THE HISTORY OF THE ALLIANCE (Written & Updated by Jenny Clink Lilley Brook March 2003
September 2003
Mrs Jenny Clink of Lilley Brook donated an antique silver rose-bowl as the trophy for Division IV, to be presented for the first time at the AGM in October 2003.
Minchinhampton will be entering a 3rd Team into Div IV, as from the 2004 season.
The divisional structure will change from 6-6-5-5 to 6-6-6-5. The new ‘Constitution and Appendix’ (in use since March 2003), to be altered accordingly and other agreed amendments inserted
March 2003
The Constitution has been rewritten and brought up to date, most efficiently, under the Chairmanship of Sylvia Bannister of Burford. Jenny Clink, Lilley Brook, March 2003
COTSWOLD & DISTICT LADIES GOLF ALLIANCE The first meeting was held in November 1970 and the aim of the Alliance was to promote FRIENDLY rivalry between neighbouring clubs. The geographical boundary was set for a radius of 25 miles, with Gloucester as the central point. There were 7 original clubs - Broadway, Burford, Cirencester, Cotswold Hills - then still on Cleeve Hill - Lilley Brook, Minchinhampton & Stinchcombe - and decisions were taken at that meeting which have governed the playing format for the ‘Alliance’ - as we know it - ever since.
An Alliance Executive Council was set up consisting of one member of each participating club and having its own secretary to decide on a constitution and rules for the league.
Each club takes it in turn to supply a secretary and treasurer for the practical running of the competition on a three year rotating basis. The idea for the Council was to achieve a continuity of knowledge of the ‘workings of the league’ and it was suggested that the members should not change too often.
Burford dropped out fairly rapidly and in 1977 Ross took their place, but in 1984 there were applications to join from Tewkesbury & Cotswold Edge. The Council decided that 7 teams were the maximum practicable number in a division, so a second division was formed with those two clubs & B teams from four existing member clubs - Cirencester, Lilley Brook, Ross & Stinchcombe - having only 7 players in each team instead of the 9 in the first division. In 1985 Cirencester dropped their B team and Lydney took their place.
1986 saw both divisions fielding teams of 9 players and promotion and relegation between the divisions began, with one team up & down. Stinchcombe found themselves with both teams in the second division, a situation they found very difficult and which led to the rules being amended so that any club in the same circumstances would play A v B team matches before any others.
In 1988 Royal Forest of Dean & Burford applied to join, making 12 clubs with one or two teams, so a reorganisation was necessary and two first divisions were formed from A teams and the second division of B teams was augmented by the addition of B teams from Tewkesbury & Minchinhampton, joined a year later by Cirencester & Cotswold Hills.
It was decided to promote & relegate two teams annually in the A divisions - the second division merely to battle for honour!
After much discussion, the format was changed in 1996 - for a 3 year trial period - to allow the movement between all three divisions, of one team up & one team down. Meanwhile Forest of Dean had dropped out in March 1995, Gloucester joined in Sept. 1996 & in Sept. 1997 Minchinhampton Old Course entered a team, making a total of 20 teams
Broadway had already said that they would like to enter a B team and it was possible that new clubs like Brickhampton, Puckrup, Naunton & Forest Hills would also wish to enter teams in the future, so consideration was given to the possibility of four divisions in due time.
The Council meets once a year, about a month before the match fixing meeting and apart from the divisional reorganising, have had to make decisions about various disputes - friendly ones - and anomalies that arise.
Currently the basic rules are :
The first division shall have no more than 7 nor less than 6 teams.
Nine players in each team playing in handicap order.
The best 9 players by handicap are not eligible to play in a B team.
New teams enter in the lowest division and work their way up.
Matches MUST be played to a conclusion. Players cannot agree to halve a match.
The Home Captain may call teams in if the course becomes unfit for play and as long as at least 6 matches are concluded the remainder can count as halves, which means that the Home Captain or her deputy should always be at the course during the match.
At the end of the season the top teams in the second & third division are promoted & the bottom teams in the first & second division are sent to the outer darkness!!!
September 2002
Lilley Brook re-entered their B Team. Four divisions now required and the necessary adjustments were agreed.
September 2001
Brickhampton’s application to enter a team was approved, entering in Division 3. Lilley Brook’s B team was withdrawn, much to the regret of the Alliance Executive and the hope was expressed that the decision would be reconsidered.
The Divisions retain the same composition.
September 1999
Broadway’s application for a B team was approved so that there are now 7 teams in each division.
THE HISTORY OF THE ALLIANCE SINCE 1964 (Written by Hilary Jones (Stinchcombe Hill) September 1992)
THE COTSWOLD AND DISTRICT LADIES' GOLF ALLIANCE
IN JANUARY 1964 Club Captains from Lilley Brook, Cotswold Hills, Cirencester, Minchinhampton, Broadway, Stinchcombe and Painswick (who later dropped out) were called together for an inaugural meeting to arrange match dates for the year. Thereafter they met annually. This gathering of Captains and Club Officers was wound up on 29th OCTOBER 1975 as its functions had devolved to the North Gloucestershire Alliance. The inaugural meeting of the “League” had been held on Wednesday 18th NOVEMBER 1970 and was attended by Broadway, Burford, Cirencester, Cotswold Hills, Lilley Brook, Minchinhampton and Stinchcombe. Decisions were taken at that meeting which have governed the playing format for all the matches since. Burford dropped out due to the distances to be covered but Ross-on-Wye was admitted to membership in 1977.
An Extraordinary General Meeting was held at Minchinhampton in 1984 to discuss applications from Tewkesbury Park and Cotswold Edge to join the Alliance. Seven Clubs was considered to be the maximum desirable number. It was finally agreed that a separate division would be formed with the assistance of four of the existing member Clubs (Cirencester, Lilley Brook, Ross-on-Wye and Stinchcombe) who agreed to enter second teams of 7 players in order to get the second division started.
In 1985 Cirencester dropped their second team but their place was filled by Lydney. The six 7 member teams in the second division were now Lilley Brook II, Stinchcombe II, Ross-on-Wye II, Tewkesbury Park, Cotswold Edge and Lydney.
In 1986 it was agreed that the team coming first in the second division would be promoted to the first division while the team at the bottom of the first division would be demoted.
In 1987 Stinchcombe found itself with both teams in the second division. They found the situation difficult.
During 1988 there was considerable discussion about ways in which the Alliance could be organised to accommodate new Clubs within an expanded system. The Alliance Council was appointed to examine the options and the present Constitution was drafted. Applications from Royal Forest of Dean and Burford which put the number of Clubs up to 12 made it possible to form two divisions with 6 Clubs in each. Theoretically the Clubs who first formed second teams to help accommodate the new Clubs could have disbanded their second teams, but in fact Tewkesbury Park and Minchinhampton applied to enter second teams and together with Stinchcombe, Ross-on-Wye and Lilley Brook they formed the present “B” League.
In 1989 they were joined by Cirencester and Cotswold Hills, so that there are now 7 Clubs in the “B” League.
Regarding the Ross proposal (that a 3-division League system should be established), Shirley Gray once pointed out that in a hypothetical scenario a Club with two teams in one League could end up with its first team at the bottom of one division liable to relegation and its second team at the top of the lower division due for promotion. Presumably such an exchange of places could be specifically ruled out.
Hilary Jones, Honorary Secretary, 8th September 1992
