Oatlands Enews – Friday 17th March 2023
Content
This week’s Enews covers the following topics:
- From the Course
- Captain’s Corner – Rules: Prohibited Areas of Play / 2023 Rule Changes
- 60 Seconds with Dave – OGC High Performance Squad
- Ladies Weekend Matchplay Events – Conditions of Play
- Bar Tab and Visitor Vouchers – Expire 1st April 2023
- Pennant Update
- Recent Trophy Event Winners
- Upcoming Trophy Events
- Members Only Facebook Group – Join in the Fun
From the Course
Rainfall for the Week: 27.0mm, Rainfall for 2023: 361.0mm Dam: 100% Green Speed: 10feet
The course received some nice rain on Monday and Tuesday which was beneficial in regard to some maintenance practices that we had planned to perform. All greens were dusted early Monday morning before the ladies shotgun start at 8am, with the knowledge that rain was on its way and this sand would be washed into the turf canopy of the putting surfaces. Our ladies had to play on the dusted greens for around an hour before the heavens opened. Feedback from some of the ladies was that the greens were very fast with the dusting of sand across them, and then back to normal speed after the rain washed the sand in. This is the message that I’ve expressed regarding the dusting of the greens, as it will ultimately produce firmer, truer and faster greens long term. Now to plan which Wednesday I will dust the greens for the competition!
With the prediction for the rain to return late Monday and into Tuesday, we proceeded to fertilise all bunker surrounds to maintain growth in these areas, and encourage some recovery growth in several of our Zoysia bunker surrounds which have been affected by herbicide use last winter to control Winter grass weeds. This fertiliser application should take the plant about a week to react, especially with the warm weather that we are going to experience over the weekend.
Members playing the course this week will have noticed that our roughs are shorter this week than what they have been over the past month. While some members may think we let the rough grow longer to gain a home course advantage during the pennant season, this is not the case. On an average week during the growing season, it takes 3 staff members 3 days to cut all of the rough. We start cutting rough on a Monday or Tuesday on either side of the 1st fairway, moving across to the 17th, 13th 12th/18th, 14th, 15th, 16th etc… before finishing up on the 11th and Nursery area on the Friday. Therefore, with growth so strong because of rainfall and humidity, the rough along the 1st and 17th looks uncut and long by the weekend. You may ask, ‘Then why does it look so much shorter this week?’. That’s the effect that the growth regulator application from last week has had on the turf plant. Some significant lines can be seen in the roughs along the tree lines and indicates regulated growth against unregulated growth.
Minimal rough has been cut this week as a result of the growth regulation, freeing up 3 staff members for 3 days of the week. This has provided an opportunity to start trimming our Zoysia bunker edges, and removing the runners that were entering the sand and running down the bunker faces. This work will continue into next week. Sand has been added to the back left bunker at the 1st green, with the team to move across to the back right bunker at the 1st as our next bunker to complete.
The completion of this seasons bunker program is the priority for the course team after all the routine maintenance work required each day/week is completed. We know the stockpiled material on the 8th flyover is somewhat of an eyesore for the course, especially when the rest of the course is in such great condition. The processing (removal of old drainage pipe and bunker matting material), of this stockpile and the intended use of the fill is winter work when growth is slow and the seasons bunker program is completed. The course team weren’t able to process or remove any of last years stockpile, as the rain from February through to October made it impossible to do so. With favourable weather conditions this winter, we’re planning to process this stockpile and then use the remaining fill to improve the 8th flyover area with small mounding work and a Geohex path through this area. The fill will also be used on the RHS of the 7th green surrounds to improve the appearance of this area, with an additional sprinkler head to be installed to ensure moisture levels can be maintained during the hotter drier months. Other areas for this fill to be used, include the 2nd and 17th flyovers to create better and smoother playing surfaces, and a small mound on the RHS of the 7th fairway to direct surface runoff water away from the 3rd green.
Our staffing levels are down on what they were this time last year, and they have been further reduced with the resignation of Assistant Superintendent James Beileiter. James has left to pursue his own business franchise, and we wish him all the best with this business opportunity!
Our volunteers were on course Monday morning, and they continue to help the course team ‘keep their head above the water’, with all the small jobs they complete each week. Bunkers were raked before the shotgun start, practice nets were repaired or replaced, and the hedges along the car park were trimmed. Thank you gentlemen for all your assistance again this week!
We will be cutting greens on Saturday and only removing dew from the greens on Sunday.
Have a great weekend!
The Course Team
Captain’s Corner – Rules: Prohibited Areas of Play / 2023 Rule Changes
Recently there has been a number of questions put to me regarding relief from designated gardens, which are deemed Prohibited Areas of Play. The confusion has arisen due to several factors, being movement to online scoring, with members not aware of where the local rules are in the Mi-score app, different options under the bunker rejuvenation program, and just clarity of where relief is allowed.
Local Rule 2(a) under Prohibited Areas of Play it states the following:
“a) No Play Zones in Abnormal Course Conditions is identified by a green stake. Relief must be taken under Rule 16.1f. For a ball in, or interference by the No Play Zone behind greens 5,8,9,12and 18relief must be taken with 2 club lengths of the nearest dropping stake under Rule 14.3”.
- There is no option, and therefore relief must be at the dropping stake.
Should your ball come to rest in a no play zone defined by a green stake, and there is no dropping stake relief must be taken at the nearest point of full relief, not nearer the hole
I trust this clarifies any uncertainty.
As from the 1st January 2023 there were a number of rule changes made. While some were very minor, there were a number of changes that members need to be aware of. Two of the changes are detailed below.
The two rules relate to the standing behind the player by a caddie or playing partner. In both cases a caddie or playing partner is not permitted to stand behind the player once they start to take their stance.
In the case of a caddie please refer to Rule 10.2b(4) with the 2023 outcome of the review is stated below.
The Rule has been re-written to incorporate the relevant 2019 Clarifications and provide two outcomes depending on whether the caddie is standing behind the player to (1) help with aiming, or (2) help with something other than aiming. The area in which the caddie must not stand behind the player to help them has been given a term (the “restricted area”). The Rule now allows for someone other than the player’s caddie (or partner) to stand in the restricted area to track the flight of their ball.
With regards to your playing partner, there is a new Rule 22.6 which is now in force which states the following:
New Rule 22.6 prohibits a partner from standing behind the player to gain information for the side’s next stroke and if the partner does so, the side gets the general penalty. This is in addition to the limitations in Rule 10.2b(4) on the player.
Good Golfing!
Col McRae
Club Captain
60 Seconds with Dave – OGC High Performance Squad
OGC PGA Professional gives us an overview of what some of our High Performance Squad are working on in this short video with Michael Sze.
To book a lesson with David Ecob or any of the Club’s PGA Professionals, please contact the Pro Shop or visit the Clinics and Lessons tab of the Club website.
Ladies Weekend Matchplay Events – Conditions of Play
Following the announcement of two new ladies trophy events last week (details copied below), the Ladies Committee have drafted Conditions of Play for each of the events which are available by clicking on the link below.
Click here for the Conditions of Play for each Event
The Ladies Committee is pleased to announce the introduction of two new trophy events for our lady members.
The two events will consist of one singles handicap knockout matchplay and one fourball handicap knockout matchplay.
The dates for each event are set out below:
Weekend Ladies Handicap Cup
- Sunday 16th April: Qualifying
- Sunday 23rd April: Quarter Finals
- Sunday 30th April: Semi Finals
- Sunday 7th May: Final
Weekend Ladies Fourball Knockout
- Sunday 28th May: Qualifying
- Sunday 4th June: Quarter Finals
- Sunday 18th June: Semi Finals
- Sunday 25th June: Final
Final conditions of play will be available closer to the beginning of each event, and the naming of the respective trophies will also be decided between now and the Annual Presentation Dinner.
We hope as many of our OGC ladies as possible, will take part in these events and ensure their ongoing viability and success.
Bar Tab and Visitor Vouchers – Expire 1st April 2023
Members are reminded that their annual Bar Tab credit, and Visitor Vouchers (Visitor Vouchers allocated to Full Playing and 6-Day members only) will expire on 1st April 2023 at the commencement of the 2023-24 Membership year.
Bar Credit can be used for clubhouse and takeaway beverage purchases, along with attendance at Club dining events such as The Bettington Nights.
Visitor Vouchers can be used to bring non-member guests during competition or social play with no green fee payable.
Members are encouraged to visit the “MEMBERS ACCOUNT” section of the Club website to confirm the status of their Bar Tab and Visitor Voucher accounts for 2022-23, and utilise the remaining credit on or before 31st March 2023.
Ladies Grade
The OGC Ladies were at Pennant Hills GC today (Friday 17th March) taking on The Australian GC. Unfortunately our ladies got beaten 3 matches to 2.
Next week is the final match of the Grade season with our side taking on Carnarvon at The Lakes GC.
Ladies Silver II
The OGC Ladies were at Concord GC today (Friday 17th March) taking on Monash CC. Unfortunately Monash were too strong defeating our ladies 3 matches to 2.
Silver II have one more match remaining next week at home at Oatlands GC. As the host does not play in Silver II, our ladies have finished the season for 2023.
Mixed Pennant
Our Mixed Pennant team had their final home and away match at Oatlands on Sunday. The team performed very well with a comprehensive win. However, it was not enough to make the Quarter Finals. Although they finished equal top of their Division, they finished 1 individual match behind Cabramatta, so we look ahead to next season!
Results:
- Tony Monaghan & Linda Gyzen – Won 2/1
- Christian O’Reilly & Amy Kim – Won 2/1
- Lindsay Macinnes & Justa Kim – Won 3/2
- Ben Mees & Leonie Guthrie – All Square
- Pete Crawford & Stephanie Monaghan – Won 5/4
- Steve & Linda Bestford – Lost 1 Down
Recent Trophy Event Winners
There were no trophies decided in the last week.
Upcoming Trophy Events
Men’s
- Saturday 18th March – Memorial Bowl
- Saturday 25th March – NB Charlton 4Ball Matchplay Qualifying
- Saturday 1st April – NB Charlton Quarter Finals
- Monday 10th April – US Masters Breakfast and Golf
- Saturday 15th April – Club Medal
- Monday 17th April – Wednesday 19th April inclusive – Course Renovation and Closure
- Saturday 29th April – NB Charlton Semi Finals
Ladies
- Thursday 23rd March – Grace Norris Trophy Rnd 2
- Thursday 30th March – Grace Norris Trophy Rnd 3
- Thursday 6th April – Grace Norris Trophy Final
- Monday 10th April – US Masters Breakfast and Golf
- Monday 17th April – Wednesday 19th April inclusive – Course Renovation and Closure
Mixed
- Sunday 26th March – Husband and Wife Trophy
- Monday 10th April – US Masters Breakfast and Golf
- Monday 17th April – Wednesday 19th April inclusive – Course Renovation and Closure
Members Only Facebook Group – Join in the Fun
The engagement among the membership on our Members Only Facebook group has continued to grow in recent months with posts from members and staff happening daily.
So if you aren’t already part of our Members Only Facebook Group, join up now and join in the fun banter.
We now have over 350 members who have joined the group and hope to see this get closer to 700 in the next 12-months.
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/
