Oatlands Enews – Friday 12th January 2024
Content
This week’s Enews covers the following topics:
- From the Course
- Sam Reece to start his PGA Traineeship
- Care for the Course – Correctly Repairing Pitchmarks
- Australia Day Modified Trading
- Bettington Restaurant, Wednesday 24th January – Menu Available
- Nine, Wine & Dine – Friday 23rd February and 15th March 2024
- Pennant Update
- Upcoming Member Events: January and February 2024
- Recent Trophy Event Winners
- Upcoming Trophy Events
- Family Membership Incentive – 50% Joining Fee Reduction for Immediate Family
- Members Only Facebook Group
From the Course
Rainfall for the Week: 8.0mm, Rainfall for 2024: 10.0mm (2023: 916.0mm), Dam: 90%, Green Speed: 9.5 feet
The course team have been playing a bit of catch up this week with the whipper snippers getting a good workout tidying up those areas around tree bases and distance posts that the rough mowers can’t really get to. With most of the team working on the whipper snippers, this meant the rough mowing will be completed towards the end of the week.
The 15th and 16th fairways and rough were coming out of growth regulation earlier this week, so a new application has been made to these two holes this week so the team can maintain these playing surfaces as required.
Work has started on the first of two course projects which will be completed over the coming weeks, with the 9th pond receiving a much needed makeover to improve its aesthetics and improve the safety for staff when using mowers around this waterway. A staff member was mowing the steep face of this green surrounds when the mower they were using developed a gearbox fault and sent the machine and operator into freefall down the slope, luckily ending up on the rocks in the overflow area, without any harm to the operator or the machine. To eliminate a similar incident from reoccurring, the overflow of this pond will be piped underground, with a pit in the corner of the pond removing water as the level rises in a rainfall event. The rocks around the perimeter of this pond are also being removed with turf being grown down to the water’s edge, like The Australian Golf Club and Augusta National. The front surrounds of this 9th green will also be modified so that it is a straight slope from the collar down to the water’s edge. The area at the end of the concrete path will also be address during these works with excavation of this area so that a proper sub-base is created to grow turf for a high traffic area, with the green plastic mesh material also being used to protect the new turf after it is laid.
The second project is the 7th tee where we will be combining both tee pads into one big tee at the height of the existing front tee pad. The decaying logs at the back of the tee will be removed and replaced with sandstone boulders from the 9th pond, and the surrounds to the left of the tee towards the 8th fairway will be sloped away and turfed in couch.
Our volunteers were back for their first Monday of the new year. A bunker run was completed before the competition, fairway sprinklers were trimmed, paths edged, drainage pits cleaned out, and the practice nets were checked and blown out. Thank you to all those that attended, your assistance is most appreciated.
We will be cutting greens both morning this weekend.Have a great weekend and happy golfing!
The Course Team.
Sam Reece to start his PGA Traineeship
Many members will know that Oatlands member Sam Reece is about to commence his PGA traineeship. The formal start date for this will be on Monday 15th January when Sam plays his first formal PGA match at Concord.
The PGA training is a mix of Academic study, Playing standard, and on the job voctaional training.
Sam goes into his first match in exceptional form having recorded his lifetime best score of 8under par at Oatalnds on Sunday 7th January and having reduced his GA handicap from 2 at the beginning of November to +2 at the time writing of writing.
Sam had the following to say when asked about starting his training and joining the PGA;
“Starting the PGA Traineeship will provide myself with hands-on experience and mentorship, opening doors to fulfilling my career in the golf industry. Ultimately starting up my own coaching business will be my end goal after the completion of the program, but will welcome other opportunities in the golf industry such as management, and playing opportunities with open arms. I look forward to sharing the next 3 years of the program with you all and hopefully knocking a couple of shots off your game”.
We all wish Sam well for the year/s ahead and will watch his progress with interest and pride.
Care for the Course – Correctly Repairing Pitchmarks
The frequent rain and warm weather of summer have seen the golf course in great condition, however it is important that we remain diligent to our responsibility to Course Care. One of those responsibilities is to repair all pitchmarks (ideally your own and at least one other on each green) and to do so using the technique that allows the damage to repair as quickly as quickly as possible as shown in the video below.
If all golfers were to repair 2 or more pitchmarks on every green then unrepaired pithcmarks would cease to a problem.
Please see the video below on the correct way to repair a pitchmark.
Australia Day Modified Trading
Members are advised that trading for Australia Day, Friday 26th January, will see the Sandwich Hut closed (daily bistro menu and pre-packed sandwiches made on the day will be available) and the Clubhouse will close at 5:30pm.
Bettington Restaurant, Wednesday 24th January – Menu Available
Members and guests are invited to our a la carte Bettington Restaurant on Wednesday 24th January 2024.
Bookings are available for 2 to 10 diners, with a two course menu for $55 or three course for $69.
Seating times are available at 6pm, 6:30pm, 7pm and 7:30pm, so grab some friends and join us for another great night of food and friendship.
The Bettington Menu – 24th January 2024
On arrival
- Prawn avocado and cucumber (gf)
- Bread and butter
Entrée
- Buffalo Burrata, watermelon, blood orange, burnt pear puree, walnut crumble (v, gf)
- Bluefin tuna sashimi, sake and sesame dressing, crème fraiche, grape and shiso (gf)
- Oyster Kilpatrick, smoked BBQ sauce, lemon wedge (gf)
Main
- Maple brined and braised wagyu beef brisket, desiree puree, pickled onion (gf)
- Crispy skinned pork belly, apple puree, sushi rice and broccolini (gf)
- Squid ink spaghetti, prawn butter, tiger prawns and cherry tomato
- Pan seared dory, Paris mash, tomberry, dill, caper and lemon butter sauce (gf)
Dessert
- Mango crepes with mango sago pomelo sauce
- Peach and pavlova trifle, brandy custard, almond biscuit and raspberries (gf)
- Chocolate mousse brownie, white chocolate ganache, vanilla ice cream (gf)
Nine, Wine & Dine – Friday 23rd February and 15th March 2024
The first two instalments of the new Nine, Wine & Dine in November and December 2023 have been a fantastic successm with bookings near capacity with members and their guests.
The two remaining events for the 2023-24 season will be held Friday 23rd February and Friday 15th March, with timesheets now open for members to make bookings and to invite guests at no additional charge.
Competition play is optional, but for those playing the single stableford, we have prizes for the men’s and women’s winners and runner ups and an NTP. The 9-holes played will be holes 1-7, 17 & 18.
Tee times will be available from 4pm – 5:30pm with a two course modified a la carte menu after golf.
Bookings are now open, and we hope to see you there.
Pennant Update
Encourage Shield
Following our Encourage Shield team winning the pennant at the end of 2023, the side has subsequently qualified to compete in the State Finals to be played at Newcastle Golf Club in January.
Club Professionals and Team Managers Jeremy Ward and Max Dakic have organised the team to compete in the event along with the Newcastle Junior Classic. The itinerary for the teams participation in the two events is listed below;
Sunday 14th January – Newcastle Junior Classic
- Tournament times -10-11:30am.
Encourage Shield State Finals
Monday 15th January
- Semi-finals
- Tee Times – 9:45am – 11:45am
Tuesday 16th January
- Final and 3rd vs 4th Playoff
- Tee Times 7am – 9am.
Confirmed Team list:
- Ricky Fang
- Alicia Luo
- Jerry Qin
- Jeremy Liew
- Donovan O’Connor
- Noel Bae
- Michale Sze
- Brenden Fu
Winning the Metropolitan Encourage Sheild means the side have been provided with $200 per player by JNJG to cover costs for the event.
Any members who wish to contribute toward the cost of participation in the State Finals or toward the Clubs Junior Development and High Performance Programmes, can do so through the Australian Sports Foundation (link below) with donations fully tax deductible.
CLICK HERE to donate to the Oatlands Juniors
Upcoming Member Events: January and February
The Club has lots of fantastic events coming up for members and guests, and we encourage members to take part in the Club’s diverse event offering over the coming months;
- Wednesday 24th January, The Bettington Restaurant
- Saturday 17th February, The Bettington Restaurant
- Friday 23rd February, Nine, Wine & Dine
- Wednesday 28th February, The Bettington Restaurant
Recent Trophy Event Winners
Corey Fernandez won the Summer Medal on Saturday 6th January with a fine score of nett 63.
Upcoming Trophy Events
Men’s
- Saturday 20th January – AM Stanton Cup
Ladies
- Thursday 25th January – Ladies Opening Day
Mixed
- Friday 12th January – QPC&C Tiger Tee Challenge Champion of Champions
Family Membership Incentive – 50% Joining Fee Reduction for Immediate Family
The Board and Membership Committee of Oatlands Golf Club are pleased to announce a new membership initiative designed to encourage immediate family of our existing membership to join our wonderful Club.
Starting 1st July, all immediate family of an existing member in any of the Club’s playing membership categories, will be eligible for a 50% reduction to the joining fee of the respective category in which they join.
Eligibility criteria are listed below:
- Must be in one of the following relationships with a current Playing Member of the Club.
- Spouse including defacto*
- Children including in-law relationships*
- Parents including in-law relationships*
- Siblings
* Defacto and in-law relationships require verification via a shared address on a photo ID or marriage certificate.
This is an exciting opportunity for existing members of the Club and one that we hope will continue to build the strong family and inter-generational culture that is one of the hallmarks of OGC.
For further information on this incentive or to make an application, please contact Kathy Bright via email: administration@oatlandsgolf.com.au or by phoning the Club Reception.
Members Only Facebook Group
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 380 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, which 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/