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Oatlands Enews – Friday 29th October 2021

Published on 29th October 2021 in E-News, Guests

Content

This week’s Enews covers the following topics:

  • From the Course
  • Local Rule Change – Relief “Options” for Compulsory GUR
  • Pace of Play – A Little Goes a Long Way
  • Ladies News – Veterans Closing Day
  • Covid-19 Restriction Update
  • Club Championship Bookings – Mens and Ladies
  • 50 Foot Putting Challenge – 3rd, 4th and 6th November
  • Please Rake Bunkers
  • Bettington Dining Events
  • Melbourne Cup Luncheon
  • OGC Kitchen – Takeaway Menu

From the Course

Rainfall for the Week: 1.5mm,  Rainfall for 2021: 842.5mm   Dam: 95%   Green Speed: 9.5 feet

We have noticed the change in season has started this week with the overnight temperatures increasing and the sun having just that little bit more bite to it during the day! This is good news for all our couch playing surfaces, as growth will follow this increase in temperature. All collars and aprons were fertilised this week with a high nitrogen fertiliser. This will ensure these surfaces are in grow mode before renovations are performed to them on Monday the 8th November. During this renovation, we will be coring all collar and apron surfaces and lightly topdressing to fill the open core hole. Another fertiliser application will be applied, this time a complete fertiliser which will encourage growth of both the leaf and roots, and strengthen the turf plant to withstand any wear. Once all collars and aprons are completed, the same process will be performed on tees.

The overnight temperatures have risen and so have the daytime temperatures towards the end of the week, and the team has taken full advantage of these conditions with herbicide applications being performed to collars, aprons, and tee complexes for Winter grass and Kikuyu weeds in these couch areas. We should start to see some yellowing of these weeds over the weekend and into next week, with a follow up application required in 14 days.

Probing of greens has started again this week, with selected greens checked on Wednesday morning, and all greens checked Thursday morning and Friday morning to ensure we have no surprise dry areas on these warmer days.

Broadleaf weeds such as bindii and clover have been sprayed in areas around greens and bunkers, fairways and roughs over the past week. This is a time consuming task and will be continued over the coming weeks until all areas have been covered.

The vacuum has been out on course every day this week to get on top of the large amount of leaf debris throughout our rough lines. Most of the team spent all day on Monday lining the RHS bunker on the 10th hole, with 60 hours of labour having this bunker ready for the sand to be added, which will be spread into place by the weekend. No bunker rejuvenation work is planned for next week to allow all team members to assist in course preparations for the 1st round of the Club Championships.

Enjoy the weekend!

The Course Team.

Local Rule Change – Relief “Options” for Compulsory GUR

The Match Committee recently implemented dropping stakes for the Compulsory GUR related to the bunker rejuvenation project.

Following feedback that compulsory relief from these areas to compulsory dropping stakes was confusing and frequently being misinterpreted, the Match Committee has decided to change the relief requirement for these areas and make the dropping stake optional, with the other option being the Nearest Point of Relief no nearer to the hole (with the ball to remain in the General Area) as per Rule 16 of the Rules of Golf, and as per the videos below. This will come into effect from Saturday 30th October. 

So to summarise:

    • If an area is marked as “Compulsory GUR” you MUST take relief
    • The area to take relief is now optional between the nearest Dropping Stake (even if that dropping stake is closer to the hole) OR the Nearest Point of FULL Relief no nearer to the hole

Pace of Play – A Little Goes a Long Way

Since the Club has been allowed to return to play in groups of 4 on Monday 11th October, we have seen unprecedented booking numbers, particularly on Saturdays and Sundays.

While this demand is expected to reduce over the coming weeks with the reopening of regional travel, it is a good time to remind members of the little things that each golfer can do to assist with Pace of Play.

The information below is provided to all new members at each new member induction and provides a great overview of the many small things that contribute positively (or negatively if not done) to Pace of Play, and subsequently impact all golfers in the field.

TIPS TO AVOID SLOW PLAY

The number one problem in golf today, as evidenced by the overwhelming golfer complaint, is Slow Play. The following tips can help you keep pace with the group in front of you at all times. 

  • Honour system vs. Ready Golf –  Ready Golf is the new Normal!!!
  • Be ready to hit when it is your turn
  • Player furthest from the hole usually plays first but golfers out of range of the group in front can play first, if ready and safe to do so.
  • Place your bag or cart to the right of you when hitting (left for left-handed golfers)
  • Limit practice swings to one or none.
  • Take plenty of clubs with you to your ball when leaving your bag or riding cart.
  • Walk directly to your ball unless you reach someone else’s ball first.
  • Consider all options as you approach your ball to make decisions quickly.
  • Watch all balls until they stop rolling to avoid lengthy searches.
  • Use a fixed object as a reference point.
  • Continue putting until holed out unless you would be standing on someone’s putting line.
  • Record all scores on the next tee.
  • Use the group in front as your reference point for your groups Pace of Play
  • Your position in the field is directly behind the group in front, not directly in front of the group behind
  • Remember, by keeping pace you make the game more enjoyable for everyone!!

Ladies News – Veterans Closing Day

Monday 25th October saw the Ladies Vets Closing Day held at OGC. While the Ladies shotgun start days, for any occasion, are always popular and a lot of fun, Monday’s event was particularly special given the number of events that had to be postponed or cancelled for the OGC Ladies this year.

Monday’s event saw almost 90 Ladies take part in a 4 Person Team event with the best 2 scores on each hole counting.

The winners for the day were:

  • Jill Browne
  • Deb Lawton
  • Reiko McGrath
  • Cheryl Peterson

With the runners up being:

  • Carol Hancock
  • Joy Hawksley
  • Jenny Petherbridge
  • Margaret Race

Golf followed by lunch and presentations, with Mary Lantry entertaining those present with plenty of humour and making everyone feel like a winner. Those present would no doubt agree, that the strength of the Club’s membership, are camaraderie and friendship which are a hallmark of Oatlands Golf Club. This is never more evident than when our ladies get together in a big group.

A special thanks has to go to OGC Ladies Veterans representatives, Mary Lantry and Kerrie Winter for the wonderful job they did organising and hosting the event.

 

Covid-19 Restriction Update

With November 1st set to see the re-opening of regional travel along with a number of other changes relating to mask wearing and food and beverage consumption, the Club will send out a dedicated communication early next week once the Public Health Orders have been interpreted by Clubs NSW and Golf NSW.

This communication will also advise members of the date, days and times that guests will again be able to be invited to the course.

In the meantime, advise has been received from Golf NSW that the LGA or 5km restriction is no longer in effect for any golfers, including those that are unnvaccinated. Unvaccinated golfers can still only play in groups of 2 for the time being and likely to be up to and including 30th November.

Club Championship Bookings – Mens and Ladies

The Mens and Ladies Club Championships are scheduled to take place over the coming month. Members are advised that as per the Conditions of Play, entry into these events is limited to those in the Full Playing membership categories (this excludes Lifestyle members) and includes 6 Day members for the Ladies Championships.

Given that these are the Club’s premier events, the Match Committee wishes to advise that only those members eligible to contest the Club Championships will be eligible to book on the respective timesheets as listed below;

Mens Club Championships

  • Saturday 6th November –  Round 1: Full playing (excludes Lifestyle) male members only
  • Saturday 20th November – Round 2: Full playing (excludes Lifestyle) male members only

Ladies Club Championships

  • Thursday 18th November – Round 1: Full playing (excludes Lifestyle) including 6 Day, female members only
  • Thursday 25th November – Round 2: Full playing (excludes Lifestyle) including 6 Day,  female members only
  • Thursday 2nd December – Final Round: Full playing (excludes Lifestyle) including 6 Day, female members only

Timesheets have been setup to facilitate these booking rules for the respective Mens and Ladies Championships. 

50 Foot Putting Challenge

For a bit of fun over the next week, the Pro Shop will be running a 50 Foot Putting Challenge on Wednesday 3rd, Thursday 4th and Saturday 6th November. Details of the event are provided by David Ecob in the video below, however, there is no cost and no booking required to enter.

Please Rake Bunkers

Up until Monday 11th October, OGC bunkers did not have rakes for the best part of 18 months. It therefore stands to reason that golfers have gotten out of the habit of raking bunkers.

Unfortunately, this does not make it any less frustrating for fellow golfers who find themselves in un-raked footprints.

All members are reminded of the need to rake the bunker every time to assist all members to get the maximum enjoyment from their game.

Bettington Dining Events

The Club’s popular Bettington Dining events started again in October and it has been great to see members and their guests enjoying the food prepared by Chef, Andrew Yang, and the camaraderie and friendship that we have all missed for the period of lockdown.

We have received some feedback regarding the menus being alternate serve as opposed to A la Carte (or Table d’Hote). We appreciate this feedback and that members have a preference for this style of service. 

The decision to make the first few Bettington events alternate serve was done when the Club had no support staff for our Chef in the kitchen, and prior to confirmation of all of our service staff being vaccinated (a requirement of re-opening the Clubhouse), was therefore made to ensure that we could deliver what was offered to an acceptable standard.

In the intervening period between the “re-opening roadmaps” being announced by NSW Health and now, we have recruited the necessary support staff for the kitchen and all of our service staff are vaccinated. It is note worthy, that our service staff are predominantly in the age bracket that were given the opportunity to get vaccinated later than most of us, and therefore we did not have the mandated vaccination status confirmed until well after the October Bettington nights were locked in.

We are pleased to say that 100% of the staff across the whole Club are fully vaccinated and that future Bettington nights will return to the A la Carte style with the occasional themed night mixed in.  

Melbourne Cup Luncheon

OGC Kitchen – Takeaway Menu

 

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