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This week’s Enews covers the following topics:

• From the Course
• Ladies Opening Day – Thursday 28th January
• Sam Reece Wins the Nett section of the Glenmore Cup
• Tough Competition
• Getting Started Programme – Introduction to Golf, starts 7th February
• Mixed Pennant – Expressions of Interest
• Oatlands Takeaway Meals – Updated 9th January 2021
• 60 Seconds with Dave – Playing Lessons and Course Management
• Renaming Bistro on Bettington – Vote for your Favourite Entry
• Titleist Demo Day – Tuesday 19th January
• From the Captain (posted 8th January 2021)
• 2021 Programme
• Upcoming Events

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From the Course

Rainfall for the Week: 6.0mm mm, Rainfall for 2021: 33.0mm   Dam: 95%   Green Speed: 9 feet

It’s been a warm week on the course this week with focus for the team reverting back to usually summer conditions, and ensuring moisture levels in playing surfaces is adequate for predicted temperatures for the day ahead. The moisture meters were out on Wednesday morning picking up any low reading spots across the greens so that we didn’t have any nasty surprises (stressed out turf) greeting us on Thursday morning.

The team took advantage of the late tee start on Tuesday morning and scarified all greens, just managing to stay ahead of play even with a 3 hour head start. As I’ve mentioned in previous weekly wraps, this process mechanically removes dead and decaying material (mat and thatch) from the putting surface of our greens which has several benefits. These include improved infiltration rates for any applied irrigation, removing favourable habitats for disease development, and also provides a firmer/faster putting surface, as the mat and thatch build up creates a spongy playing surface.

The team was also able to apply a 2^nd application of herbicide to all of our tee complexes on Tuesday morning, to control the Crowsfoot grass weeds that were present throughout most of our tee complexes. These applications have done a terrific job on these weeds with almost all of them now dead. Our next herbicide applications to our tees will be to control Winter Grass and kikuyu weeds, and at the same time apply a pre-emergent herbicide to stop any new weeds from germinating.

Members will notice some discolouration in some of the green surrounds this week. This is a result of herbicide control for invasive kikuyu weeds into our couch grass playing areas. The herbicide suppresses and kills the kikuyu, but also stings the fragile Santa Anna couch that we predominantly have in our couch areas. The couch will bounce back, just like it did in our 7^th and 10^th tee complexes a few months ago when we performed this same task with similar herbicides. Some of these sprayed areas in our green surrounds have large areas of kikuyu in them and will require re-turfing once the kikuyu has died right out in the coming weeks.

The team has started spraying weeds in the gardens along the 15^th hole this week, which have grown out of control with all the recent rainfall. We will progress throughout the course and complete all garden beds over the coming weeks.

A new aerator has been installed in the 9^th pond this week but unfortunately it only manages to run for a short period of time before the algae in the pond stops it from operating properly. Staff members have been dragging and digging out the aquatic weeds from this pond over the week, and we have also been draining the water from it so that repairs can be performed to the spillway wall so more water can be retained. A biological treatment product will be added to the water which will reduce nutrient levels in the water and silt, which starves the algae. It is safe to use around our turtles and eels, and will improve the quality of the water in this pond. Once the majority of the weed and algae is removed, the water level will be restored (hopefully naturally with runoff from a storm) and the new aerator will be in action.

 Our volunteers are still on their Christmas break but some prep work has been performed on the areas selected for re-turfing on the 12^th and 13^th holes. This repair work is scheduled to take place this coming Monday, with new turf to be laid the following week.

Good Golfing

The Course Team

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Ladies Opening Day – Thursday 28th January

The ladies 2021 golfing season will commence on Thursday 28th January and we invite all ladies to please come along and get the year off to a flying start.  

We will be having a 4 Person Team Event with a shotgun start at 8.00 am.  The event of the day will be Best 2 scores with NTP’s in 3 divisions and the Straightest Drive in 3 divisions.The cost of the day will be $15.00, charged to your account, and includes the Super Pin.  

In order to adhere to Social Distancing Regulations, there will be a local rule in place for Shotgun Starts only, whereby you will be able to practice putting and chipping on adjacent greens to your hole allocation.  This will eliminate crowds gathering around the Pro Shop and on the practice putting green. 

We are also able to hold a “normal” raffle, so the ladies committee have put together some beautiful prizes to get our fund raising off to a good start.  The price of the tickets will be $5.00 for 1 ticket, $10.00 for 3 tickets and $20.00 for 7 tickets.  So please remember to bring cash with you and this raffle will be conducted in a very safe environment.  

Registration will be in the Spike Bar and there will also be Pre-ordering of lunches.  Raffle tickets will be on sale before golf and also when we come in.  After lunch there will be a short address from the Veterans Delegate, Mary Lantry, myself and Paula Skelton, our Captain, will give you a brief rundown on the golf activities for 2021.  

The online timesheet is now open, so please get your team together and come along and join in the fun.  If you can’t arrange a team, please put your name down and we will arrange a team for you. We look forward to seeing you on the day and good golfing to everyone for 2021.

Kind Regards

Lesleigh Perkins

Lady President

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Sam Reece Wins the Nett section of the Glenmore Cup

15 year old Oatlands member, Sam Reece, won the nett section of the Glenmore Cup on Saturday 9th January. Glenmore is an extremely long and difficult course from the back tees and young Sam, playing on a handicap of 4, had a scratch score of two over par and a net score or 70.

This was Sam’s first ever Vardon event and quite an achievement to win a prize and get close to winning the overall scratch prize as well. No doubt this will be the first of many successes for Sam.

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Tough Competition

Winning any competition in golf in difficult, and in proof that winning a Nearest to the Pin is no exception, on Sunday 9th January Rob Palin aced the 18th hole (a certain NTP victory) only to check the results and see that his ace had been matched by Bill Mitchell and the pair had to share the prize.

Fortunately for both two bottles of scotch were produced so the NTP wasn’t the only thing they had to share.

 

 

 

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Getting Started Programme – Introduction to Golf, starts 7th February

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Mixed Pennant – Expression of Interest

The 2021 Mixed Pennant competition will commence in late April / early May this year (later than in previous years.

Oatlands has a strong history in this event including a runner up finish to Ryde-Parramatta in 2020.

Any members wishing to take part in the 2021 squad should email the General Manager, Sam Howe, at gm@oatlandsgolf.com.au by no later than 5pm on Friday 5th February. All EOIs will be forwarded to team managers Debbie Jepson and Peter Crawford for consideration.

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Oatlands Takeaway Meals – Updated 9th January 2021

 

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60 Seconds with Dave – Playing Lessons and Course Management

Teaching Professional David Ecob has this week been providing playing lessons for small groups of members over the last week.

The video below gives members some insight into what a playing lesson entails and the benefits to your game.

To book a lesson with Dave, please contact the Pro Shop, or email Dave directly via golflessons@oatlandsgolf.com.au

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Renaming Bistro on Bettington – Vote for Your Favourite Name

Throughout November and December, the Club has been running a competition to rename the Clubs popular Bistro on Bettington evenings. The response to this competition has been fantastic with almost 70 suggestions received. 

These suggestions have been narrowed down to 6 finalists and we are now asking for members to vote on their favourite to assist the Operations Committee in making their decision. To cast your vote, please fill in the fields below (voting will close Thursday 28th January at 5pm);

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Titleist Demo Day – Tuesday 19th January

 

The Pro Shop, in-conjunction with Titleist Australia will be hosting a Titleist equipment demo day on Tuesday 19th January from 9am – 2pm. Bookings are essential and will fill quickly as these events are always very popular and oversubscribed.

 

Bookings can be made online or by contacting the Pro Shop directly.

 

 

 

 

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From the Captain – Posted 8th January

Happy New Year to all Oatlands members.  I wish you all a great year of golf.

Oatlands is widely known as a very friendly Club where all members are made to feel welcome.  As we begin 2021 we have the strongest membership numbers in many years.  We welcome all new members to the Club, and we welcome all those who are new to competition golf.

Golf is unlike any other sport.  Frankly, it is the only sport where players of different skill levels can play together in a competitive and/or social environment. 

Golf is also a sport where compliance with the rules of the game are the responsibility of the player.  The rules of the game, coupled with our Club’s by-laws, are designed to create an environment where everybody can play the game competitively knowing that they are competing on a level playing field.

We are currently enjoying some of the best golfing condition in many years.  As we start a new year, I want to take this opportunity to remind all players of their responsibilities as a member, and the expectation that other members have of them.

Before You Play

• Book Your Game:  Whether you are playing in competition or socially, all play must be booked on the Club’s booking sheets.  When playing socially, players who are booked will always have priority.
• Every player must report to the Pro Shop before play.  This applies whether you are playing competition or social golf.
• Register with the Pro Shop a minimum of 15 minutes before your tee time.
• If you have booked but are not able to play, please remove your booking as soon as possible to allow other members the opportunity.
• Dress Code.  To avoid embarrassment, please familiarise yourself with the Club’s dress regulations.  The Club maintains a certain standard of attire which is not negotiable and will be enforced by Pro Shop and Clubhouse staff.

On the Course – Social Play

• Always carry a sand bucket and repair all pitch marks. 
• Always repair your lob mark on the green, plus at least one other.
• All play must be from the tees of the day – no exceptions.
• You must play the holes in order.
• A maximum of 2 balls can be played in social play and only when doing so does not impact other golfers.
• Pace of play is extremely important.  You must endeavour keep up with the group in front.  A round should take no more than 4 hours 20 minutes.
• Call up on all par 3’s.
• Every member is responsible for the behaviour of their guest.
• Most of all – enjoy yourself.

On the Course – Competition

In addition to above;

• Always familiarise yourself with the Local Rules before commencing play.
• Every competition has documented Conditions of Play, which are provided on the club’s web site. 
• Report to the Pro Shop hop at least 15 minutes before your designated tee time
• The preferred method of scoring is the MiScore App.  If you cannot utilise the App, please obtain a score card from the Pro Shop.
• Familiarise yourself with the Rules of Golf.  Ignorance of the rules is not an excuse for breaching the rules.  If you are not sure, please ask.
• Endeavour to maintain a good pace of play.
• It goes without saying that you MUST correctly enter your correct score.

Most Importantly

The Rules of Golf, and the club’s by-laws, exist to maintain an environment where all members can play with confidence and the knowledge that the competition they are competing in is managed with integrity.  It is the responsibility of every individual member to help to maintain their golf course, and to maintain a relaxing environment. Compliance with the Rules of Golf, and the Club’s by laws, will ensure a pleasurable visit for every member.

Good golfing
Matthew Seamons
Club Captain

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2021 Golfing Programme

2020 saw major disruption to the Men’s, Ladies and Mixed golf calenders. While we expect 2021 to be far more stable, the recent Northern Beaches outbreak shows how quickly restrictions can be enforced and therefore things can change.

The 2021 Programme has been completed and is in the process of being uploaded to the website (currently loaded to the end of February). Once this is completed a PDF copy of the full year will be produced for members to download and print if required.

Due to the uncertainty that Covid creates we will again not be printing a full year fixture book for distribution.

We apologise for the inconvenience and trust will members will understand.

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Celebration of Aussie Lamb – Saturday 23rd January

Five after Five: January – March

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