It sure sucks... but why don't you go out in the car, look for a couple of routes, put a little chart of the route together, then go ride it on your bike, using your chart and making any corrrections as required.
When you're satisfied, go to the club with a proposal that you will run a beginners ride.
If they scotch the idea then... get out and stay out of the club and find some other one that will be more accommodating.
There are plenty of threads on running rides and what has to be taken into consideration. You've got winter to check it all out. The Road and 50+ Forums are handy resources. Do a search on "organising rides" to see what you can turn up. Most of the threads, even in the Road forum, have been pretty civilised and informative. I think there was a very good one started by punkcat recently.
You might even include in your description something like "leisurely touring ride" rather than "group ride" which always has connotation of speed, and is like an open invitation for the testosteronsi to get involved.
It's one way of living up to the saying: Don't complain; do something about it!