As with previous AGM's, the commitees speech was a summary of the year and an opportunity to thank a number of Badgers - the members for your support through the year, at the end of the day it is your society and it can only exist whilst it enjoys such good support from you, as evidenced by the number of you who took the afternoon out from your normal business to support this lunch. Or you’re all simply alcoholics!  Secondly, those contractors who sponsored the prizes at the golf days this year, this is very much appreciated and hopefully it is as beneficial to you in terms of exposure - we couldn’t get any more references to you on the website! - as it is to us by allowing us to keep the costs of the days down.

Thank-you to Cablecom, PIP, Commercial Stone and Ruddy Joinery who sponsored the days at Birchwood, South Essex, Darenth Valley and Woldingham.   And perhaps one of these days Smithy and Commercial Stone might even get their website operational (the cheapskates).

Simon Tuson was also thanked (by himself - always one for a bit of self-gratification) for his tenure of captaincy of the Badgers. Simon fully embraced the idea of being captain, attended every Badger Day, and proved to be an ideal man to lead the society, unlike that worthless lump the previous year. The committee enjoyed a wonderful Captains Day of lunch and a game of golf at Simon’s lovely home club, Wrotham Heath down in Kent, all generously laid on by the captain.

A substantial improvement on the previous years captains day ie there wasn’t one, marred only by the loudmouth lout from Essex who insisted on using his mobile phone on the terrace in front
of the 18th green, totally letting down the society - shame on that man!  He can't even do a speech either!  Lets hope that this years incoming captain maintains the high standards set by Simon and doesn’t fall into the trap of the previous year, forever to be known in badger lore as doing a
Stoney.  

With the thanks over, we moved onto the golf.  Under the patronage of simon, 2006-2007 was another good year for the badgers with 4 well attended golf days.  This year we dropped Lullingstone going instead to Woldingham which we are sure you will all agree, is a fine course and worthy of keeping in the Badger portfolio of courses. We also made welcome returns to Birchwood Park, Darenth Valley and South Essex – by making the visit to South Essex a month later the condition was far better than previous years and the course was extremely well presented, so hopefully you will agree with our decision to return and we will certainly be keeping this venue and date in the schedule for this year.

This year membership has risen slightly to 43 and the website goes from strength to strength.  Badgers merchandising continues to do well and we will be expanding the range this year so keep saving those pennies. All in all, the society enters it’s fifth year in rude health, so thank you all for you continued support and patronage.

In respect of the golf itself, overall 68 people have now played on our Badger days since the first outing in May 2003.  In terms of our ability, or not as the case may be, our average handicap has risen one shot to 21 compared to last year, with the average points scored at our golf days dropping one point to 30, so you could argue we’ve got worse.  However, the change is so minor it shows that the handicap adjustment system works and we’re maintaining an even keel. All credit should go to yourselves for playing well and generally to your handicaps!

Badger day winners this year were John Deely at Woldingham after two third places in previous years, Bob James at Birchwood making a first visit to the podium on his yearly outing with the Badgers and Richard Maggs at South Essex with just a previous third place to his credit.  Mike Stone took the honours at Darenth, a great feat giving him his second Badger title and mirroring the achievements of Peter Gallagher last year at the same venue, so congratulations to Mike in joining this elite club of double title winners. Shame you were such a rubbish captain.

This year there were 2nd places for that man Mike Stone again at Woldingham and for Peter Jupp at Birchwood. At South Essex and Darenth Richard Gent secured back to back second places but is still chasing that elusive first place. Must try harder Mr Gent.

3rd places went to Pat Judd at Woldingham, Steve Sharp Gent at Birchwood, Eugenio Caruso at South Essex and Phil Tweddle at Darenth.

There were Nearest the Pins for Phil Tweddle at Woldingham, Steve Sharp at Birchwood, Dave Guildford at South Essex and John Barnes at Darenth Valley.

Longest drives were won by Richard Maggs at Woldingham, Chris Knapp at Birchwood, John Birdseye at South Essex and Steve Hook at Darenth.

Lastly, team prizes went to Frank Kingham, Pat Judd, Peter Jupp and Richard Gent at Woldingham, Peter Gallagher, Andy Bawn and Steve Sharp at Birchwood, Richard Gent (his second time), John Deely, Chris Knapp and Paul Gover at South Essex and at Darenth we had Harry Cutts, Phil Tweddle and and Steve Hook. In summary, of our 43 members 20 of you have gone home with prizes this year which is a pretty good spread, especially as we have had eight members unable to attend any of the days and three members who have only appeared once.

Of the 23 playing members who have gone home empty handed this year, better luck next year. Two people worthy of special mention are Mark Smith – the highlight of his Badger season was walking off at Birchwood after amassing a mighty 3 points – and Simon Tuson who only made it into any of the website photos this year by virtue of being Captain. Lets hope next years Captain fares better….

As a word of warning, there are some Badgers who have never earned an award at all, even a team prize, so we feel it only right to warn you and to apologise profusely if you get drawn with Steve Beasley or John Pye – must be something to do with all of that GRG dust.

The highlight of the AGM was the announcement of the Badger Captain results for 2006-2007 and the awarding of the Badger Captain Trophy, fondly referred to as the roadkill and announcement of the Badger Captain for our 2007-2008 season.

The appointment of the Badgers Captain is designed to award both performance and support of the non committee members, so we simply take the combined total of your scores across the year and divide by four for the number of appearances. This system really does give us the best all round Badger who has both played well and who has supported the society by turning up and playing.

This year was a very closely fought contest which was only decided at Darenth Valley. 9 Badgers managed to attend all four days greatly increasing their chances, 12 made it to 3 days putting the pressure on a little bit but still in with a chance, but making things very difficult for themselves were the 10 of you coming to just two days and the 3 who made it to just one day. We haven’t bothered listing those that didn’t attend any days so registered no scores. So the placings, in reverse order, are;

Joint 33rd with an average of 8 points – Dave Bullock and Mark Smith

32nd with an average of 9 points – Bob James

31st with an average of 11 points – Wayne Dexter

Joint 29th with an average of 12 points – Frank Kingham and Steve Hook

Joint 27th with an average of 11 points – Mike Healy and Paul Gover

26th with an average of 14 points – Alan Ruddy

Joint 23rd with an average of 16 points – John Barnes, Mike Smith and Steve Beasley

22nd with an average of 17 points – John Birdseye

21st with an average of 18 points – Dick Watts

20th with an average of 19 points – Pat Judd

19th with an average of 20 points – Peter Gallagher

18th with an average of 19 points – Tim Holt

17th with an average of 22 points – Nigel Smith

Joint 15th with an average of 23 points – Andy Bawn and John Pye

Joint 11th with an average of 24 points – Alec Vallintine, Mike Stone, Phil Tweddle and Steve Brewer

Joint 9th with an average of 25 points – John Deely and Peter Jupp

8th with an average of 30 points – Harry Cutts

Joint 5th with an average of 32 points – Dave Guildford and Steve Sharp

Joint 3rd with an average of 34 points – Eugenio Caruso and Richard Gent

2nd place with an average of 35 points – Simon Tuson, almost retaining his crown

And finally, 1st place and winner of the Badger Captains’ Trophy with an average of 36 points – Richard Maggs. So the Badgers Head remains in Kent and better still, the Committee get a return visit to Wrotham Heath for the Captains Day!!!

 

Images from 2008's AGM!!!; 

 Big Nige gets into the spirit....perhaps he's heard all of Bob's jokes..........

 

Simon regales the table with his quick wit and reparte........

 

 

Harry starts attacking the floral displays.....

 

 

Dick Watts, John Birdseye and Wayne Dexter start to wane under the onslaught from Tuson.........

 

 

Bugger me, he's still going!

 

 

Alcohol was clearly the only solution.......

 

 

Easy young man, you don't want to aggravate that dose of Harrietisis....

 

 

Stoney regales the table with the one about the fella who joins a new company, it goes bust, gets bought out, he get a years salary plus bonuses plus his old job back.  You couldn't make it up.......... 

 

 

3,2,1, back in the room......

 

 

Special guests The Krankies were having a great time......

 

 

With Tuson still going great guns, Dick and John decided to take a quick power nap and hope nobody noticed....

 

 

 

 

Poor Kay

 

 

Tuson decides to enlist some help and finish off the speech as The Black & White Minstrels.......

 

 

"Sit down, I haven't finished yet....."  Dick decides to liven things up by balancing a Badger on his head 

 

 

Simon finally presents Maggsy with the Badgers Head and appoints him Captain for 2007 - 2008. Cue collective sigh of relief......

 

 

Maggsy delivers his sppech of acceptance: "Schuper, scmashink, luverly....."

 

 

It's the Leven Is Stridj, it's the AGM, it must be time for Sharpie to molest the waitresses......

Waitress: "Ooooh, ain't your knee bony?"

Sharpie: "That ain't my knee......."