Santa Says

Golf Packages and “Road Trips”

I have often talked about our golf packages, both the 2-Day package and the very attractive “4 days on the Links”. Well, it is great to see that they (the packages and, of course, the course) are attracting a number of golfing enthusiasts from all over the country. This week we hosted 10 from the Wanderers and yesterday – these handsome boys! They arrived by bus (and driver), played, had Prizegiving and FINES and left by bus (with driver). The timing of their Prizegiving was perfect – because I managed to clear the 120 WBHO delegates out for their video presentation in the Lighthouse Restaurant before they started with the FINES. Just for fun, I printed their bar bill after departure. Boys will be boys… the faces are there but the names have been deleted to protect the guilty.

They don’t look naughty!!!

Our biggest client to date (WBHO) and our biggest fans!

WBHO send their best men (and Ladies) to review the year and plan the future…

Photo’s courtesy of Rrad Photography: www.rradvisuals.co.za

Two groups totaling more than 230 joined us for conference, golf, food, drink and most of all, fun! Out team, operating without 72 estate staff, course staff, clubhouse waitrons, housekeepers, kitchen staff and golf assistants pulled off the biggest two weeks since opening. I want to thank them all, as well as: Caryl Logie and her assistants who took the delegate’s partners into the Sand River; Brian Cunningham and Sandy from Brisan on the Canals along with Justin from Boats on Line toured them in the canals; the staff from Papillion who treated them to the art of organic farming; to the staff from Treetop Canopy Safaris and of, course to Trudy Malan and her special staff who shared the plight of the penguins! The members who assisted with the functions and the back of house were priceless, as were the member who offered words of support.

Everyone really pulled their weight and more! In the picture above, there are some actual food and beverage employees! The rest became servers for the stay!

Chef Brad and his new right hand, Angie, were joined by in-house student, Ryno, as well as Franschhoek based hotel students Michelle, Dillon, Rudolph and Johan (not pictured). Warren, our head of St Francis Tourism, was here looking after our arm of tourism after his normal hours.

As I write this column, we are closed for our scheduled ‘spring programme’ and the strike carries on. Earlier in the year, my Mom turned 90 (June 3) and in a few days the family will be gathering in Dallas-Fort Worth for my niece’s wedding and reunion for MOM. We will be going across to the States on Thursday and returning in mid-September. As was stated when the strike began, we carry on as usual. When we open on Monday, the 30th, the course will be ready for play. We are hosting a junior event on the 31st. Please remember that St Francis Bay Golf Club has welcomed us to play there while we are closed – R95 for our members and R115 after we re-open. We thank the Bay for the neighborly support!

Ryan will keep you up on the events while we are away. Liezl and I both thank you all for your support you have given us, and for this great Club and Estate. Keep our flag flying high while we tell America about South Africa’s best golfing treasure and lifestyle Estate.

NEWSFLASH: Strike Ends! ~ 25 August 2010

St Francis Links – 23 days of strike and lock-out has ended as St Francis Links Management and FAWU unionised Staff agreed to an 8% increase across the board. The strikers originally demanded 20%. The CCMA hosted a reconciliation meeting this morning and negotiations went well with both parties in agreement. The staff will return to work on Tuesday morning.

During the strike, the Links carried on with business as usual, even hosting a wedding, two large conferences and some golf days! I thanked all parties for reaching an agreement, therefore averting more time away from work (which meant no work no pay for the strikers). We have a great staff at St Francis Links and we will continue to present the best course and overall experience in the region! I really appreciate the support of the community, the members and the management team who assisted during this period.

Regards,
Jeff

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The Biggest Week Of Business At St Francis Links…Without The Staff!

We did host 7000 people for New Years Eve a couple of years ago and pulled a little 24 hour shift. We did have 9 weddings in April and 80 in the last three and a half years; we have hosted two tour events and plenty of corporate days…

Last week, starting on Sunday, we hosted a wedding, the Mrs Port Elizabeth fundraiser, two golf groups and just for fun, the WBHO – Roads and Earthworks Bosberaad for 120 executives, managers, supervisors and their partners. It included accommodation on the estate with room drops, two dinners with different set-ups – one buffet style and the other, three courses (plated) - an opening night cinema, style set-up in the Lighthouse Restaurant for the entire group, then removed and reset for breakfast (the chairs all went back to the conference centre for the following day’s conference), meals for 600 each day to include breakfast, snacks and dinner, tours to the Treetop Canopies, the Penguins and Sand River, golf for the guys with a special shoot-out that followed, bar service until the wee hours and clean-up that followed – by the way, this place is really clean! All of the above was professionally presented by the Accounts Department, EXCO, the course and estate management, the Chef and his partial team AND a number of member volunteers and casuals. The following letter pretty well sums it all up.

16 August 2010

Dear Jeff, Liezl and the St Francis Links Team

Hi Guys

RE: WBHO R&E BOSBERAAD – ST FRANCIS LINKS 12 – 15 AUGUST 2010

Just a short note to thank you all for a wonderful and successful R&E Bosberaad at the St Francis Links.

The service provided by the Staff from start to finish was friendly, warm and efficient.

The food was excellent and the beers and drinks were always cold and plentiful.

Arrangements for the conference, golf and the partners’ programmes were organised like clockwork.

Also a big thank you to all the SFL members who assisted with various tasks varying from help desk to serving drinks and washing glasses.

As a team, you all did a fantastic job and it is great to have you as part of the extended WBHO family.

Hennie, the wine server, places
his order to Estate Security
Manager, Rinus, as
Financial Manager, Andrew looks on.

Course Superintendent, Andre,
became the Wednesday
Braai-master-that was after
he mowed the greens.

The ladies polish glasses
and set the tables.

Today (Thursday), Day 12, and no talking has taken place between the union and ourselves… The strike continues to harm those who wish to be at work while we make a plan to look after another 120 from the WBHO Construction Division. Please remember, next week we are closed for business – NOT BECAUSE OF THE STRIKE – rather because we are proceeding with our spring programme with or without the staff, who are striking.

As I said, "this too shall pass" - St Francis Links is the place to raise your kids and live in peace. See below...

On Sunday afternoon the Staff were finished!

The Beat goes ON and ON!

While Martin Kaymer was winning on a course (Whistling Straits) that makes our little links look like pudding, Colville Pieterse was making his way onto the Links Team for the year-end trip to Serengeti and the playing of the first Jack Nicklaus Signature Course Interclub Matches.

Note: Gotta give to Geoff G for trying his luck – he made a very good 40 points on the day – but didn’t enter before the round was played – shame - after the game is too late, Geoff!

Regards,
Jeff

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