Oatlands Enews – Friday 2nd July 2021
Content
This week’s Enews covers the following topics:
- Covid-19 Update
- Oatlands Golf Club turns 90 – 4th July 2021
- From the Course
- Preferred Lies in General Area – Commences Saturday 3rd July
- Prostate Cancer Information Night at Oatlands Golf Club
- Ladies Gardening Volunteer Morning – Tuesday 27th July
- Rules Corner – Rule 19 Unplayable Ball
- Pennant Update
Covid-19 Update – 2nd July 2021
We are almost at the halfway point of the scheduled Covid-19 lockdown of Greater Sydney, and while the case numbers in NSW have grown slightly over the past week, the contract tracing of NSW Health and the fact that the majority of cases seem to be linked to known cases and / or already in isolation suggests that the lockdown is a good chance of only lasting until the scheduled date of 9th July.
In the meantime, demand for tee times at Oatlands has risen to a level beyond even that of the initial lockdown in March – April 2020. This is due to the current strong membership position that the Club is in, which despite being capped, is at a cap level established as sustainable during periods of relative normality, which we are sure all would agree that this isn’t.
To assist in providing the required tee times for members, the Club has taken the following actions:
- No new guest bookings since the beginning of lockdown on 26th June
- Addition of an extra hour of tee times on Tuesday morning (8am – 9am)
- Continuation of Saturday shotgun starts with the addition of further CovidSafe measures which are listed below.
To assist this process and give all members the maximum opportunity to enjoy the golf course and opportunity for exercise, we ask all members to please cancel their bookings as soon as they know they are unable to play and we also encourage members who can’t get tee times when they first attempt to book, to utilise the waitlist facility available on all timesheets. Throughout the 18 months of unprecedented demand for our golf course, OGC has actively managed all timesheets to the extent where no golfer has been left on a waitlist other than the short period in 2020 when we were forced to play golf in groups of two. This streak may come to end during this current lockdown however, the waitlist has proved to be a very reliable method of getting a booking even when timesheets initially get fully booked.
Saturday Shotgun Starts:
The Club is continuing to operate shotgun starts on Saturday to facilitate demand, including tomorrow, Saturday 3rd July. To ensure these are implemented within the NSW Health guidelines and the Club’s updated CovidSafety Plan, the following additional measures will be in place:
- There will will a designated Covid Marshall managing the Clubhouse precinct and moving people to their starting holes should potential for congestion approaching the NSW Health limits be observed
- There will be two members of staff registering competitors from outside the Pro Shop utilising tablets
- Therefore, the only golfers required to enter the Pro Shop are those that do not use the MiScore app (and therefore require a scorecard), or those hiring golf carts
- Golfers will be allowed and encouraged to do their pre-game warm up on the golf course adjacent to the tee they are starting on
Members in the AM field will be directed by the Covid Marshall to make their way immediately to their starting hole upon registration.
Members in the PM field are asked to delay their arrival at the Club until as late as possible and will also be directed by the Covid Marshall to make their way immediately to their starting hole upon registration.
The TAKEAWAY CAFE SERVICE IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR PLAYERS DURING PLAY, NOT BEFORE OR AFTER GOLF.
We thank all members for their assistance, patience and understanding during this difficult and complex time.
As always, all members are asked to follow the standing Public Health orders at all times.
Oatlands Golf Club turns 90 – 4th July 2021
On the 4th July, 1931, the Governor of NSW, Sir Philip Game, officially opened Oatlands Golf Course, meaning our wonderful Club turns 90 years of age on Monday.
This week was scheduled to host our Foundation day celebration’s which have unfortunately been put off due to Covid restrictions and the forced closure of our Clubhouse.
The Ladies Foundation Day has been re-scheduled to 15th July. The Board and Operations Committee will also look for another suitable opportunity later in the year to acknowledge this milestone and replace the event scheduled for Saturday 3rd July, however for now, Happy Birthday OGC and thank you to all of our great members, past and present, who have made the Club what it is today.
From the Course
Rainfall for the Week: 7.5mm, Rainfall for 2021: 650.5mm Dam: 100% Green Speed: 9 feet
The team has started a second application of fungicide to all fairways this week in an effort to control the winter disease that appears in our fairways each year. This patch disease can already be seen on fairways 3 and 4, in the heavily shaded areas. We have managed to spray the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 6th and 17th fairways so far. In an extra effort to deter this disease from developing, we have also started verti draining fairways. The verti draining will help surfaces drain and reduce moisture levels, and also allow air movement into the soil profile. With the golf course already receiving almost 70% of its average annual rainfall so far this year, and much of that rain falling consistently over the year, the soil profile heads into winter wetter than most years. This makes these mini fairway renovations with the verti drain of paramount importance to short-term and long-term health of our fairways.
All greens have also been needle tyned this week to relieve soil compaction, allow air and water movement through the soil profile. Greens were rolled once the verti draining was completed with minimal disruption to surfaces. The 5th green had a minor renovation completed to it this week, just like the 9th and 12th greens have had over the last fortnight.
New turf has been laid on areas between 13th/17th fairway, behind 14th green, between 16th fairway and 17th tee and the 9th tee pad. Green mesh has also been installed over this new turf on 9th tee pad to help this turf deal with any wear.
New mulch has been added to the area between the 8th fairway and the 9th tee. This area is almost completed with some minor finishing work to be reformed with the power rake attachment on our Ventrac machine.
Due to the Covid restrictions, we had to cancel the Monday volunteers this week. We hope they are all getting a good rest ahead of the volunteer programme re-commencing post-lockdown.
Have great weekend everyone!
The Course Team
Preferred Lies in General Area – Commences Saturday 3rd July
Members are advised that 30cm preferred lies will come into effect as of Saturday 3rd July in the General Area (formerly known as through the green).
This initiative is in response to the following:
- Frequent mud-balls due to the wet conditions
- Regular mini-renovation of fairways under way and planned throughout winter
- Increased traffic on-course due to Covid demand and subsequent negative impact on course care via unrepaired divots
A definition of General Area is provided below:
The general area covers the entire course except for the four specific areas of the course described in Rule 2.2b.
It is called the “general” area because:
- It covers most of the course and is where a player’s ball will most often be played until the ball reaches the putting green.
- It includes every type of ground and growing or attached objects found in that area, such as fairway, rough and trees.
The Four Specific Areas not part of the General Area:
Certain Rules apply specifically to the four areas of the course that are not in the general area:
- The teeing area the player must use in starting the hole he or she is playing (Rule 6.2),
- All penalty areas (Rule 17),
- All bunkers (Rule 12), and
- The putting green of the hole the player is playing (Rule 13).
Prostate Cancer Information Night at OGC
Subject to the easing of current Covid restrictions, this evening will progress as planned on Wednesday 21st July. Pleasingly, we have already had a great number of responses. Details of the information evening are outlined below:
Following detection of cancer and a surgical procedure on his prostate, a prominent Club member has organised for respected Urologist, Dr. Phillip Kateralis to host a short information evening on prostate cancer at Oatlands Golf Club on Wednesday 21st July commencing at 7pm.
The information session will last 30-40mins with 20 minutes for questions from the floor.
While we don’t want to exclude any members, Dr Katelaris’ focus is on men 40+. He also encourages member’s partners to also join the information meeting.
This information evening is free of charge and the Club will provide attendees with finger food.
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men in Australia with over 18,000 diagnosed each year. Early detection and advances in treatment has seen the recovery rate almost double in the last two decades, but with the disease and cure still stigmatised and men generally regarded as less likely to visit their doctor or specialist for a check up, we thought this was a good opportunity to provide our members with the opportunity for easy to digest information.
If you would like to attend, please advise the Club’s General Manager by email gm@oatlandsgolf.com.au
Ladies Gardening Volunteer Morning – Tuesday 27th July
The next monthly ladies volunteer gardening morning will take place on Tuesday 27th July at 10am (subject to status of Covid restrictions).
Sign-up is via the sheet in the ladies locker room.
This is a great way to give back to the Club and a wonderful morning of camaraderie and friendship.
Rules Corner – Rule 19 Unplayable Ball
How the unplayable ball rule can save you strokes, even when your ball is playable.
The key to this rule is:
19.1 Player May Decide to Take Unplayable Ball Relief Anywhere Except Penalty Area
A player is the only person who may decide to treat his or her ball as unplayable by taking penalty relief under Rule 19.2 or 19.3.
Unplayable ball relief is allowed anywhere on the course, except in a penalty area.
If a ball is unplayable in a penalty area, the player’s only relief option is to take penalty relief under Rule 17.
There are three options for relief in 19.2, each one incurring one penalty stroke.
- Stroke-and-Distance Relief. Play the next stroke from where the previous stroke was made.
- Back-on-the-Line Relief. Play a ball on a reference line going straight back from the hole through the spot of the original ball.
- Lateral Relief. Play a ball within 2 club lengths, no nearer the hole.
How can we use this to our advantage?
- On the 1st hole at Oatlands, my drive was in the rough on the left, short of the 150m post. I hit my second well. The ball hit the 150m post and rebounded directly across the 17th and came to rest in the middle of the 13th fairway near the dam. I declared the ball unplayable for one penalty stroke (Rule 19.2a) and dropped my ball where I had made my previous stroke and played again, my 4th I saved negotiating two rows of trees and 50m in distance.
- You are not a confident bunker player. and have laid up in front of a bunker (say the 18th). You duff your pitch into the bunker. You do not wish to play from the bunker, so for one penalty stroke you can take stroke-and-distance relief and drop back outside the bunker where the last stroke was played. (Out for one stroke!)
- If your stroke from the tee or a long fairway shot ends in a bunker, returning to the tee may not be considered a good option. Rule 19.3b may help.
19.3b Extra Relief Option (Two Penalty Strokes) As an extra relief option when a player’s ball is in a bunker, for a total of two penalty strokes, the player may take back-on-the-line relief outside the bunker under Rule 19.2b.
Note that under stroke and distance, the relief area may be nearer the hole, particularly if the ball rebounded from a tree. In other situations, such as a difficult lie near the edge of a bunker or penalty area, where there is a high probability of falling in, or hitting the ball in, unplayable lateral relief (19.2c – 2 club lengths) may give the stance and lie to make a good shot. Think about it in stroke competitions.
Remember: A player is the only person who may decide to treat his or her ball as unplayable by taking penalty relief under Rule 19.2 or 19.3.
If you are checking the rules references in the Player’s Edition of the Rules of Golf and you are referred to the Full Rules you can find the full rules on the free R&A Rules App for phones or tablets, or here https://www.randa.org/en/rog/2019/pages/the-rules-of-golf
Pennant Update
Men’s Major Pennant – A message from the Team Manager
Following the awesome team effort by the Oatlands boys in avoiding relegation from Division 2 of the Men’s Major Pennant vs Glenmore Heritage Valley on Saturday 19th June, I just wanted to take the opportunity to thank the team and those involved across the season.
Starting with the last match against Glenmore, even though we only needed 1.5pts in order to stay in Division 2, it was a cold windy hard morning at Glenmore Park and would have been easy for the side to lack motivation, and given that Glenmore setup their course as hard as possible and with greens like lightning, a hard fought 3.5/3.5 drawn match was a huge credit to our side and a great way to finish the season.
Every player stepped up & gave their all and as a team we were fantastic. Thank you, guys, for getting the job done…. Thank you!
To the amazing Caddies who were there every week rain, hail or shine at ungodly hours in the morning to get there …Thank you! From both the players and myself, we honestly could not have done it without you all there!
To the supporters who were there at the home games and amazingly away games …Thank you! With a special mention to Judy Williams who was a huge support.
To Oatlands Golf Club, the green staff, the catering, the management, the board and the pro shop again …Thank you all so much for all you have done to support & help us.
I have always said this team is not just the players but a collective of the whole club!
Thank you!
Ken Doolan
Team Manager
Mixed Pennant
Our Mixed Pennant side are in the Quarter Finals however like all pennant, it has currently been postponed due to Covid restrictions with a new date TBC.
Men’s Master Pennant