooley 101
17 Richard Entwistle 102
18 Basil McKeon 102
19 Lewis Haycock 103
20 Chris Brunner 105