Happy New Year

On behalf of the Board of Directors, Sub-Committees, Management and Staff, we would like to wish all OGC members and their families a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

2025 promises to be a big year at OGC, with the Clubhouse Development likely to commence in the fourth quarter of 2025, continuing our journey toward the best golf club offering in Northwest Sydney.

Further detail on this will be provided in my President’s Letter that accompanies the 2025-26 Membership Subscription renewals.

Under the guidance of Dom Yates, the course works at the 19th hole and practice fairway green are progressing very well. Therefore as promised, the golf course will remain as par 70 with no temporary tees or greens throughout the development.

Our new Simulator Studios were completed in November and are proving very popular. If you haven’t done so already, please take some time to visit the Pro Shop and check out this new aspect to the Clubs facilities.

The planning of a temporary clubhouse facility is well underway. We are working to provide a food and beverage offering in line with what is currently provided on a day to day basis (including fully operational bar service, daily bar menu, and sandwich hut offering).

We look forward to keeping members up to date as the project evolves. 

If members have questions regarding the Clubhouse Development any aspect of the Clubs operation, we strongly encourage to reach out to our General Manager, Sam Howe, or to a Director of the Club.

To assist members in identifying Directors, profile pictures are now available on the Club website and at the Club Reception.

Once again, have great 2025, we look forward to sharing it with you all and enjoying the friendship and camaraderie that is the cornerstone of this great club.

Good Golfing,
Col McRae
President

From the Course

Rainfall for 2024: 1106.5,   Rainfall for the Week: 60.5mm,  Rainfall for 2025: 60.5mm, Dam: 80%,  Green Speed: 9.5feet

It’s been a very busy period on the course for the team during the festive period, very warm conditions and high numbers of rounds being played has kept everyone on their toes. Below average rainfall and above average temperatures during December has seen areas on fairways and our roughs dry out and resulted in a loss of colour in the turf in these areas. There is usually a large Eucalyptus tree near these affected areas, with these trees simply removing more moisture from the soil profile during these warmer periods and we can’t replace what is lost due to limitations with our irrigation system output.

Irrigation of playing surfaces is completed at night due to play requirements and the fact that we are sure members wouldn’t like to spend their round trying to avoid being drowned by the sprinklers. The main reason it is also performed at night is to reduce evaporation rates from the heat of the sun during the day. The cooler temperature at night enables the applied water to enter the soil profile for absorption by the roots of the turf to replace what was used or lost during the day so the plant is ready for the day ahead.

Our greens have got thru this period very well with moisture, disease and pest management the focus over the past month. When humidity is high, disease pressure on our greens is high but our preventative fungicide program has controlled most disease populations. I say most, as the winter grass turf species in our greens is showing signs of disease pressure which is why members might be able to see the two different types of grass species in certain greens, most noticeable the 8^th and 14^th greens. The slight yellow coloured grass is the winter grass species while the greener species is the bent grass. We are certainly noticing more bent grass in our greens over the past 2 or 3 years with the combination of seed head suspension and growth regulator herbicide applications restricting and inhibiting the winter grass turf in our greens.

We have started solid needle tining greens this week to relieve soil compaction which will allow air and water movement through the profile down to the root zone. This work is being performed before and after play with minimal surface disruption to the putting surfaces.

The turf on the new 19^th tee has established very well and has been mown already. Some patches in this turf turned yellow after they were laid, and this was because they were at the bottom of the delivered pallets, and they were very hot. They are recovering and this week’s rain will be very beneficial for their recovery. The practice green area is progressing well with the gravel layer installed earlier this week. This layer of gravel is basically the area and shape of the new green, with a bunker at the front of the green and on its left hand side, which will be between the new green and the 13^th fairway. From what we are witnessing as we work on this green, the bunker between the new green and fairway will be very much in play for those playing the 13^th hole!

Our volunteers are enjoying a few weeks rest over the Christmas and New Year period but will be back on the course this coming Monday. We are always looking for new people to join this great group of gentlemen. If you feel like trying it out one week to see what it’s like, they meet at the starters hut on Monday mornings at 7am. The work isn’t too hard on the body, and every little bit helps to maintaining and presenting your course to your fellow members and visitors! They finish around 11am and then have lunch in the clubhouse provided by the club.

Greens will be cut on Saturday and Sunday morning.

Happy Golfing!

The Course Team.

Changes to the Player’s Personal Liability Insurance Policy

Members of Oatlands GC and all Golf Australia affiliated Clubs would have received an email on 19th December 2024 titled “Important changes to the Players Personal Liability Insurance Policy”.

This is the personal liability insurance policy that Golf Australia holds for all members of affiliated golf clubs in Australia.

The insurance provides coverage for members against accidental injury or damage that you may cause to someone else or their property. Where this is most frequently relevant at Oatlands is for golf balls that go Out of Bounds and is the reason we have the Out of Bounds Registers at the 1st, 6th and 12th holes.

The Golf Australia communication has caused some confusion as it broadly lists; what is changing, and what is and isn’t covered with the policy. Unfortunately, the communication did not list what isn’t changing which has created some confusion and a number of questions to OGC management.

The items in the Golf Australia communication under What is Changing? are outlined below, followed by a list of What isn’t Changing, that has been compiled in response to questions from members;

What is changing? 

Exclusions: Specific exclusions have been added for any claim, loss, damage, liability or costs and expenses incurred directly or indirectly in connection with third party property damage to:  

• golf carts; and   
• personal electronic devices include phone, iPad, watch, rangefinder or anything similar.   

Excess: There are now three categories of insurance claim:  

• Personal injury claims – NO excess will be payable   
• Property damage where a golfer is found to have followed all expected duty of care, local rules and the Rules of Golf – NO excess payable   
• Property damage where golfer is found to have acted in a negligent manner and caused damage to a third-party property – $1,000 excess is payable  

What isn’t changing? 

• This insurance is for members of affiliated clubs only. Golfers who are not members of an affiliated club do not have personal liability insurance under this policy, however, they never have. Note: Oatlands has adequate Public Liability insurance to safeguard against any injury or damage caused by a non-affiliated golfer. 
• Personal injury claims – NO excess will be payable: This is listed under What is Changing and then Exclusions which is confusing as these two headings should be separated. There is currently NO EXCESS payable for personal injury claims, so we believe this is in fact not a change.   
• Property damage where a golfer is found to have followed all expected duty of care, local rules and the Rules of Golf – NO excess payable. This is also listed under What is Changing and then Exclusions which is confusing as these two headings should be separated. There is currently NO EXCESS payable for property damage claims where expected duty of care, local rules and the Rules of Golf have been adhered to, so we believe this is in fact not a change.   
•  Property damage where golfer is found to have acted in a negligent manner and caused damage to a third-party property – $1,000 excess is payable. This is also listed under What is Changing and then Exclusions which is confusing as these two headings should be separated. Negligence is always likely to be challenged by the insurer, so we believe this is in fact not a change. It is difficult to clearly define negligence in this context, however in simple terms it would relate to intention. Therefore, unless a member is intentionally causing property damage, then we believe that they are covered with NO EXCESS. 

In Summary:

The purpose of the Golf Australia communication of 19th December 2024 appears to be to clarify to the golfing community the status of the default personal liability insurance for affiliated members, and to clarify some minor changes which in affect are the removal of the following items from the insurance: golf carts and electric buggies, personal electronic devices including phones, iPads, watches, rangefinders and anything similar.

School Holiday Clinics – Max Dakic

In the upcoming school holidays, PGA Professional Max Dakic will be running four (3) Junior Clinics:

• Thursday January 16^th 11:00am – 1:30pm
• Thursday January 23^rd 11:00am – 1:30pm
• Thursday January 30^th 11:00am – 1:30pm

 The clinics will cover all aspects of golf including Full Swing, Chipping, Putting & More!

Food and Beverage will be provided to the juniors following the clinic.

Duration – 2:30 Hours

Cost – $90 Per Child

Bookings can be made on the club website or by calling the Proshop on 9630 4444.