Oatlands Enews – Friday 16th June 2023
Content
This week’s Enews covers the following topics:
- Junior Development Fundraising Golf Day – Thank you for your Support
- Miriam Knee Awarded OAM for Service to Cricket
- From the Course
- Captain’s Corner – Understanding the Rules: Taking Relief
- Ball Prize Credit 2022-23 – Expires 30th June 2023
- School Holiday Clinics with Max Dakic
- 2023 ISPS HANDA Australian Open – Volunteers Required
- Pennant Update
- Recent Trophy Event Winners
- Upcoming Trophy Events
- Members Only Facebook Group
Junior Development Fundraising Golf Day – Thank you for your Support
OGC’s annual Junior Development Fundraising Golf Day was held on Monday 12th June with 80 members and guests helping to raise almost $10,000 through event entry, raffle ticket sales and Australian Sports Foundation donations.
We would like to thank everyone who took part and / or made a donation to this programme, which costs $40,000 per annum to run.
This junior programme is one of the largest and most active in Sydney, and in recent years, under the guidance of Jeremy Ward, has seen the programme evolve to a point where the Club now has almost 40 boys and girls with GA handicaps and 9 boys and girls, 16 years or younger, with single figure handicaps.
This programme is fantastic for the future of the Club’s membership, but also fantastic for the kids who have the opportunity to take part, with golf a game for life that teaches our kids valuable life lessons, along with the rules and etiquette that are an integral part of our great game.
Members who are unable to participate in the event can still support the JDP and High Performance Squad by making a tax deductible donation to the programme through the Australian Sports Foundation via the link below;
https://asf.org.au/donate/elite-player-development-programme
For more information, please email Club General Manager, Sam Howe, gm@oatlandsgolf.com.au, or Golf Operations Manager, Jeremy Ward, golfoperations@oatlandsgolf.com.au
Miriam Knee Awarded OAM for Service to Cricket
Oatlands Golf Club member Miriam Knee has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her service to cricket.From the Course
Rainfall for the Week: 1.5mm, Rainfall for 2023: 533.0mm, Dam: 100% Green Speed: 10.0 feet
The works on the 8th flyover began last Friday with the rotary hoeing of the area to break up the existing surface so that a barrier isn’t created when the stockpiled material is brought across. If the existing surface was left and the new material was simply placed and spread over it, the existing turf would die and create a layer of decomposing thatch which wouldn’t allow moisture from rainfall or irrigation to infiltrate through the soil profile as it should naturally. The decomposing layer would also stop roots from any turf we lay, growing as deep as they want, as they wouldn’t have been able to penetrate through that layer.
Work on this flyover has been slower this week as it was a shortened week with the Public Holiday, and most of the course staff attended first aid training on Tuesday morning. Work will continue next week with the shaping of some new mounds either side of the new Geohex path which will be installed through the centre of this area.
Herbicide applications to collars, aprons and bunker surrounds have been completed this week, with a back up application to be performed in 2 weeks’ time. This application is to control Winter grass weeds in these couch areas, with special care being taken so that this application doesn’t move into the greens.
Course staff have been consolidating sand in bunkers throughout the week. The sand in the bunkers becomes fluffy at this time of the year as we aren’t irrigating greens very often and we have had a break from the rainfall for the past week. Therefore, the sand dries out making the bunkers very soft and fluffy. Staff wet the sand down with hoses before the plate compactor is brought in to pack the sand down to provide a firmer playing surface from these hazards.
Our volunteers had this week off to celebrate the Kings Birthday!
Greens will be cut on Saturday, with only the dew being removed from them on Sunday.
Have a great weekend!
The Course Team
Captain’s Corner – Understanding the Rules: Taking Relief
One of the most misunderstood Rules of Golf is regarding relief that a player can take during the game.
There are many ways in which relief may or may not be taken and is covered in the Rules of Golf under many different rules.
In an effort to clarify or simplify the most common situations, I would like to start with an explanation of a Oatlands Golf Clubs current Local Rule 2(b) which covers;
Prohibited Areas of Play
2(b) Ornamental Trees and Shrubs identified with stakes are No Play Play Zones and are Ground Under Repair. If a ball lies anywhere on the course except in a penalty area and the tree interferes with the lie of the ball, stance or area of intended swing, relief must be taken under Rule 16.1b
The first thing the player needs to do, after identifying the ball is in a No Play Zone, is to establish the nearest point of full relief. This point is referred to as the Reference Point. It should also be mentioned that the Reference Point may be in a position that is not favourable for the player. The Reference Point may also vary depending on whether the player is a right or left handed player, and cannot be nearer the hole.
Once the Reference Point has been determined the player may drop their ball within one club length of that Reference Point, without penalty. The area that is one club length from the Reference Point is called the Relief area. The ball must be dropped within the Relief area, and must not role outside the Relief area, otherwise the drop must be taken again.
It is suggested, that the player mark the Reference Point with a tee, and another tee be placed within one club length to determine the extent of the relief area.
The diagrams below illustrate taking relief from a staked tree for both right and left handed golfers and will hopefully assist in clarifying the procedure.
You should notice that our right-handed golfer (Sam) could not drop on the same side of the staked tree as our left-handed golfer (Wil) and vice-versa, as this would mean the tree would still interfere with their swing. Taking relief on the opposite side to what is shown would have to be further away and would therefore not be the ‘nearest point of relief’.
Colin McRae
Captain
Ball Prize Credit Expiry 2022-23
Members are reminded that ball prize credit accumulated up to the 31st March 2023 will need to be used by 30th June 2023.
Credit not used by this time will automatically expire.
Credit accumulated after 31st March 2023 will remain available for use until 30th June 2024.
Balances are available on the Account section of the member page of the Club website or by contacting the Pro Shop.
Credit can only be used at the Pro Shop.
School Holiday Clinics with Max Dakic
Max Dakic is hosting two separate Junior School Holiday Clinics in the June School Holidays. Details below:
1st Clinic: 4th July at 10:00am to 12:30pm
2nd Clinic: 11th July at 10:00am to 12:30pm
Cost per clinic: $90
Clinics will cover all aspects of golf including Full Swing, Chipping, Putting and More! Food and beverage will be provided following the clinics.
These clinics are a great way to help improve a junior’s skills or help them get started.
Non-Members are more than welcome, and Golf Clubs are available for hire.
Please either contact Max or the Proshop to make bookings.
2023 ISPS HANDA Australian Open – Volunteers Required
Golf Australia is seeking volunteer assistance in facilitating volunteers to be involved in this year’s ISPS HANDA Australian Open to be held at The Australian Golf Club & The Lakes Golf Club from Thursday 30 November – Sunday 3 December 2023.
All volunteers will be required to register through the Australian Golf Volunteer Portal – accessible via the following link:
www.golf.org.au/ausopen/volunteers
Once registered, the volunteer will be able to express their interest in volunteering for the event and submit their availability. Expressions of interest will be open until Friday 25 August 2023.
For any queries or assistance with their registration, volunteers may reach us via email at AOvolunteers@golf.org.au.
Volunteer requests, duties and event details will be confirmed via email and sent to Club’s and individuals on or before Friday 3 November 2023 (volunteer required duties may change depending on numbers).
Pennant Update
Master Pennant
Oatlands GC vs The Coast GC at the Coast.
Last week, once again up against strong opposition at their home course, the Masters side was unfortunate to come away with a very close 5-3 loss.
Janaka Wimalaratne played the textbook match against a strong (scratch handicap) opponent, coming to the final hole with an all or nothing tee shot which sailed over the ocean gorge and across a pond to drive the ball just left of the par 4 green for a 1 up win.
Russ Brooks played steady golf for a comfortable 3&1 win on a very tough course.
The match of the day went to Jack Chang who was struggling for form after being pitted against opponents with half his handicap for most of the season, and he really wanted this win.
Jack’s match started with a fantastic up and down from 100 yards out on the first to put his opponent on notice only to lose the next 2 holes to birdies. Jack fired off a string of pars to go 1 up with 6 to go before coming to the final holes which were wind affected and required pinpoint accurate tee shots with ocean and scrub lining the fairways. Jack did what Jack does splitting the fairways for a really gutsy 3&1 victory.
Dave, Mark and Amy played really close matches that could of gone either way.
This week we have the opportunity to revenge our loss, playing at home, and will require a strong win to avoid playing a relegation match.
Results
- Janaka Wimalaratne – 1up
- Stephen Doherty – 7&5 loss
- Rod Butcher – 5&3 loss
- Jack Chang – 3&2 win
- Dave Osborne – 2&1 loss
- Mark Robinson – 2&1 loss
- Amy Kim – 3&2 loss
- Russell Brooks – 3&1 win
Rod Butcher
Team Manager and Captain
Interclub Pennant
The Interclub play their semi-final next Sunday 25th June (8:28am) at Concord GC against The Australian GC.
Blair McDonald
Interclub Captain / Manager
Recent Trophy Event Winners
Southpaw Cup
The 2023 Southpaw Cup was played on Saturday 10th June with Wil Reece continuing his stellar year to take out the trophy (for the third time) with a gross score of 78.
The nett winner was Salim Rahmati with a score of 71.
Oatlands Cup and Long Markers KO
There were no Ladies trophy events decided in the last week, however the quarter-final matches for the Ladies Oatlands Cup and Long Markers matchplay were played on Thursday 15th June.
Click on the links below for the respective draws and results;
Click here for the Oatlands Cup Draw 2023
Click here for the Long Markers Daw 2023
Upcoming Trophy Events
Men’s
- Saturday 1st July – Foundation Day
- Saturday 8th July – Winter Medal
- Sunday 9th July – Father & Son and Parent and Child Trophy
- Saturday 29th July – Legacy Cup
Ladies
- Sunday 25th June – 2Ball Handicap Matchplay SF
- Thursday 29th June – Oatlands Cup and Long Markers Final
- Sunday 2nd July – 2Ball Handicap Matchplay Final
- Thursday 6th July – Foundation Day
- Sunday 9th July – Parent & Child
- Thursday 20th July – Club Medal
- Thursday 27th July – Captain’s vs President’s
Mixed
- Sunday 2nd July – WS Targett Fourball Knockout Qualifying
- Sunday 9th July – Parent & Child
- Sunday 16th July – WS Targett Fourball Knockout Quarter-Finals
- Sunday 23rd July – WS Targett Fourball Knockout Semi-Finals
- Sunday 30th July – WS Targett Fourball Knockout Final
Members Only Facebook Group
The engagement among the membership on our Members Only Facebook group has continued to grow in recent months with posts from members and staff happening daily.
So if you aren’t already part of our Members Only Facebook Group, join up now and join in the fun banter.
We now have over 370 members who have joined the group and hope to see this get closer to 700 in the next 12-months.
Importantly, members are advised that this social media platform will not be used for the Club to communicate critical information, that will remain via the Enews, website and direct email however, it is a place that members and the Club can post interesting Club and golf related items to compliment this Enews.
To join the Members Only Facebook Group please click on the link below and then click on the “JOIN GROUP” button. You will be asked a few questions to verify you are a member and then approved by the group administrator shortly thereafter.
www.facebook.com/groups/870087546972166/
