Content

This week’s Enews covers the following topics:

• Message from the General Manager
• From the Course
• Spring Course Renovation – Video and Photos
• Golf Carts Prohibited from Parking in-front of Clubhouse
• Members Only Closed Facebook Group
• Upcoming Trophy Events

Message from the General Manager

There is a line in one of my favourite movies that goes “until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on” and given today’s announcement restricting outdoor exercise to a maximum of one hour in LGAs of concern, the production of this Enews feels a little bit like that. 

Regarding today’s announcement, Golf NSW have confirmed that the restriction on outdoor exercise in LGAs of concern does apply to golf, they have also confirmed that the allowance for crossing into an LGA of concern has also been removed once again.

If you are confused, then you are not alone!!!!

The Clubs Board has called an emergency meeting this evening to discuss the impact of today’s announcement which I will communicate immediately thereafter. Sometime after 6:30pm. 

In the meantime, we have had quite a bit going on at the Club in the last week, particularly relating to the golf course and renovations, so I will soldier on with this week’s Enews. I hope you enjoy reading it.

Sincerely,

Sam Howe

General Manager

From the Course

Rainfall for the Week: 0.0mm,  Rainfall for 2021: 677mm   Dam: 90%   Green Speed: Renovations

With the help of a small group of enthusiastic volunteers, the course team has been able to complete the spring renovation of greens, with Mother Nature on our side providing 3 nice sunny days which enabled the sand to dry adequately on the greens so that there were no hold ups in the process whole process. Our volunteers and staff combined well together, working as one to achieve the goal we were all working towards. Unlike another team from the Parramatta area that are really struggling at the moment, but common for that club around this time of year! 

Our volunteers were able to paint all tee markers, tombstones, and the handrail on the balcony behind the 18^th green. The practice nets were cleaned out and the impact nets rotated around and securely attached to stop balls from going in behind this net. We also managed to lay the new turf on the new 17^th mound on Wednesday morning, getting the 700m² laid in just under an hour!

While all this was happening, we have also been aerating our fairway surfaces by removing cores with our Ventrac machine and our large verti-drain. Once these cores are removed and dried in the sun, they are then smashed up by dragging a steel mat in a spiral motion from one end of the fairway to the other. Our volunteers were heavily involved in this process as well.

Fairway topdressing started on Thursday with the 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, and 7^th fairways completed by the weekend. Approximately 30 tonnes of sand per hectare is applied resulting in just over 300 tonnes being used to cover all the fairways. A high nitrogen combination fertiliser is then spread over each fairway and watered in well to promote recovery growth and have surfaces primed for the summer ahead.

Our tree contractors were on-site for one and half days removing a tree near the 12^th green and removing dead and dangerous branches throughout the course.

Course staff have also made a start on preparing the couch returf areas on the 11^th, 17^th, and 18^th green complexes. These areas have been cut out and the old turf removed, with new soil to be added and levelled off before new turf is laid next Tuesday.

The team and I can’t thank our volunteers enough for all their assistance this week. We certainly wouldn’t have been able to achieve as much as we did this week without your support.

A series of images and a video overview of the renovation are included in the next Enews item.

Have great weekend everyone!

Spring Course Renovation – Video and Photos

As previously mentioned, the Spring Course Renovation took place Monday 16th – Wednesday 18th inclusive. The renovation was a great success thanks to our course staff, volunteers and mother nature. The series of video and photos below will give members and overview of what has been undertaken.

Golf Carts Prohibited from Parking in-front of the Clubhouse 

Due to the width of the rubberised path in-front of the Clubhouse that only allows for the width of a single cart, it has been deemed necessary to prohibit golf carts from parking on the section of the path along the length of the Clubhouse (18th hole side of Clubhouse). This will allow for the constant flow of two-way traffic which the nature of our golf course layout requires.

This area has now been marked with green paint lines at either end of the path to demarcate the no parking area, as seen in the picture below.

Members Only Closed Facebook Group

The Club has recently setup a closed members Facebook group for OGC members.

This social media platform will allow members to engage with each and with the Club in addition to the traditional communication channels already in place. We also have some exciting initiatives that will be launched through this platform in the coming weeks, such as, live feed interactive Rules sessions, Chef Masterclass video’s, Member Only Professional Tips, and a host of other member only group activities that can take place in a Covid compliant fashion from the safety of your own home.

At the time of writing the newly setup group has 2 members being the Club GM and Captain, so don’t be concerned if you join and don’t see too many other members, the group will build quite quickly.

To join the Members Only Facebook Group please click on the link below and the click on the “JOIN GROUP” button. You will be asked a few questions to vary you are a member and then approved by the group administrator shortly thereafter.

www.facebook.com/groups/870087546972166/