From Guy McDonnell, Society Captain 2024
Welcome to the website of the County Cricketers’ Golfing Society.
According to Rule 2 of the Society:
The object of the County Cricketers’ Golfing Society is to provide opportunities for occasional meetings on the golf course between First-Class and List A Cricketers and to revive friendships made on the cricket field"
Recent experience suggests this understates reality.
Golf itself provides huge benefits: exercise, beautiful natural settings, social friendships, a frisson of competition and a chance to improve your game.
The host clubs are extraordinary. The fixture list is to die for, thanks to the vision and work of our forebears in the Society and in Host Clubs over eighty-nine years. implausibly world class, storied golf courses on the roster are rightly noted. However, that may mask the strength of relationship with host clubs/ members and staff. Many of these clubs have formal cricketing connections – the Bedser heritage at West Hill springs to mind. Beyond that, host teams often comprise strong club cricketers and/or enthusiasts. Playing in the same club match for a year or two results not only in valued friendships also with Host Club members. Many fixtures and players are longstanding – and at least two match managers on the club side have fifty years’ tenure. Equally there are also new clubs on the roster, welcome not least as the Society continues in its quest for fixtures in all first-class counties.
Perhaps above all, it has been striking to see much mutual appreciation – the Society is deeply grateful to the host clubs for their hospitality, and it the clubs often seem to appreciate having the Society come and play. Maybe it’s the serious cricketing talk, or possibly the non-serious banter. Occasionally it might even be the golf.
If you’re contemplating joining the Society, or a match, be encouraged. Match managers will be delighted to hear from you. In the words of close friend and Society member, Neil Burns, the Society’s matches are “magical days”. Sometimes you have to pinch yourself. Whatever the challenges of our lives, whatever else is going on in the world, these matches are a bolthole, a chance to hold onto sanity.
A huge thank you to
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Host Clubs for your outstanding hospitality. You are all highly prized.
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Society Members for your commitment to keep this Society thriving.
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Match Managers for a hard and thankless task that knits the Society together and
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the Committee for your often unseen and often critiqued job of steering the society forward, and especially to Lester, Hodge and Bakes for the amazing sacrifices you make and the skill you bring to bear so that the rest of us can enjoy the Society’s benefits.
Thank you all for creating and sustaining a truly magical, restorative community.
A final word of encouragement to any who may be thinking about dipping your toe in the water – playing for the first time, joining up, playing a bit more. Try it. Whatever your age, golfing ability or first-class cricketing record, you’ll be welcome.