Content

This week’s Enews covers the following topics:

• Merry Christmas Message
• From the Course
• Enews Christmas and New Year Break
• Covid Update – Masks Required Indoors
• Christmas and New Year Trading
• Members Only Facebook Group

Merry Christmas Message

From the Course

Rainfall for the Week: 6.5.0mm,  Rainfall for 2021: 1069.5mm   Dam: 95%   Green Speed: 9 feet

Our greens got through the warm weekend with some localised areas getting hot on Saturday afternoon. The first signs when these areas are starting to dry out is a noticeable sheen on the grass, followed by the turf going darker in colour. Footprints will also be visible when walking over these areas, and usually stay visible for quite some time. When these areas of the greens dry out like this, hand watering is required by the team to bring the moisture levels in the soil back up to desired levels. On Saturday, these areas had almost fully recovered in appearance in around 30 mins once the moisture levels had been replenished. 

Work on the area between the 1^st and 7^th greens was performed on Saturday to ensure this area was ready for turfing first thing on Monday morning. With another warm day predicted weather wise on Monday, the team had all the turf laid before 9:30am to beat the heat! The main traffic area for carts across this new area was covered in the green plastic mesh which helps the turf deal with the high traffic it will receive from all the carts driving through to access the 2^nd tee.

The course was covered in debris late last week when a southerly change came through to cool things down in the early hours of Thursday morning. The debris that falls when these changes come through during summer usually includes a lot of bark from all our Eucalyptus trees, as this is how these trees manage their heat stress. Not only do they drop leaf’s to cope, but the bark is also shed which makes a mess far greater than the leaf debris, and more difficult to remove from the course. The bark tends to block the inlet shoot on our vacuum, so we must mulch the bark with the rough mowers first, before going over it with the vacuum. This is quite a process, and it has taken the team a good week to tidy up the entire course.  

With COVID numbers booming this week tin Sydney, it was only a matter of time before it had an affect on the course team. Up until now, we have been very lucky to avoid any member of staff having to have any extended amount of time off to isolate for any reason. This changed as of Thursday with 2 staff members being close contacts which requires them to get tested and isolate for 7 days at a minimum if they return negative test results. We also have another staff member who is in hospital at the moment for other health reasons, so we’re a bit short staffed, remembering we are also awaiting our new 2IC to start in the new year. In these situations, it becomes a juggling act with jobs being prioritised to protect and maintain the most important areas of the course first. Our greens are the main priority always and especially at the time of year with the high humidity levels that we are experiencing each day. We were planning trim the edges of our new Zoysia bunkers, but this will have to wait now until after the Christmas period.

Enjoy the weekend and have a very Merry Christmas!

The Course Team.

Enews Christmas and New Year Break

The weekly Enews will take a break over the next fortnight and return on Friday 7th January 2022.

Please have a Merry Christmas and New Year and take care of yourselves and one another.

Covid Update – Masks Requred Indoors

In response to the increase in Covid cases in NSW, NSW Health have re-instated the requirement to wear a mask in all indoor settings. This is a requirement under the NSW Public Health Orders.

Members are asked to please remain diligent and vigilant with regard to the Public Health Order requirements and 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.

Christmas and New Year Trading

With the festive season upon us, members are advised of the Club trading times through the holiday period.

Golf Course: Normal Operation (Closed Christmas Day)

Clubhouse: Normal Operation (Closed Christmas Day)

Catering: Normal Operation (Sandwich Closed 26th, 27th, 28th December and 3rd January. Blackboard menu available on these days)

Administration Office: Closed 25th December – 7th January inclusive

Members Only Facebook Group

The Clubs Members Only Facebook Group has been in operation for almost 6 months and has 233 OGC members that have joined.

This social media platform allows members to engage with each other and with the Club, in addition to the traditional communication channels already in place.

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/