Oatlands Enews – Friday 29th July 2022
Content
This week’s Enews covers the following topics:
- From the Course
- Captain’s Corner – Foursomes Championships Order of Play
- David Ecob Bunker Clinics – Friday 5th August
- OGC Staff running City 2 Surf to raise money for Spinal Cord Injuries Australia
- Bettington Texas Smokehouse BBQ, Saturday 6th August – Menu Confirmed
- Divots Washed Out by Recent Rain – WE NEED YOUR HELP!
- Pennant Update
- Upcoming Trophy Events
- Recent Trophy Winners
- Upcoming Club Events
From the Course
Rainfall for the Week: 31.0mm, Rainfall for 2022: 1,667.5mm Dam: 100% Green Speed: 8.5 feet
I know it seems like I’m repeating myself each week, but the rain the course received late last week and into Saturday really made all surfaces very, very wet. The good news is that the wind that blew Tuesday night into Wednesday morning really helped to speed the drying process, which will enable members back onto the course from Friday.
It is worth comparing our YTD rainfall for 2022 (1,667.5mm) against the annual rainfall chart adjacent. This shows that there has been only one year in the past 32 years that has had more rainfall in a full year than we have had in the first 7-months of 2022.
With the course being too wet to drive machinery everywhere, the team continued work on the 13th bunker surrounds this week, to limit our movement on the course. All the existing turf that had been sprayed with Roundup has been removed, and the right hand side surrounds re-shaped so that any surface runoff water is directed around the bunker. All the surrounds of this bunker are prepped for new Zoysia turf to be laid on Tuesday, and then the lining process will begin. With some good weather, we should have sand in this bunker by the end of the following week.
The greens have enjoyed the rest this week but being under water several times on Thursday and Friday certainly isn’t ideal. The damaged areas from the recent disease attack have improved this week, with additional fungicide applications made to all greens to ensure their health continues to improve.
The wet weather has identified a few critical areas that require sub-surface drainage installation to help the course deal with weather events such as this. These areas are from the 1st flyover across the 17th and 13th to the 13th pond, 2nd flyover, 4th fairway and Skelton’s Pond on the 15th. The team has started this work on the 2nd flyover after a stormwater pipe from the 16th bunkers was located by our plumber. Further drainage lines are going to be installed through this area which collect surface water coming from the 16th fairway and 2nd tee. We are also adding some shape to this flyover area with the material we remove from the drainage trenches and from the stockpile material on the 8th flyover, and this will also improve the 2nd flyover area.
Our Volunteers were back on Monday morning, continuing to clear the under growth on the left hand side of the 15th hole, edging pathways, clearing and trimming drainage pits, and clubhouse maintenance. Thank you gentlemen for another productive Monday morning, where members that hit their ball into this area on the 15th will be very grateful that it has been cleared out!
Enjoy the weekend!
The Course Team
Captain’s Corner – Foursomes Championships Order of Play
Foursomes Play Order
With the 4th hole still out of play and the 19th hole in, and to ensure there is no confusion with the order of play for Saturday’s Foursomes Championships, below is the order of play for the 36-hole Championship and the 18-hole event of the day;
The order of play will remain as alternative tee shots from each player, as shown below:
First Round and 18-hole competition
- Player A tees off on holes 1,3,6,7,9,11,13,15,17
- Player B tees off on holes 2,5,19,8,10,12,14,16,18
Please note that as the 18 hole event in both the morning and the afternoon starts from the 12th tee, player B will have the first tee shot, and then follow alternative tees.
For those members participating in the 36 hole event, the second round will follow the same as the above, except that player B will start the second round on the 1st tee.
Second Round of 36-Hole competition
- Player B tees off on holes 1,3,6,7,9,11,13,15,17
- Player A tees off on holes 2,5,19,8,10,12,14,16,18
Enjoy the day!
Colin McRae
Club Captain
David Ecob Bunker Clinic – Friday 5th August
On Friday 5th August at 1:30pm, David Ecob will be hosting a clinic that’s going to help improve your bunker play. Specifically bunker technique, club selection from the sand and playing from various bunkers lies.
To help you become a master of the beach and be able to get out of any sand trap, the total cost of the 1-hour clinic is only $50 per person.
This clinic has space for a maximum of 6 people in the class, so be sure to book your place asap! Bookings can be made via our online booking system or by contacting the Pro Shop on (02) 9630 4444 ext 1.
OGC Staff running City 2 Surf to raise money for Spinal Cord Injuries Australia
Oatlands staff members Jonny Chin, Karah Chapman and Hannah Skuodos, will be running in the annual iconic City 2 Surf on Sunday 14th August.
In-conjunction, Jonny will be raising money for Spinal Cord Injuries Australia, a fantastic organisation that does a lot of good for vulnerable people.
Members who would like to support the fundraising can do so via the link below.
Best of luck to both Jonny, Karah, and Hannah!
Bettington Texas Smokehouse BBQ, Saturday 6th August – Menu Confirmed
The menu for the Bettington Texas Smokehouse BBQ on Saturday 6th August has been confirmed and is available below.
These nights are available to members and guests with bookings via the Club website or by contacting Reception.
Banquet
New Orleans BBQ Shrimp
Texas Beef Brisket
St. Louis Pork Ribs
Mashed Potato
Cajun Corn
BLT Salad
Bread and Butter
Dessert
Southern Pecan Pie
Divots Washed Out by Recent Rain – WE NEED YOUR HELP!
The volume of rainfall over recent weeks has had the unfortunate effect of washing out all divots that have been diligently filled by golfers.
As such, we are calling on all members to please spend additional time on each hole emptying your sand bucket into unfilled divots. Filling these divots back to the level of the surrounding turf allows that surrounding turf to grow over the divot.
This extreme weather event at the beginning of winter has the potential to have a lasting impact on the condition of the golf course and every little bit of additional assistance in repairing the damage will shorten the recovery time.
Members are encouraged to keep your bucket in your hands while walking the fairways between shots and empty it on every hole. If we all do this, the course will be given it’s best chance to overcome the rain damage and this will allow our course staff and volunteers to focus on bigger items requiring attention.
We thank you in advance for your assistance.
Regards,
Col McRae
Club Captain
Pennant Update
Eric Apperly Shield
Our Eric Apperly side were defeated 4.5 to 1.5 by NSW GC at Stonecutters GC last Sunday.
Despite the loss, our young side are gaining plenty of experience. Eric Kong won his match and Wil Reece made 3 birdies in the last 4 holes to square his match against an opponent on a +5 handicap.
This week our side has a bye while we host the other Clubs in our division at Oatlands on Sunday.
Note: The Eric Apperly competition is now mixed with the Golf NSW conditions requiring the course played by ladies to be 85% the length of the Men’s course for the scratch matchplay. As such, Sunday will see the green course tees approximately 25m ahead of the green tombstones and at the beginning of most fairways.
Ladies Bronze I
Unfortunately, the Bronze I Pennant has been cancelled for this year due to weather impact on fixtures.
This means that the weather has prevented all ladies pennant from completion with the exception of Grade, and one of four Northern District Pennants.
We look forward to a 2023 without Covid or weather disruptions!
Upcoming Trophy Events
Men
July
- Sat 30th July – Foursomes Championships
August
- Sat 6th Aug – Presidents Cup
- Sat 6th Aug – NB Charlton KO Final
- Sat 13th Aug – HP Evans Qualifying
- Mon 15th Aug – Wed 17th Aug – Course Renovations (Closed)
- Sat 20th Aug – Legacy Cup
- Friday 26th Aug – Oatlands PGA Scramble
- Sat 27th Aug – HP Evans M/Play Rd1
September
- Sun 18th September – WE Tunks Father & Son / Parent & Child
Ladies
July 2022
- Thursday 28th July – Yellow Course – Shotgun 2BBB, Captain v President
August 2022
- Monday 1st August – Yellow Course – Shotgun 4 BBB Stableford, Pennant Hills Interclub
- Thursday 4th August – Red Course – Medal 6, GNWS 5, Vet 5
- Friday 5th August – Concord Interclub (At Concord)
- Thursday 11th August – Yellow Course – Stableford, Grace Norris Trophy, OLGA 6
- Mon 15th Aug – Wed 17th Aug – Course Renovations (Closed)
- Thursday 18th August – Yellow Course – Shotgun Ambrose
- Thursday 25th August – Red Course – Medal 7, GNWS 6, Vet 6, Captain Cup Q
- Friday 26th August – Oatlands PGA Scramble
September 2022
- Monday 26th September – Shotgun 2BBB Stableford, Muirfield Interclub
Mixed
- Sun 31st July – WS Targett Mixed Fourball KO Qualifying
- Sun 7th Aug – Mixed Foursomes Championships
- Sun 14th Aug – WS Targett QF
- Mon 15th Aug – Wed 17th Aug – Course Renovations (Closed)
- Friday 26th Aug – Oatlands PGA Scramble
- Sun 28th Aug – WS Targett SF
- Sun 4th Sept – WS Targett Final
Recent Trophy Winners
There were no trophy events finalised this week due to wet weather.
