From the Course

Rainfall for the Week: 58.5mm,  Rainfall for 2025: 119.0mm, Dam: 100%,  Green Speed: 9.5feet

The solid needle tining of greens has been completed this week, which as I mentioned last week, has great benefits for the overall health of the plant by allowing air and movement through the soil profile so that these vital components are available for absorption by the roots of the turf. The process that we have perfected over time has minimal disruption to our putting surfaces or members play.

We have started fertilising tees this week to provide nutrients to the plant while it is in its growth period. The growth rates on the tees has reduced slightly, meaning the plant had used up all the fertiliser we had applied in late October. We are also applying a granular wetting agent to help retain moisture in the soil profile from any irrigation or rainfall. These applications require immediate irrigation so therefore, we must spread this work across the week so that sprinklers aren’t on whilst members are playing.

We will start to solid tine tee pads next week to relieve compaction in these surfaces and allow air and water movement through the profile just like the greens. An added benefit for the tees at this time of the year with the needle tining, will be providing an opportunity for improved root growth which will lead to a strong plant.

The rainfall last week, as well as the thunderstorm on Wednesday night and throughout the day on Thursday, has really freshened up the course and rejuvenated the areas that were struggling from the dry period throughout December. We will now get a flush of growth on fairways and roughs, particularly with the increase in humidity following the rain. To counteract this expected increase in growth, we have started another application of growth regulator to fairways, rough lines, and we will also include green surrounds. These applications will also be made in front or after play for efficiency, however this application is left on the leaf of the turf and doesn’t require watering in, so therefore we can spray during play, but it does slow the process down having to be patient around play.

Our volunteers were back on course Monday morning performing a bunker run in front of the morning competition players, drainage pits were trimmed and cleared, hand weeding of tees for Crabgrass weeds, poisoning Parramatta Grass weeds, and dead heading the Protea shrubs in the garden between the 3^rd green and 4^th tee and adding fresh mulch to the garden at the same time.

Greens will be cut on Saturday and Sunday morning.

Happy Golfing!

The Course Team.

2025 Golf Programme

The 2025 golf programme has now been loaded into the Club website Bookings and Fixtures page.

A soft copy of the 2025 programme is available by CLICKING HERE or in the ‘Club Documents’ page of the website.

The soft copy is subject to change by the Match Committee from time to time based on factors such as weather, Golf NSW scheduling, or corporate / charity golf day bookings.

The programme listed on the website Bookings and Fixtures page will always be the most up to date.

Captain’s Corner – Responsibility of the Player and Marker in Scoring

In recent months, several members have raised concerns about issues on the golf course related to the responsibilities of the player and the marker in scoring. This is an important aspect of maintaining fairness and clarity during a round, so I wanted to take this opportunity to address these matters.

While the Rules of Golf don’t specifically outline every scenario, there are clear guidelines to follow when questions arise about a player’s score or actions on the course (see Rule 3.3).

Marker’s Responsibilities:

1. Observing Strokes: It is the marker’s duty to carefully observe the player’s strokes on each hole. After each hole is completed, the marker should confirm the strokes with the player to ensure the score is accurate and to avoid any disagreements later on.
2. Conferring on Relief: Though not a requirement, it is strongly recommended that whenever a player takes relief, they confer with their marker to ensure the relief is both permissible and taken properly. This can help avoid confusion or misinterpretation of the rules.

What to Do if There’s a Disagreement:

• Disagreement on Score: If a player and marker disagree on the score for a hole, the marker should not sign off on the scorecard or confirm the score via the Mi-score app until the matter has been referred to a member of the Match Committee. This ensures accuracy and fairness.
• Disagreement on Relief: If there’s a disagreement over whether relief is permissible, or how it should be taken, it is recommended that the player play two balls—one with the relief and one without—while the situation is clarified by the Match Committee. This helps avoid any mistakes or confusion that could lead to an incorrect score.

Disqualification Risk for Marker:

If a marker knowingly enters an incorrect score for the player, they themselves may face disqualification. Therefore, it is important for markers to act with diligence and integrity when recording scores.

The Importance of Consensus:

Seeking consensus between the player and marker is the best approach to resolving any issues. This should not be seen as questioning a player’s integrity, but rather as a way to ensure fairness and adherence to the rules.

Let’s all keep these practices in mind as we continue to enjoy our rounds and maintain the integrity of our game.

Good Golfing!

Matt Seamons
Club Captain

Sandwich Hut and Bar Menu Pre-Orders

Members may not be aware that the Club offers a pre-order service for the Sandwich Hut and Daily Bar Menu.

The Sandwich Hut pre-orders are available everyday the Sandwich Hut is open (Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri and Sat), with the Daily Bar Menu pre-orders also available during shotgun start events.

The pre-order service allows members to order their post-golf food in-advance and have it ready upon completion of their golf, and also assists staff (particularly during shotgun start events) to manage high demand in a short period of time more efficiently.

To pre-order food prior to golf, simply complete a pre-order slip that is available at the Sandwich Hut counter (or shotgun start registration) prior to the commencement of play.  

School Holiday Clinics – Max Dakic

In the upcoming school holidays, PGA Professional Max Dakic will be running two (2) more Junior Clinics:

• 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.