Oatlands Enews – Friday 10th December 2021
Content
This week’s Enews covers the following topics:
- From the Course
- Ladies Annual Presentation Dinner
- 2022 Golf Programme
- Rylan Prasad Wins Age Category at NSW State Age Championships
- Cancellation of Reciprocal Agreement – Belmont Golf Club
- Guest Access extended to include Wednesday Competition Timesheets
- Wearing of Face Masks in the Clubhouse and Golf Shop
- Annual Presentation Dinner 2021 – Saturday 22nd January 2021
- Five after 5 is Back
From the Course
Rainfall for the Week: 36.5mm, Rainfall for 2021: 1049.0mm Dam: 100% Green Speed: 9 feet
The constant high humidity and afternoon thunderstorms is creating ideal conditions for high disease pressure on all our putting surfaces, especially our old greens which are over 70 years old and have no sub-surface drainage beneath them to assist with removing excess water from the green soil profile.
The greens which have been constructed in the past 10 years being the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 15th, putting, and chipping greens have all been built to USGA (United States Golf Association) specification which means drainage lines have been installed beneath the putting surface to remove excess water when the profile becomes saturated. On our older greens which have no drainage, the water can be held up in the profile for extended periods if weather conditions (sun/wind) don’t allow this water to be removed. Gravity would also play a part in removing this water from the profile, but if the surrounds of the green are also saturated from high amounts of rainfall, the gravity process will also be slowed.
When moisture levels remain high in the soil profile, oxygen between the soil particles is replaced with the water and without available oxygen the plants roots will die or become weakened. At this point, the roots become susceptible to possible disease attack which weakens the plant further causing the plant to die or be unable to withstand other factors such as unfavourable hot weather or traffic from play or maintenance practices.
Therefore, maintenance practices need to be modified to ensure the plant stays as healthy as possible. In previous summers we have avoided cutting and rolling greens as these practices together place added stress on the plant that is already struggling to survive in unfavourable weather conditions. This spring/summer season has so far presented different challenges, but we have still managed to keep our greens healthy and disease free, and when required at a consistent speed.
The new clubhouse development would enable the club over time, to rebuild all our greens so that they would be easier to maintain during times of unfavourable weather conditions and provide improved playing conditions throughout the entire course than we already have.
New Zoysia has been laid around the 4th bunkers and the rear bunker on the 5th this week, with the remaining bunkers on the 5th to be completed early next week. We are then going to move on to improving the right hand side of the 1st green area which is an extremely high cart usage area. The plan is to rotary hoe this area, bring in soil to raise this area and shape it so that it blends into the rear of the 7th green surrounds as well as the right hand side of the 1st bunker surrounds. This area will be turfed in couch with the green plastic mesh covering the area where all carts will be forced to use with the addition of ropes and stakes initially. We are hoping to have this project completed before Christmas so that we can get back into the bunker lining work in the new year.
Enjoy the weekend!
The Course Team.
Ladies Annual Presentation Dinner
The 2021 Ladies Annual Presentation Dinner was held on Thursday 9th December with 101 of the OGC ladies attending the dinner and awards ceremony of the years golfing trophies.
After a very disrupted year, it was fantastic to see so many of our ladies back in clubhouse, enjoying the Clubs offering and each other’s company.
The major trophies acknowledged were for the Club Champions for 2021, however, these were perhaps overshadowed by the acknowledgement of Judy Tunks 60 years of membership. Judy joined the Club as a 15 year old and has won virtually every trophy the ladies play for (many of them multiple times).
Following the formal proceeding, the ladies enjoyed the live music on offer and celebrated a difficult year in true OGC fashion, together and smiling.
2022 Golfing Programme
Under normal circumstances the 2022 golfing programme would have been finalised and published by now, however, the impact of the Covid-19 restrictions and postpone of the second half of the 2021 programme has meant that we are only now finalising the 2022 programme.
The programme for January 2022 has been loaded into the website fixtures with the February to April expected to be loaded next week. Once the remainder of the year is completed and loaded into the website, we will produce a soft copy PDF of the annual programme for members to download and print as required.
We apologise for the delay and look forward / hope for an unaffected 2022 golfing programme.
Rylan Prasad Wins Age Category at NSW State Age Championships
Up and coming Oatlands junior, Rylan Prasad, has won the under 14 years nett event at the NSW State Age Championships at Lynwood Country Club during the week.
Rylan, who has already been a JDP and Junior member at OGC for over 2 years, is currently playing on a GA handicap of 8.3, and recorded two nett scores of 70 and 67 to win his under 14 years age group by 2 shots.
Well done Rylan, no doubt the first of many such victories.
Cancellation of Reciprocal Agreement – Belmont Golf Club
The Club regrets to inform members that Belmont Golf Club has cancelled the reciprocal agreement with Oatlands Golf Club effective immediately, due to the increased booking demands as a result of the Covid related resurgence in golf.
In a letter sent to the Club at the beginning of November, Belmont stated;
“The Lake Macquarie and Newcastle region has been particularly impacted by inability of Australians to be able to travel overseas or even interstate, resulting in excessive pressure on bookings” and “I sincerely thank Oatlands Golf Club and your members for the support you have shown when visiting Belmont Golf Club”.
While this is disappointing of the Club and its members, we wish Belmont all the success in the future, and are glad that they too are experiencing the benefits of the resurgence in golf around the world.
Guest Access extended to include Wednesday Competition Timesheets
Following the recent slowdown in timesheet demand, with the easing of Covid restrictions, the Match Committee have decided to reinstate the guest bookings for Wednesday competition timesheets. This means that members can now invite guests on the following days and timesheets;
Social Timesheets
- 7 Days / week
Competition Timesheets
- Wednesday
- Friday
The Match Committee will continue to review timesheet demand with the objective of allowing members to invite guests in the majority of non-trophy event timesheets at the earliest opportunity.
Wearing of Face Masks in the Clubhouse and Golf Shop
Members are reminded that face mask rules under NSW Public Health Orders remain in place.
We are all suffering from face mask fatigue, none more so than our service staff who have to keep them on for the majority of the time they are working, however, we need to remain diligent and vigilant with regard to the Public Health Order requirements.
As such, all members are asked to please wear a face mask whenever entering the Golf Shop, and at all times in the Clubhouse when not seated to eat and or drink.
We thank you for your assistance with this.
Annual Presentation Dinner 2021 – Saturday 22nd January 2021
The 2021 Annual Presentation Dinner will be held on Saturday 22nd January following the final of the Men’s Club Championships.
This event has been pushed back in line with the postponement of the Club Championships following the recent Covid restrictions and subsequent impact on our golfing programme.
We recognise that many members will be away during this time, however, hope to see as many members and their guests in attendance as possible to recognise the trophy winners from 2021 along with our 50 and 60 year members. Bookings are available via the online timesheet on the Club’s website.
Five after 5 is Back
The Club’s popular Five after 5 series are back again for 2021-22 with the four events scheduled for November 26 (washed out), December 17, January 7 and 21. The timesheets to book for these are live on the Club’s website.
