Well this is thoroughly depressing. We are supposed to be hosting Men's Invitation Day today here at Ilkley Golf Club, but due to two days of very heavy rain the course is heavily flooded and it is still raining. The time sheet was full today with around 140 golfers signed up to play, plus we have two events scheduled for tomorrow (Sunday) and on Monday we are supposed to be hosting an England Golf Captains event for 100. It isn't looking good at the moment.
Yesterday's service was rather chaotic due to the torrential rain interrupting the two visiting parties we had booked in. Congratulations are due to the gentlemen of Headingley Golf Club and the Spreadeagle Golf Society who braved the conditions to play 18 holes in a constant, wind lashed downpour.
Thanks also to my staff for the day, Rob, Ellie, Callum, Fred and Laura who were all great and responded to our calls for rapidly changing shifts as events changed through the course of the day.
Due to insomnia I've been up since 4.30am, and the river hasn't dropped at all in that time. Looking out from the clubhouse I can see that large areas of the 1st, 2nd and 18th holes are flooded, and of course this means that the lower lying areas of the course will be a lake this morning.
It looks like a homework day then, I may as well take advantage of the sudden lull to catch up on my A151 work. Target for the day then; finish the chapter on the history of books, make a start on the history of museums and collections chapter, and then read the rest of the essay Metaphor, Materiality and Interpretation: The Metaphorical Tranformations of Wala Island Canoes, gripping stuff I assure you.
Showing posts with label IGC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label IGC. Show all posts
Friday, June 22, 2012
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Changing The Guard
It's that time of year again when we'e taking on new staff in anticipation of a busy summer season. It looks like we will be changing the entire part time brigade this summer. Fred will be leaving for a full time job, while Laura, Ellie, Maddie and Rachel will all be heading off to university.
As I have done for a few years now I advertised on Facebook, which got a dozen responses plus one person reported me to the Facebook cops for friend requesting them. I whittled out four of the initial twelve before interview, including nearly all the boys who really need to learn that as informal as Facebook is, when you are talking to a prospective employer calling him "mate" and "pal" is not the way to go.
This week then I have conducted eight interviews and now I'm in a real quandary. Sometimes the interviews throw up a one or two outstanding candidates who obviously stand head and shoulders above the rest of the group. Last year I thought Maddy fitted this description and she has proved to be a charming addition to the team. This year I would happily employ 7 from the 8 interviewees, it is going to be really tough to winnow the field down to the two we want to take on at this time.
Also this year at interview I asked some slightly oddball questions in order to make the candidates chat a bit, getting them to explain the LBW rule in cricket was fun, Having them sell their favourite band to me was even more so and provided some eloquent and spirited defences of an assortment of acts from Coldplay to N-Dubz.
I also asked that if a deity could grant you a personal superpower and then change one thing about the world what would they choose. This brought some lovely responses along the lines of eradicating poverty and halting all wars, and then some unintentional hilarity when one person said they'd like to have all the countries closer together. That's nice, I thought, bringing down boundaries and making us all better neighbours. Not for that reason though said the candidate, it's just that Australia is such an awfully long way away and if it was closer it would be cheaper to travel to.
One candidate giggled, perhaps through nerves, all the way though the interview, but her laugh was so infectious she had me laughing with her by the end. Another almost reduced me to tears with a heartfelt deity request that was so unexpected honest that it stopped me in my tracks for a moment.
I have high hopes ten for this year's intake. Two young people will be offered a job today, and most of the rest will be given first choice if they are still available later in the summer. I know it won't be any consolation for those that don't get a place, but if I had enough employment to offer, I'd take them all on.
As I have done for a few years now I advertised on Facebook, which got a dozen responses plus one person reported me to the Facebook cops for friend requesting them. I whittled out four of the initial twelve before interview, including nearly all the boys who really need to learn that as informal as Facebook is, when you are talking to a prospective employer calling him "mate" and "pal" is not the way to go.
This week then I have conducted eight interviews and now I'm in a real quandary. Sometimes the interviews throw up a one or two outstanding candidates who obviously stand head and shoulders above the rest of the group. Last year I thought Maddy fitted this description and she has proved to be a charming addition to the team. This year I would happily employ 7 from the 8 interviewees, it is going to be really tough to winnow the field down to the two we want to take on at this time.
Also this year at interview I asked some slightly oddball questions in order to make the candidates chat a bit, getting them to explain the LBW rule in cricket was fun, Having them sell their favourite band to me was even more so and provided some eloquent and spirited defences of an assortment of acts from Coldplay to N-Dubz.
I also asked that if a deity could grant you a personal superpower and then change one thing about the world what would they choose. This brought some lovely responses along the lines of eradicating poverty and halting all wars, and then some unintentional hilarity when one person said they'd like to have all the countries closer together. That's nice, I thought, bringing down boundaries and making us all better neighbours. Not for that reason though said the candidate, it's just that Australia is such an awfully long way away and if it was closer it would be cheaper to travel to.
One candidate giggled, perhaps through nerves, all the way though the interview, but her laugh was so infectious she had me laughing with her by the end. Another almost reduced me to tears with a heartfelt deity request that was so unexpected honest that it stopped me in my tracks for a moment.
I have high hopes ten for this year's intake. Two young people will be offered a job today, and most of the rest will be given first choice if they are still available later in the summer. I know it won't be any consolation for those that don't get a place, but if I had enough employment to offer, I'd take them all on.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
I Have Returned
Image by Rob J Brooks via FlickrThe blog isn't dead, yet. The past two weeks have been exceptionally busy here at Ilkley Golf Club with the Autumn Senior's Open, Ladies Invitation Day, Yorkshire Golf Guide Qualifying Event, Clitheroe Ladies Exchange and a host of visiting club and golf societies to look after.The whole team have done a wonderful job, but as the season draws to a close there have been some changes on the staff front. The summer uni student brigade have gone back to their palaces of learning, so it is goodbye for now to Rob C, Calum and Izzie. Little ray of kitchen sunshine Hannah is moving on to become a shop assistant, bye Hannah, it has been fun working with you. Staying on with chef Rob W and myself we have Fred (although he wants to work away in the ski season over the winter), Laura, Rachel and Ellie. We had a bit of a false start with new girl Brook, although we will welcome her back if her circumstances change, so our latest addition to the team is Maddy.
I like this time of year, the brutal long shifts and work patterns are almost behind me, the nights are drawing in so we can get to close earlier on evenings when there are no bookings, and it is very nearly holiday time.
We bought some flights at a fund raising event for Ilkley Rugby Club (and I'm still waiting for an invite to look around the place !), so we are having a few nights in Amsterdam in October. For our big holiday this year we pondered over going to California and doing a long distance driving holiday, but then we changed our minds and decided on Florida and a single base holiday. So we will be going to some of the big fun parks, Harry Potter at Universal's Islands of Adventure, Seaworld, and then a few lazy days at the nice villa we are renting.
Image via WikipediaWe arrive back from the USA just in time to get to Hard Rock Hell V for a fairly raucous weekend featuring Girlschool, Magnum, Black Stone Cherry, Therapy ?, Ginger Wildheart, Lizzy Borden, Ace Frehley, Michael Monroe and a host of other bands.On Christmas Day, the one day of the year when the club is closed, I will of course be cooking for the family, and no doubt the twins Alice and Jack will be the stars of the day, adored and pampered by everyone. I will try to get up to Ripon Cathedral to watch Joe singing, and a big hug from Ellie, plus some chin pie for Ellie, are compulsory.
Who knows, with the nights drawing in, I might even do things that normal folk do, like having nights off and going to the pub, see you in Bar'Tat, mine's a bitter.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Past The Half-Way Stage
Image by cannellfan via FlickrThat's it, the nights are drawing in already, the longest day is done and dusted, we're half-way done with the summer season of 2011. As per usual in the feast and famine work pattern of the golf club I am overworked and under slept at this time of year, and as exams and injury have conflicted with our busy period we have been slightly understaffed for the first half of the summer.We have done some hugely busy days and nights in the last few weeks, and I would like to say a special thanks to yesterday's crew, Laura and Rachel on the evening shift, and especially the two Robs who worked like demons in order to get the buffet and bar orders done for Blaize day yesterday.
Rotary Club of Bradford Blaize run an annual charity golf day here at Ilkley Golf Club which raises thousands of pounds for a variety of charities. This year's event was very well supported and the weather although hardly flaming June was reasonable and dry for most of the day.
From dictionary.com "Summer - the period comprising the months of June, July, and August in the U.S., and from the middle of May to the middle of August in Great Britain." Well, I never knew that the Yanks got shorter summers than us.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
I'm (Still) Not Dead
Oh dear, these sort of posts seemto be becoming an annual occurence. Chef / Brother-in-law Mk.3 has gone and broken himself playing rugby (hard men's League version not soft lad's Union) and has had an operation which has left the poor lad with pins in his thumb and a cast.
With an impeccable case of bad timing, Rob has manged to do this just at the point when the summer season here at the golf club really gets going. We really want Rob to come back us healthy and well, and he needs a job to come back to, the result of which is I'm doing 7 day weeks + twin shifts somewhat earlier in the season than I expected to and I have put a panic call out to all the staff to cover Rob's work while he recovers.
Thankfully Easter has fallen late this year so Rob C has stepped in during his university holiday to help out, and Fairly Friendly Fred is proving a great help as well. The rest of the crew (Laura, Hannah, Ellie & Rachel) are pitching in as exams allow, and next week we are welcoming a newcomer to the crew, Calum, although Fred swear's he really called Lindsey.
And my degree ? Well I'm still managing to read some pre-course material and I am working through some of the modules on OU Openlearn. I thought when I began the degree that it would be really hard going, but that the only thing that could absolutely derail me would be my sous chef leaving / falling under a bus / being arrested for endangered animal smuggling, and lo and behold he goes and breaks himself.
So, for at least the next month, if you need to know where I am, I'll be either asleep or in the kitchen working, or perhaps option C) Gone mad and running naked across the moors.
With an impeccable case of bad timing, Rob has manged to do this just at the point when the summer season here at the golf club really gets going. We really want Rob to come back us healthy and well, and he needs a job to come back to, the result of which is I'm doing 7 day weeks + twin shifts somewhat earlier in the season than I expected to and I have put a panic call out to all the staff to cover Rob's work while he recovers.
Thankfully Easter has fallen late this year so Rob C has stepped in during his university holiday to help out, and Fairly Friendly Fred is proving a great help as well. The rest of the crew (Laura, Hannah, Ellie & Rachel) are pitching in as exams allow, and next week we are welcoming a newcomer to the crew, Calum, although Fred swear's he really called Lindsey.
Brother Rob in not broken mode
So, for at least the next month, if you need to know where I am, I'll be either asleep or in the kitchen working, or perhaps option C) Gone mad and running naked across the moors.
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