Oatlands Enews – Friday 19th February 2021

Published on 19th February 2021 in E-News, Guests

Content

This week’s Enews covers the following topics:

Club Strategic Planning – Member Workshop Group Sessions
Accident Site Memorial Update
From the Course
AC Berk Cup – Round 2 re-scheduled for Saturday 6th March
OGC Employee/s of the Year
Dine & Discover Vouchers
Call Fore if in Doubt – Including Par 3 Call Up
PGA Professional Paige Stubbs – Byron Bay Ladies Trip
Denlo VW Scramble – Tuesday, 23rd February 2021, Fully Booked
One for the Ages – Tony Steele
Hole in One – Jenny Park
Hole in One – Brendan Oakes
Oatlands Bridge – Starting back Wednesday 10th March
Monday and Thursday Competition Timesheets
Major Pennant Update
Upcoming Events

Club Strategic Planning – Member Workshop Group Sessions

Update from 12th February: Members are advised that the Workshop Groups sessions being conducted will all follow the same format. Members may put down their availability for any or all dates available however, will only be allocated to one session, to give the Board the opportunity to engage with as many members as possible.

In Mid 2019, the Club’s Board and Management commenced the development process of the Club’s next 5 year Strategic Plan. This process included a number of facilitated Board strategy sessions, a members survey, and the development of the 8 key Strategic Pillars that require planning and action over the 5 years of the Strategic Plan.

Unfortunately, the Covid pandemic forced the postponement of the planning process, with the previous 12 months fluctuating from great uncertainty (Clubhouse and Course closure), to increased confidence (a full membership and 50% growth in golf participation).

With 2020 behind us, the immediate future looks positive and more stable however, the shadow of Covid is still present and economics head winds are still ahead for us all.

Despite this, the Board and Management are committed to continuing the planning process to ensure the medium to long-term security of the Club.

With this in mind, the next step is to engage with our membership to ensure the Strategic Planning outcomes to date are in line with member expectation and to utilise the wisdom and experience of our membership to guide the next stages of Strategic Planning development.

Therefore, the Club will be holding a series of Member Workshop group sessions in March to engage our members in this planning process. The Workshop dates are listed below and all playing members are invited to take part (more dates can be added if required). Each Workshop session will run for approximately 90 minutes and have 12-16 members in each group.

Mon 22/3: 6pm – 7:30pm
Tues 23/3: 6pm – 7:30pm
Wed 24/3: 6pm – 7:30pm
Thurs 25/3: 6pm – 7:30pm
Sat 27/3: 2pm – 3:30pm
Sat 27/3: 5pm – 6:30pm
Mon 29/3: 6pm – 7:30pm
Tues 30/3: 6pm – 7:30pm

To register to take part in the Workshop sessions, please complete the form below.

Accident Site Memorial Update

Members may have seen an interview on Alan Jones’ program on Sky News on Thursday night, where Mr Jones made references to “promises made by the Club”, regarding a potential memorial. Members are assured that no such promises have been made by the Board or Management. As all Members are aware, any potential memorial would be on core land (as defined in the Registered Clubs Act), which requires consent of the membership, so no promises have been made. Despite the inaccuracies, the Club will continue to refuse to engage in public debate on this difficult matter.

From the Course

Rainfall for the Week: 49.0mm, Rainfall for 2021: 134.5mm Dam: 100% Green Speed: 9.0 feet

We have recommenced our bunker rejuvenation program this week with the greenside bunkers on the 3^rd, 7^th and 15^th holes all being shelled out, and surrounding turf around them removed as well. We tried to salvage as much of the existing sand from these bunkers as possible, and this time around we have added this sand to all the bunkers on the 1^st hole (greenside) and two bunkers on the 13^th hole (right and middle greenside). Each of these bunkers on the 1^st and 13^th received at least 5 trailer loads of sand which should now provide a better and consistent sand depth to play from. The team spent considerable time on Thursday spreading the sand in these bunkers and wheel rolling this sand with our runabout vehicles to compact these areas.

In regards to the bunkers on the 3^rd, 7^th and 15^th, the team will clean out any remaining debris that the excavator couldn’t pick up. The surrounds are then shaped back to the original form with considerable amounts of sand/root zone being cut away in certain areas. The surrounds of the bunkers built up as a result of years of play and sand being thrown out of these bunkers with every good shot (and a few not so good shots)! Once we are satisfied with the shape of the surrounds, the new Zoysia turf is laid and pinned down to the top lip of the bunker. New cloth lining on the walls and base of the bunker will then be installed, followed by new gravel and agi pipe in the drainage lines. Once all the lining’s and drainage materials are installed and the gravel is covered by shade cloth, the sand is added and compacted, with depths checked to ensure the correct amount of sand is in place. With the team getting more efficient with each bunker, we are hoping to get these 7 bunkers finished with enough time to complete another group of bunkers before it gets too cold for the Zoysia turf to establish.

The middle tee pad on the 9^th has had the turf stripped from it this week as we prepare this area for re-turfing with the same Zoysia species that we have used around the bunkers on the 4^th and 5^th holes. This tee pad on the 9^th will be a trial area for this turf species, and will provide a guide to how it will handle shade and wear, as well as recovery time from any use especially divots on a par 3 tee. The synthetic strip will be mostly in use for play when it is a white course, but occasionally in the summer months play will be from the turf to provide us this information. New soil will be added and mixed with the existing sub soils, with organic matter also being added to the mix for moisture and nutrient retention. All going to plan, we hope to have the new turf laid on this tee in the next week or two.

The 12^th fairway was verti drained early this week as part of our on-going program to aerate all the fairways over the next few months. The new turf on the 10^th, 14^th and 15^th tee pads was hollow tyned this week with topdressing to follow, in an effort to level these areas and provide a better surface.

All of our new areas around the course have established (rooted down) really well, with the turf on the 13^th fairway receiving its first cut this week. This summer has certainly been ideal for turf growth, with all areas in great condition. All fairways, roughs and flyovers have now been sprayed with pre-emergent herbicide to control winter grass before it germinates and becomes unsightly during the winter months.

Our volunteers were on course Monday morning, preparing bunkers before play, tidying up around the pump shed down at the dam, and starting to prepare the next stage of bare patch areas on holes 3, 4, 8 and 11. This work will continue this coming Monday. Thank you gentlemen for your valuable contributions each week!

Good Golfing!

The Course Team

AC Berk Cup Round 2 – Re-scheduled for Saturday 6th March

Due to heavy rain on the morning of Saturday 13th February and a large number of greens going under for a prolonged period of time, the second round of the AC Berk Cup was declared a washout and has been re-scheduled for Saturday 6th March in-conjunction with the Autumn Medal round.

OGC Employee/s of the Year

The staff of OGC held their annual Christmas Party on Thursday 4th February at the General Bourke Hotel in Parramatta. This event is hosted in February each year due to the operational requirements of course and hospitality staff in the lead up to Christmas.

This year, management has introduced an Employee of the Year Award. This award is chosen from the Employee of the Year by Department, being;

Administration: Kathy Bright (Membership and Administration)
Catering: Richard Tjung
Course: Martyna Synak (Course 2IC)
Clubhouse: Hannah Skoudas (Bar Casual)
Pro Shop: Grant Lomas (Golf Operations)

These staff members have been recognised for their consistently high standards, teamwork, and initiative.

The overall Employee of the Year for 2020 (a very popular choice among the staff and no doubt the membership) is Grant Lomas.

Grant has been a fantastic inclusion to the Golf Operations team since completing his PGA IGI diploma in QLD. Grant will be well known to most members having grown up at the Club, and has become an integral part of Pro Shop front of house team. What members may not realise is the amount of work Grant does behind the scenes. His knowledge of the Club’s website booking system, conditions of play, and point of sale system are second to none and in a very complex 2020, this allowed for the smooth transition of a new Golf Operations Manager in Jeremy Ward while also providing the General Manager with the level of support required to manage the Club through the roller coaster demands of Covid-19. Grant is a huge support to management but also to his fellow staff in other departments and has provided the Clubhouse staff with countless hours to assist their understanding of Golf Operations and the website booking system.

The recognition of Grant’s performance in 2020 is well deserved. It is also note worthy that Grant’s attitude is reflective of the team we are building at OGC. They are proud to represent OGC, hard-working, diligent and accountable, everything a General Manager could ask for, and I give them all my unreserved gratitude for their effort in 2020 and 2021 to date.

Sincerely,

Sam Howe
General Manager
Oatlands Golf Club

: Kelly, Sam and Kathy

: Martyna and Dom

: Grant and Jeremy

: Employee of the Year

Dine & Discover Vouchers

Members may be aware of the NSW Government’s Dine & Discover initiative that is currently being trialed in parts of the state.

Oatlands Golf Club has registered and been accepted as an approved venue for the programme once the state wide rollout occurs in March.

The details of the Dine & Discover initiative are outlined below:

Every NSW resident aged 18 and over will be eligible for 4 x $25 vouchers worth $100 in total. The vouchers can be used at participating NSW businesses who are registered as COVID safe.

The Dine & Discover NSW vouchers will be divided into two categories:

2 x $25 vouchers to be used for eating in at restaurants, cafes, bars, pubs and clubs from Monday to Thursday, excluding public holidays (available for use at Oatlands Golf Club).
2 x $25 vouchers to be used for entertainment and recreation, including cultural institutions, live music, and arts venues, available 7 days a week, excluding public holidays (use subject to live music which is under consideration and subject to confirmation once the programme is rolled out).

How do I apply for the vouchers?

To participate in Dine & Discover NSW, you must have a MyServiceNSW account.

You can download the Service NSW app now and register for a MyServiceNSW account ahead of the vouchers becoming available.

We hope that members will take advantage of this opportunity and use the vouchers at Oatlands. Vouchers will be available for use on the majority of catering services offered including:

Club Dining Events
Sandwich Hut
Daily Blackboard Menu

Note: Takeaway menu items are not available as the vouchers are for dine in use only under NSW Services T&Cs.

Call Fore in in Doubt – Including Par 3 Call Up

In recent months, there have been a number of golfers struck by golf balls. Fortunately, none of these were seriously injured however, they serve as an important reminder of the need for golfers to call “Fore” in any and all circumstances where there is even the slightest risk of a ball striking another player.

This includes but is not limited to:

Par 3 Call Ups – Don’t presume the group on the green can see your ball, if in doubt call “FORE”!
A ball that is travelling in a direction that is beyond your line of sight, if in doubt call “FORE”!

PGA Professional Paige Stubbs – Byron Bay Ladies Trip

Oatlands Golf Club’s newest PGA Professional, Paige Stubbs, is hosting a Ladies Golf Trip to Byron Bay from 22nd – 26th November.

Paige has considerable experience hosting these type of trips and has planned this trip to Byron Bay to avoid any uncertainty around interstate border closures in the event of a Covid flare up.

Details of the trip and how to book are available by clicking here.

Denlo Volkswagen Scramble – Tuesday 23rd February (Fully Booked)

The Denlo VW Scramble to be held on Tuesday 23rd February is now fully booked, with 130 golfers registered to take part in the Club qualifying event. This event is sponsored nationally by Volkswagen and at Oatlands by Denlo Volkswagen Parramatta.

Denlo Volkswagen Parramatta has made a significant contribution to this event at Oatlands Golf Club with all food, beverage and prizes for Tuesday’s event being supplied by them.

Club members are encouraged to recognise this sponsorship by considering Denlo Volkswagen Parramatta the next time you are in the market for a vehicle.

Between the November 2020 and February 2021 events, Denlo will have contributed close to $15,000 to the two events and turned our upcoming event next week into the biggest Club qualifying event in the country.

The top two teams in Tuesday’s scramble will join the winners from the November event at the regional Volkswagen Scramble final later in the year and the chance to progress to the National Final.

The regional final will see each qualifying team joined by an Oatlands PGA staff member for a 5 person scramble.

Good luck to all participants!

One for the Ages – Tony Steele

There are many great achievements in golf – breaking your handicap for the first time, breaking the various score barriers (100,90,80 and even 70), and the elusive hole in one, but perhaps one of the most difficult and noteworthy is when a golfer beats his / her age on the golf course.

On Wednesday 17th February, Tony Steele a member of over 37 years, shot a scratch score of 76 (a great score at any age) and beat his age by more than one shot.

Well done Tony on another fantastic achievement!

Hole In One – Jenny Park

Jenny Park had a Hole in One on the 9th hole on Thursday 18th February during the daily competition.

Well done Jenny on this perfect shot!

Hole in One – Brendan Oakes

Golf in Australia is very competition centric, however many golfers play mostly social golf which means extraordinary feats such as hole in ones don’t get recorded.

So, it is fantastic when the Club get informed of social golf hole in ones such as the case with Brendan Oakes on Friday 12th February.

This was Brendan’s first ever hole in one and was recorded on the 12th hole.

Well done Brendan!

Oatlands Bridge – Starting back Wednesday 10th March

Members and their guests are invited to take part in Bridge at Oatlands Golf Club which starts again on Wednesday 10th March at 10:30am.

New players are welcome.

If you need a partner, please contact Anne Cummins on 94404863.

Monday and Thursday Competition Timesheets

Due to the recent increase in demand for competition tee times on a Monday and Thursday, which have made access to tee times traditionally enjoyed by our lady members difficult to book, the Match Committee has decided to make the following changes to the Monday and Thursday competition timesheets, effective from Monday 22^nd February (timesheet that opens at 4:30pm Sunday 14^th February):

6 and 7 Day Lady Members will get access to book competition times for the AM field on both the 1^st and 12th tees, 8 days in advance at 4:30pm.
All other members eligible for competition bookings will get access to these times at 4:30pm, 7 days in advance.
Booking access for the PM times on Monday and Thursday will remain unchanged and become available to all eligible members, 8day in advance at 4:30pm.
Monday and Thursday competitions will become members only, no visitor / guest bookings other than by approval of the Match Committee or General Manager.

It is important to explain to the membership why this decision has been made, which on the surface does appear like a backward step with regard to equality.

In March 2019, the Human Rights Commission of Australia and Golf Australia produced a reports titled:

The Guidelines for the Promotion of equal Opportunity for Women and Girls in Golf

This 42 page report covers a range of equal opportunity initiatives to provide female golfers equal opportunity that they traditionally have not had access to in golf, among these initiatives are provisions to provide priority access to female golfers, as the minority group (OGC membership is 77% male and 23% female), to ensure that the ultimate objective of equality is achievable. As such, the reports allows for the following action to be taken by Club’s which has resulted in the priority access of 24hrs being granted for 6 & 7 day female playing members;

Priority may be given when substantive equality has not yet been reached and the Club wants to encourage more women to participate.
Clubs can promote equal opportunity through allocating a large block of timeslots on a specific day exclusively to women of girls to address the historical disadvantage experienced by women and girls in golf.

Oatlands Golf Club continue to be committed to being an industry leader with regard to equality and believe this initiative is a proactive step toward the continued growth of a strong female membership at the Club.

These changes will continue to be reviewed by the Match Committee with further changes made if deemed necessary.

If you have any questions, please direct them to the Club General Manager, Sam Howe.

Major Pennant Update

The Men’s Major Pennant team is playing at home this coming Sunday 21st February. The team has drawn a tough division this year and despite some close results, need a home win to avoid the Division 2 relegation battle. Tee times on Sunday commence at 7am with spectators welcome.

Upcoming Events

< Back to previous page