Oatlands Enews – Friday 8th April 2022
Content
This week’s Enews covers the following topics:
- From the Course
- Clubhouse Development Proposal Member Information Area
- US Masters Breakfast – Going Ahead Rain, Hail or Shine
- Book Donations Required to Help Rebuild the Lismore Library
- Easter Long Weekend Trading
- Friday Happy Hour at OGC
- School Holiday Clinics with PGA Professional David Ecob
- Pennant Update
- Upcoming Trophy Events
- Recent Trophy Winners
- Upcoming Events
From the Course
Rainfall for the Week: 119.5mm, Rainfall for 2022: 1,151.5mm Dam: 100% Green Speed: Closed
With ideal drying weather last weekend, the course was ready for play on Monday albeit with the grass on surfaces longer than usual as course staff couldn’t mow any areas last week except for tees, as the ground was just too wet.
Roughs were particularly long, with the grass well above members ankles. The mowers were busy each day at the start of the week and all areas of the course were mown by lunch time on Wednesday just as the heavy rain returned and started to settle in. Fairways had to be mown twice, as the first cut left these surfaces uneven due to the amount of grass the mowers were cutting through on Monday.
The course team also took advantage of the sunny conditions on Monday and Tuesday to continue applying growth regulator to fairways and roughs on holes 13, 14, 16, 17 and 18, with a light rate to suppress growth while the wet weather continues. It isn’t ideal to be regulating the growth on fairways at this late stage of the season, as ideally, we would want growth high leading into winter so that surfaces are strong and dense to deal with winter wear when the growth rates reduce naturally because of the colder air and soil temperatures.
There is a great example on the 17th fairway this week of the use of growth regulators for plant health and playing conditions. A section of this fairway didn’t get sprayed last week as the spray tank ran out. What has resulted is a defined line of regulated against unregulated turf growth in a week that fairways weren’t mown. The colour in the turf that was regulated is a darker green and has presented a better playing surface after a single pass of the fairway mower, as opposed to the unregulated section which has less colour in the turf and has required a 2nd mowing to try and get a similar surface to the regulated section.
Our new bunkers have been performing well during this rain period with only the back bunker on the 5th needing some remedial work, as water is entering this bunker through the face and missing the drainage lines. Our old bunkers continue to fill with water during each rain period but do eventually drain after a few days of no rain and sunny weather. They are however contaminated with silt, which course staff haven’t addressed yet and won’t until the weather forecast improves and says we will get a break for a week or two from the rain. The silt removal is back breaking work for course staff and isn’t ideal having to continually repeat the process if not needed.
Volunteers were on the course on Monday morning, repairing new bunkers after last week’s heavy rainfall, edging pathways, clearing and trimming drainage pits, and clubhouse maintenance (including the repair of water damage above the bar from a very leaky Clubhouse roof, as seen in the photos below. Unfortunately, the leaking roof is not so easily fixed). As always, thank you for your help and assistance again this week.
Enjoy the Weekend!
The Course Team.
Clubhouse Development Proposal Member Information Area
All members are encouraged to take a look through the Clubhouse Development Proposal Member Information Area located in the Alcove in the Clubhouse.
With the General Meeting to vote on this proposal scheduled for Wednesday 27th April, and the Notice of Meeting and Explanatory Memorandum issued on Monday 4th April, now is the time for members to familiarise themselves with the Proposal in order to cast an informed vote on the Club’s future.
If members have any questions, please direct them to the Club General Manager, Sam Howe, gm@oatlandsgolf.com.au.
The video below provides an overview of the Information Area on display.
US Masters Breakfast – Going Ahead Rain, Hail or Shine
With the US Masters underway this morning, and the prospect of a showdown between Aussie Cameron Smith and Tiger Woods, we are looking forward to the Club’s Annual US Masters Breakfast on Monday. This event has been disrupted in recent years due to Covid, and unfortunately, the golfing aspect of the event could be disrupted again if the course is unable to be open, however, irrespective of course conditions at OGC, the breakfast will go ahead and we hope to see as many members and their guests as possible at the Club to watch the last round of the worlds premier golfing event and with a bit of luck, the crowning of Australia’s second ever Masters Champion.
If golf goes ahead (which is not without hope looking at the forecast) the cost for breakfast and golf is $65pp. Breakfast only is $35pp.
Book Donations Required to Help Rebuild the Lismore Library
OGC and Lions Club member, Lance Parker, has made a request on behalf of the Lions Club, for OGC members to donate books to help re-build the Lismore Library who have lost a substantial part of the libraries collection in recent floods.
OGC and Lance are pleased to be able to facilitate any donations. The library collections that were affected include:
- Adult Fiction
- Large Print Books
- Junior & Young Adult Books
- Children’s Story Books
- Children’s DVDs
- Jigsaws
- Audio Books
- Parenting Collection (non-fiction books on parenting topics)
- Junior Non-Fiction Books
If possible, new or near new donations are preferable, and can be left at the Club’s Reception or General Managers Office.
For further information follow this link, it lists the current details of the Flood Appeal: https://bit.ly/richmondtweedfloodrecovery_waystohelp
Easter Long Weekend Trading
Members are advised that during the upcoming Easter Long Weekend (Friday 15th – Monday 18th April), the Club’s operation will be normal with the exception of the Sandwich Hut trading times.
The Sandwich Hut will be open on Easter Saturday and closed Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.
All other Clubhouse services (including Bar and Bistro service) will operate normally.
Friday Happy Hour at OGC
Join us at the Club on Friday evenings between 4-6pm for Happy Hour. Every drinks purchase will get you a ticket into the draw for a bottle of wine!
School Holiday Clinics with PGA Professional David Ecob
Oatlands PGA Professional David Ecob will be running a two hour clinic during the upcoming school holidays for members and guests under the age of 18 years.
When – Wednesday 20th April
Time – 1:00pm to 3:00pm (2 hour clinic)
Cost – $50 per person
This clinic we will cover Putting, chipping, bunkers, mid iron shots and will be limited to the first 8 students.
Bookings can be made via the Oatlands online booking site our by contacting David at the Proshop or his mobile (0407 456 512).
Pennant Update
Men’s Major Pennant
Men’s Major Pennant Semi-Final postponed due to recent wet weather. An update will be provided as soon as the fixture is re-scheduled.
Interclub Challenge
The 2022 Interclub Challenge competition commences in March with Oatlands Golf Club in a pool with Bonnie Doon GC, The Australian GC, and Moore Park GC.
The squad for this years Interclub Challenge is as follows:
- Blair McDonald (Captain/Manager)
- Budd Frome
- Peter Schliebs
- Ian Priest
- Luke Mason
- Grant Lomas
- Jimmy Hawach
- Christian O’Reilly
- Nathan Wareham
- Mark Robinson
The first match of the season will be Sunday 1st May with OGC taking on Moore Park at The Australian at 8am.
Upcoming Trophy Events
Men’s
- A number of trophy events including the OGC Memorial Bowl and NB Charlton will need to be re-scheduled due to wet weather.
- With Easter and School Holidays almost upon us, these events will likely be scheduled from May onwards
- An update on the scheduled events will be communicated in due course
Ladies
- Thursday 14th April: Club Medal Round 3, GNSW Medal Round 3, Veterans Medal Round 3, Veterans Challenge Brooch
- Thursday 21st April: OLGA Rnd 2
- Monday 9th May: Presidents Cup Matchplay Final – Linda Gyzen vs Amanda Walkerden
- Thurs 12th May: Ladies Foursomes Championships Rnd 1
Mixed
- The Husband & Wife Trophy (postponed from 27th March) will be re-scheduled at the earliest opportunity after the Easter and the School Holidays.
Recent Trophy Winners
The wet weather has delayed the completion of any club trophy events for the last week.
