Oatlands Enews – Friday 2nd August 2024
Content
This week’s Enews covers the following topics:
- From the Course
- Captain’s Corner – Slow Play
- Interactive Rules Seminar – Wednesday 4th September
- Oatlands Scramble – Tuesday 17th September
- Introduction to Competition Golf Sessions
- Pennant Update
- Recent Trophy Event Winners
- Upcoming Golf / Trophy Events
- Upcoming Member Events: July & August
- Members Only Facebook Group
From the Course
Rainfall for the Week: 17.0mm, Rainfall for 2024: 922.0mm, Dam: 100%, Green Speed: 10.0 feet
A productive week on the course for the team this week with some small progress made on the 16th drainage project, green surrounds sprayed for fusarium disease, winter grass control spraying on the 17th and 18th green surrounds, sand added to selected bunkers, and the continual debris tidy up after a week of constant bitterly cold winds hitting the course.
A lateral line across the 16th fairway was completed this week, with these lines to continue over the fairway and eventually on the rough side of the mainline. These laterals will capture surface water as it travels across the fairway surface or down and across the rough line from the 17th tee complex. The strong winds are helping to dry out fairway playing surfaces, but moisture levels in the sub soils are remaining high without the warmth from the sun at this time of year. The high moisture levels will have a positive effect once the warmer weather returns with the whole course expected to bounce back to life as surfaces are in very good condition for this time of the year.
Recent fungicide applications to fairway surfaces are controlling pathogens that cause fusarium disease in kikuyu at this time of the year. Other courses throughout the Sydney region that haven’t sprayed their fairways are seeing this disease at its worse this year on the back of the high rainfall we have experienced during this winter period. This disease can be seen particularly in shaded areas of our roughs where our fungicide program/budget doesn’t stretch far enough to cover. This week green surrounds were sprayed for this disease, as the patches can be seen on the lower side of the 6th green surround.
The war against winter grass continued this week with hand spraying on the 17th and 18th green and bunker surrounds performed. Members may notice that these surrounds are different colours to each other, but that is just a different spray indicator which we use to ensure that we don’t miss too many areas or too many winter grass weeds! The winter grass weeds in these surrounds should start turning yellow in the next week or two when this application works.
Sand has been added to selected bunkers this week to ensure that the matting under the sand is well covered. Staff members regularly push built up sand from the exit points of the bunkers back up to the front of the bunkers where the face meets the base of the bunker. The sand builds up at the exit point from players raking the sand back towards the exit point as they leave the bunker after a shot. However, after a while the amount of sand in the bunker reduces as a result from shots being played and winds, to the point that the course staff must add fresh sand to the bunker to ensure the matting is adequately covered. Sand has been added to LHS 2nd, front RHS 3rd, middle and front RHS 5th, back LHS 11th, front LHS 12th, middle and RHS 13th, both front bunkers 16th, and front LHS 18th. Once the sand is spread in the bunker, course staff wet the sand and then compact it with a plate compactor to settle it as quickly as possible and to also help avoid the dreaded fried egg lie on the fresh sand.
Collar edging was completed this week which defines and helps separate the different grass species that we have around our green complexes. By routinely edging the area between the grass types, this will hopefully reduce the amount of kikuyu invasion into the couch collars and aprons.
Volunteers were on course Monday morning performing a bunker run in front of the competition, trimming fairway sprinkler heads, edging pathways, and practice net clean and repair work. Thank you to those that braved the cold winds on Monday, your assistance was very much appreciated.
Greens will be rolled on Saturday morning and cut on Sunday morning.
Happy Golfing!
The Course Team.
Member Welfare
The community of Oatlands GC is a strong one, and there are many longstanding and special friendships at our Club.
The welfare of our members is very important to us all, and whenever the Board, Management or Staff are advised of a member who may be experiencing difficulty (such as an unexpected illness or injury), we do our best to reach out and offer our support.
If you are aware of a fellow member experiencing difficulty of any sort, please feel free to advise Club General Manager, Sam Howe, or Membership Co-ordinator, Kathy Bright, and we will make contact on behalf of the Club and its members to offer our best wishes and support.
Captain’s Corner – Slow Play
As the days are shorter this time of year, the issue of slow play rears its head. Whilst we don’t want people breaking records to play golf, we ask that players be aware that slow play knocks on through the field. If your group finishes in 4 hours 45, it will certainly set the scene for 5 hour plus rounds later in the field.
The most important factor is your place in the field is not directly in front of the group behind, but directly behind the group in front. If you are on the tee of a par four and the group in front is on the green, then you have fallen behind. There are several simple steps you can take to improve pace of play.
1. The time for chat is not when you should be ready to hit.
2. Walk directly to your ball. Don’t walk as a group chatting then break off to play your shot.
3. Read the green as you approach the green. By the time it is your turn to putt, you should have studied the putt and be ready to play.
4. In most cases, the best place to leave your bag/cart is between the green you are playing and the next tee. You should never leave your equipment in front of the green when you are putting.
5. Play ready golf. Except in match play, there is no penalty for playing out of turn. If you are ready, yet closer to the green than your partner who is not ready, you should play your shot if it is safe to do so.
6. When in doubt, play a provisional ball. You have three minutes only to search for a lost ball, not five.
7. If you have putted out and the fairway is clear and you can hit, mark your score later when you are held up or when others are hitting. Don’t waste time marking when you could be hitting.
8. Calling up on par threes is recommended. Don’t be worried about people watching you as quite frankly, they don’t care where you hit it and they can help you spot your ball. Calling up can save up to 5 minutes per par three.
All these tips and more can shave minutes/seconds off your round duration which all adds up.
Good Golfing
Col McRae
Club Captain
Oatlands Golf Club
Interactive Rules Seminar – Wednesday 4th September
Join us on Wednesday 4th September, for our next interactive Rules Seminar covering both R&A Rules and OGC Local Rules demonstrated specifically on Oatlands Golf Course, utilising drone photography.
This seminar will cover all the common Rules of Golf as they specifically relate to situations at OGC, along with the Club Local Rules and an opportunity for attendees to ask specific questions about any hole and scenario on our golf course.
Booking for this Seminar is via the Club website or by phoning Reception.
Oatlands Scramble – Tuesday 17th September
Oatlands will be holding our annual Scramble event on Tuesday 17th September with the event open to members and visitors.
So get your team of four together and enter now.
Oatlands Golf Club – Mixed Open
Date: Tuesday, September 17, 2024
Tee Time: 8.00AM Shotgun Start
Entry Fee:
Members: $80.00 pp
Visitors: $110.00 pp
Inclusions:
- 3 x Callaway golf balls per person
- Bacon & Egg Roll and Barista Tea/Coffee on arrival.
- A chance to share in over $1,700 of prizes
- Exclusive partner offers
Registrations Close: Monday, September 16, 2024 at 12:00 PM
Handicap limits for both individuals and teams apply. Please ensure you have read the Scramble Terms of Competition prior to competing in this event.
To register a team for the 2024 Oatlands Scramble, CLICK HERE.
Introduction to Competition Golf Sessions
The Club will be hosting a series of Introduction to Competition Golf Sessions each month for the remainder of the year.
These sessions are aimed at those members interested in playing competition golf, or those that have just started and would like further information on the nuances of competition golf compared to social golf.
The sessions will go for 2-hours, with one hour inside covering handicapping, hole indexes and course ratings, and scoring formats, with the second hour outside covering practical examples of the common golf rules and etiquette that form part of competition golf.
Bookings for these sessions are available via the Club website of by contacting the Pro Shop, and will be offered on the following dates:
- Tuesday 27th August @ 10am
- Tuesday 24th September @ 2pm
- Tuesday 22nd October @10am
- Tuesday 26th November @10am
Participation in these sessions is complimentary.
Pennant Update
Ladies Bronze I Pennant
Our Bronze I Ladies played at Ryde- Parramatta GC on Friday 26th July against North Ryde GC.
While 4 of 5 matches made it to the last two holes, we went down 4 matches to 1 .
Our Ladies next match is today (Friday 2nd August) against Bankstown GC at North Ryde GC at 9am.
Results are not available at the time of publication.
Men’s Super Senior Pennant
Monash CC hosted round 3 of the Super Seniors Pennant on Thursday 1st August.
Oatlands Golf Club played North Ryde Golf Club, and what a cold rainy bleak day it was out there on the course. Sun, wind, rain and the cold.
After winning the toss, our teams hit off from 11.30am. It was game on from then.
Monash greens lived up to their reputation and were lightning fast, causing all our players to concentrate hard on their putting.
The Oatlands team had a great win 4.5 to 3.5. Nearly all games being really close right down to the 18th.
Win Result:
- Rob Palin
- Renato Manongdo
- Vassik Barovs
Square Result:
- John Farrar
- Chris Garland
- Lindsay Macinnes
Well done guys, a great result!
Next week, Thursday 8th August, we take on Asquith GC at North Ryde GC.
Recent Trophy Event Winners
The 2024 Legacy Cup was played on Saturday 27th July, in another day of difficult golf due to weather.
The winner of the Legacy Cup was Tim Bragg with a score of 39 points.
Well done Tim!
Upcoming Golf / Trophy Events
Men’s
- Saturday 3rd August – President’s Cup
- Saturday 10th August – HP Evans Knockout Qualifying
- Saturday 17th August – HP Evans Knockout Rnd 1
- Mon 19th – Wed 21st August inclusive – Course Renovation Closure
- Saturday 24th August – Green Tee Stableford
- Saturday 31st August – HP Evans Knockout Quarter-finals
Ladies
- Monday 5th August – Visitors Day
- Thursday 15th August – Club Medal
- Mon 19th – Wed 21st August inclusive – Course Renovation Closure
- Thursday 22nd August – Team Event TBA
Mixed
- Sunday 4th August – WS Targett Knockout Final
- Mon 19th – Wed 21st August inclusive – Course Renovation Closure
Upcoming Member Events: August
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:
- Friday 16th August, 500 Social Cards Evening
- Saturday 17th August, Debortoli Wine Appreciation Dinner
- Wednesday 28th August, The Bettington Restaurant
Note: Bar Account Credit and Birthday vouchers can be used for all of these events!
Members Only Facebook Group
If you aren’t already part of our Members Only Facebook Group, join up now and join in the conversation.
This group is where members can share their experience of Oatlands Golf Club and chat to one another about interesting things happening in the world of golf and society as a whole.
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.