Oatlands Enews – Friday 18th November 2022
Content
This week’s Enews covers the following topics:
- Annual General Meeting 2022-23 Director Election
- From the Course
- Digger’s Day – A great day for Legacy
- Ladies Closing Day with Max the Christmas Elf
- Ladies Interclub with Castle CC
- Course Staff Priority – Early Groups
- School Holiday Clinics with Max Dakic
- Single Use Plastic Bags Banned – Bring your own Cooler Bags for Ice
- Join Our Members Only Facebook Group
- Pennant Update
- Upcoming Trophy Events
- Recent Trophy Winners
Annual General Meeting 2022-23 Director Election
Oatlands Golf Club Ltd held its 89th Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 16th November 2022.
The main item on the agenda was the announcement of the 2022-23 Directors including the election results for the contested General Director positions.
A full list of elected directors are outlined below:
- President: George Isaac
- Vice-President: Matthew Seamons
- Captain: Colin McRae
- Vice-Captain: Bill Mitchell
- Treasurer: Tony Groth
As no other nominations were received for these positions, they were declared duly elected.
The following were the nominations for General Directors:
- Mark Clout
- Debbie Jepson
- Ben Mees
- Peter O’Donnell
- Paula Skelton
As five nominations were received for the four general Director positions, a vote had been conducted electronically by Vero Voting, with voting opening Wednesday 2nd November 2022 at 6pm, and closing Monday 14th November 2022 at 6pm.
291 members voted in the election, with the following members elected:
- Peter O’Donnell
- Mark Clout
- Paula Skelton
- Ben Mees
Congratulations to all elected Directors, and in-particular, Peter O’Donnell who has been newly elected.
Thank you also to Debbie Jepson for her nomination, although unsuccessful on this occasion, her desire to be part of managing the Club’s future is fantastic.
The full minutes of the 89th Annual General Meeting will be published to the website in-line with the requirements of the Club’s Constitution.
From the Course
Rainfall for the Week: 34.5mm, Rainfall for 2022: 2003.0mm Dam: 100% Green Speed: 10.5 feet
After what’s been a busy month of Club Championships where greens were rolled regularly, course staff have been able to verti drain all greens on Monday and Tuesday morning to relieve compaction in the soil profile. The small open holes that the solid tines of the verti drain leave behind will allow air movement into the soil profile, and help surfaces drain better should we receive any further rainfall. With 2 verti drain units specifically for greens use only, the team was able to complete this work with very little disruption to members play, or the putting surfaces once the green is rolled once.
Putting surfaces continue to remain firm, fast and challenging at times. The summer season is the most difficult time to manage our greens as humidity has a major influence on disease activity on the turf surfaces. Temperatures above 28 degrees also take the Winter grass (poa) turf (which is the predominant turf species in our greens) out of its comfort zone. Therefore, our fungicide applications increase and the monitoring of soil moisture by probing putting surfaces also increases. We also adjust our focus regarding greens preparation and take a “Green health over speed” approach, meaning when conditions are unfavourable, we will only either cut or roll greens, and not perform both practices together. This approach places less stress on the turf with reduced maintenance practices being performed on it. With the current dusting program to continue, greens will remain firm with only a slight reduction in speed when we swap over to this approach.
All tee pads have been fertilised with a wetting agent and soil penetrant added to the tank mix. This is a pre renovation application with all tees being cored next week. Collars and aprons will also be renovated next week, with sand from the 8th flyover stockpile being used to topdress these surfaces.
Our volunteers were on course Monday morning raking bunkers, trimming fairway sprinkler heads, cleaning and trimming drainage pits, checking and repairing the practice nets, edging concrete paths, and clubhouse maintenance work. Thank you gentlemen for another very productive morning on the course!
Have a great weekend!
The Course Team
Digger’s Day – A Great Day for Legacy
Oatlands held its annual Diggers Day on Saturday 12th November in support of Legacy Australia.
The video at the bottom of this piece provides an overview of the incredible work Legacy does supporting the families of ex-servicemen and women, however, we have had a number of members ask, “What is Digger’s Day?”.
Before World War I, the term “digger” was widely used in Australasia to mean a miner, and also referred to a Kauri gum-digger in New Zealand. In Australia and New Zealand, the term “digger” has egalitarian connotations from the Victorian Eureka Stockade Rebellion of 1854, and was closely associated with the principles of mateship, which may have had resonance from earlier use of the term Diggers as egalitarians. Many Australian and New Zealand soldiers in the Second Boer War, 1899–1902, were former miners, and at the Battle of Elands River (1900), the Australian defenders earned a reputation as diggers, who hastily constructed dugout defences in the hard ground.
Following the landing at Anzac Cove on 25 April 1915 during the Gallipoli Campaign, General Sir Ian Hamilton wrote to General William Birdwood, the commander of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC), adding in postscript: “You have got through the difficult business, now you have only to dig, dig, dig, until you are safe.” However, writer Tim Lycett argues that there is no hard evidence to suggest that Hamilton’s message is the reason why “digger” was applied to ANZAC troops in general.
W. H. Downing, in Digger Dialects, a glossary of words and phrases used by Australian personnel during the war, says that Digger was first used to mean a New Zealand or Australian soldier in 1916. It appears to have become popular among New Zealand troops before being adopted by Australians. The word was not in wide use amongst soldiers until 1917. According to author Tim Lycett, Cyril Longmore, the author of the Australian 44th Battalion’s official history, recorded the term being used by members of the battalion in a manner synonymous with the word “cobber” during their time digging trenches while training on Salisbury Plain in late 1916 as the 3rd Division prepared to deploy to the Western Front and from Longmore’s book and letters he published later, Lycett has asserted that the term possibly gained prominence following a speech from the 11th Brigade’s commander, Brigadier James Cannan, about the digging “prowess” of the 44th Battalion, many of whom had worked in the Western Australian goldfields prior to enlisting.
Link with the ANZAC Legend
At the outbreak of World War I, Australia and New Zealand were both relatively “young” nations, with little exposure on the international stage. Deployed to Gallipoli in early 1915, the soldiers of both nations had a chance to prove themselves. Although the Gallipoli campaign resulted in heavy casualties and ultimately ended in withdrawal for the Allies, the campaign became strongly linked with the emergence of national identity in Australia and New Zealand. Through the manner in which the Australian and New Zealand soldiers endured the hardships of battle, the image that has become synonymous with the word “digger” has become linked with the concept of the Anzac legend, embodying the qualities of “endurance, courage, ingenuity, good humour, and […] mateship”. In Australia, as the nation became more industrialised and urbanised, the term later assumed the qualities previous ascribed to the “bushman”, including traits such as “hardiness, democratic spirit, mateship and resourcefulness”.
Diggers Day
Many Clubs and organisations run a “Diggers” Day close to or on Remembrance Day, to raise money for Legacy and to pay homeage to the Diggers that gave their lives to provide the freedoms we enjoy today.
It is a tradition that is dear to Oatlands with our history intrinsically linked to the ADF, and it is an honour to be able to contribute to the great cause of Legacy and the work they do supporting the families for those that have given their lives in defence of our freedom.
The OGC Diggers Day raised almost $4,000 for legacy and was a wonderful day enjoyed by all.
The video below was compiled by Matt Hartland and Dom Yates who was administering the 19th hole betting hole for the AM field of the event.
Ladies Closing Day with Max the Christmas Elf
As always, our Ladies made the Closing Day for the 2022 season another one to remember, but this year they were helped by the Pro Shop’s Christmas Elf, Max Dakic, hitting shots on the 18th hole.
Max (dressed by the ladies) added to the festivities and another great day hosted by our ladies.
Well done ladies and kudos to Max for being such a good sport!
Ladies Interclub with Castle Hill CC
The OGC Ladies hosted neighbours Castle Hill CC on Thursday for one of our annual Interclub events.
The small group of ladies from both Clubs enjoyed a beautiful day on the golf course followed by lunch.
We are happy to sat that the home team was victorious 9 matches to 2 as per the results below:
|
Oatlands Host Interclub |
Castle Hill Interclub |
Score |
Oatlands |
Castle Hill |
|
Linda Gyzen |
Kay Cruise |
OGC Win |
1 |
|
|
Leonie Guthrie |
Pam McDonald |
Square |
½ |
½ |
|
Amanda Walkerden |
Marg Smyth |
OGC Win |
1 |
0 |
|
Rhonda Tresnan |
Janet Lien |
OGC Win |
1 |
0 |
|
Kate Crawford |
Pauline Power |
OGC Win |
1 |
0 |
|
Michele Hannaford |
Renuka Padmanabhan |
CHC Win |
0 |
1 |
|
Kim Lim |
Carolun James |
Square |
½ |
½ |
|
Soreen Ferm |
Lina Song |
OGC Win |
1 |
0 |
|
Judith Leeds Roberts |
Ros James |
OGC Win |
1 |
0 |
|
Danielle Cordina |
Sue Follington |
OGC Win |
1 |
0 |
|
Cheryl Peterson |
Seng Yun |
OGC Win |
1 |
0 |
|
|
|
Total |
9 |
2 |
Course Staff Priority – Early Groups
Members would be aware that course staff have priority at all times. Despite this, course staff always endeavour to minimise disruption to the play of golf.
With the resurgence of golf in recent years, OGC has seen an increase from approximately 45,000 rounds per annum to close to 60,000. This increase reduces the window of opportunity for course staff to maintain the course without disruption to play.
Adding to this, when the early groups in the field race around in under 3 hours, it further decreases the opportunity for course maintenance and preparation.
As such, effective immediately, course staff have been directed by the Greens Committee to leave flags out of greens until the hole is ready for play, and members are asked to not play to a green until the flag is in.
Course staff will continue to work as efficiently as possible ahead of play, however will be working on the starting groups playing no quicker than 3 hours and 45 minutes for 18-holes.
This policy is for the betterment of the course and for all Club members. We thank you in advance for your understanding and patience.
School Holiday Clinics with Max Dakic
Max Dakic will be running a School Holiday Clinic for our Junior Members and friends (you don’t have to be a member to join the class).
Dates are as follows:
- Tuesday 10th January – 10:00 am to 11:30 am (Full Swing)
- Wednesday 11th January – 10:00 am to 11:30 am (Short Game)
- Thursday 12th January – 10:00 am to 11:30 am (Putting)
Food & Drink will be provided after each clinic.
The total cost will be $90 for each participant for all three clinics.
Bookings can be made through the Members website or by contacting the Proshop.
Single Use Plastic Bags Banned – Bring your own Cooler Bag for Ice
Members are advised, that as of 1st November, Single-use plastic items are now banned in NSW, with environmental campaigners welcoming the move as a major win for birds and marine life. Once commonplace, items including plastic straws, plates, plastic-stemmed cotton buds, cups and personal care products with microbeads are now outlawed in NSW.
As a result of this, members wishing to get ice from the Club to take out onto the golf course, will need to bring their own re-usable bags or Eskies.
Join Our Members Only Facebook Group
The Club’s members only Facebook Group is a fantastic way for members and staff to engage with each other.
We now have almost 350 members who have joined the group and we would love to see that grow to include all of our members.
Importantly, members are advised that this social media platform will not be used for the Club to communicate critical information, that will remain via the Enews, website and direct email however, it is a place that members and the Club can post interesting Club and golf related items to compliment this Enews.
To join the Members Only Facebook Group please click on the link below and then click on the “JOIN GROUP” button. You will be asked a few questions to verify you are a member and then approved by the group administrator shortly thereafter.
www.facebook.com/groups/870087546972166/
Pennant Update
Encourage Shield
The venue for the Encourage Shield Semi-final on Sunday 27th November has been announced, with our side playing Moore Park at Campbelltown GC at 12:48pm.
We hope as many members as possible can make it out to the Semi-Final and support our talented up and coming juniors.
We have a tight knit group of players who enjoy representing Oatlands and giving it their all.
Team List below:
- Christian Fong
- Ricky Fang
- Jerry Qin
- Alicia Luo
- Jeremy Liew
- Donovan O’Connor
Reserve: Jonathan Le
Well done team and good luck in the Semi- Final😊.
Jeremy Ward
Golf Operations Manager and Head Teaching Professional
Upcoming Trophy Events
Men
November
- Sat 26th Nov – Oatlands Cup Vardon
- Wed 30th Nov – Christmas Cheer
December
- Sat 3rd Dec – Club Medal and Medal of Medals
- Sat 10th Dec – Presidents vs Captains
Ladies
November
- Mon 21st Nov – Ladies Summer Foursomes Rd1
- Mon 28th Nov – Ladies Summer Foursomes Rd2
December
- Thurs 1st Dec – Christmas Cheer
- Mon 5th Dec – Ladies Summer Foursomes Rd3
- Mon 12th Dec – Ladies Summer Foursomes Final
Mixed
- Sun 4th Dec – Christmas Cheer
Recent Trophy Winners
There were no trophy winners decided in the last week.
