Simulator Studio – Opening Week

We are pleased to advise Members that the new Simulator Studios will be open for member use starting Saturday 16th November.

While there are still a few finishing touches to go (primarily camera installation due in 2-3 weeks), the simulators themselves are complete and will give members the opportunity to hit golf balls on a simulated practice range with a wide range of swing, clubface, and ball flight data produced on every shot.

To launch the simulators, we will be opening them for range use everyday from Saturday 16th November – Sunday 24th November inclusive.

During this time, the studios will operate like the Club’s practice nets, with no booking required and usage time for warm-up or practice subject to other members waiting and common courtesy.

After this opening week (week commencing Monday 25th November), usage will be as follows:

• Daily from Pro Shop opening to 12pm: No booking required with time allocation based on common courtesy and other members waiting
• 12pm to Pro Shop close: Booking via the website in 30 minutes intervals
• PGA Professional Coaching and Club-fitting will take priority at all times (as is the case with the practice range)

A number of conditions will apply to simulator use as follows:

• Golf Balls – The Golf Balls to be used will be provided as the golf balls need to be new to avoid damage to the impact screen
• A maximum of one person at a time in each bay
• Check-in with Pro Shop staff required prior to use

As the functionality of the Trackman simulators and software continues to be explored by staff, the Club will be inviting members to a variety of competition and tournament play, including but not limited to;

• Nearest to Pin competitions
• Long Drive competitions

The Trackman software also has the capacity for simulated course play on some of the worlds most famous courses. These will be made available to members and guests once testing on course and play settings is completed along with round times (and therefore booking times) established. More information on this will be provided in due course. 

Club-fitting

The simulator studios will give our PGA staff the ability to conduct comprehensive club-fitting for members and guests.

The Club currently have the latest Titleist club-fitting equipment, however Taylormade, PING and Callaway are all set to launch new model clubs in January 2025, and as such the fitting equipment for these three manufacturers will arrive early in the new year.

For more detail on club-fitting sessions, please contact the Head Professional Jeremy Ward via email golfoperations@oatlandsgolf.com.au or by phoning the Pro Shop (02) 9630 4444 ext 1.

We look forward to as many members as possible utilising this newest addition to the Club’s offering over the coming weeks, months and years.

From the Course

Rainfall for the Week: 7.5mm,  Rainfall for 2024: 1,030.5mm, Dam: 85%,  Green Speed: 10feet

Our vacuum was out of action last week having its two skid wheels filled with a material to make them solid to avoid flat tyres which we were experiencing too often. It’s been put back into work this week tiding up the leaf and bark debris from the rough lines of the course. The weather last week caused many of our trees to shed a layer of bark from their trunks and branches, which created just that little bit more debris across our fairways and rough lines.

Growth regulator applications have been completed to all fairways and roughs this week which will now keep growth on all of these surfaces under control between cuts during the week and over weekend periods. The blue line areas on the 7^th, 8^th, 11^th, 13^th, and 14^th have really responded to last week’s aeration, top dressing, and fertilising to the point that the local rule of a preferred lie within the blue line has been removed.

Greens have been treated for Argentine Stem Weevil this week, with a preventative fungicide application for Pythium and Anthracnose being applied on Friday morning with growth regulator also being added to the tank mix to tighten up the surfaces on the greens. Greens remain in a very healthy condition with irrigation scheduling being very limited to manage the high humidity we have been experiencing. The high humidity is favourable for disease infection of the turf, and high soil moisture increases the possibility of disease occurrence.

Rotary hoeing of the Practice green area will be performed on Friday in preparation of our construction contractor starting on Monday. Some of the machinery has arrived already and is parked in the grass car park near the 12^th tee. The plan for these works is to start with the practice green, then move down and construct the new 19^th tee, and then finish with the new 19^th green. Each site should take around 3-4 weeks to complete, therefore the works will be complete early in the new year.

Our volunteers were on course Monday morning completing a bunker run in front of the competition, removing sprinkler heads from the practice green and practice fairway, cleaning and repairing the practice nets, continued working on the installation of the simulator studio, and divotting of fairways on Thursday morning. Thank you to all those involved this week, your assistance is always very much appreciated! 

Greens will be cut and rolled on Saturday and cut on Sunday morning.

Happy Golfing!

The Course Team.

Membership – Full Playing Nearing Capacity

The Club has had a significant influx in new membership applications in recent months which once again has our Full-Playing Membership categories near capacity and a waitlist expected by the end of the calendar year.

Members who have friends or family interested in joining the Club are encouraged to propose those interested future members at the earliest opportunity and before our capacity is reached.

The Club continues to offer a range of new member incentives including:

• Spouse and Immediate Family Incentive: 50% off the Joining Fee
• Referral Incentive: Bar or Pro Shop credit for the proposing member
• Group Incentive: 50% off the Joining Fee for groups of 6 or more joining together

The continued strength of the Club’s membership reflects the ongoing quality of our golf course, the welcoming and inclusive culture of our members, and the current and future additions to the Club offering which includes the Simulator Studios. With the impending clubhouse development this will include a gym / wellness centre, extended F&B offering, and additional revenue generated from rent that will allow the Club to expedite capital improvements to the course in the next 5-10 years.

For more information on membership, or to propose new members, please contact Membership Co-ordinator (Kathy Bright) via email admin@oatlandsgolf.com.au  or by phoning reception (02) 9630 4444 ext 3.

Ladies Closing Day – Thursday 14th November

Closing Day for our Ladies Golf Programme took place on Thursday 14th November with 70 ladies taking part in the shotgun start event followed by lunch and a Bring and Buy market to raise money for the ladies charities.

Our Ladies got into the spirit of the day with the Christmas theme embraced by all, as seen in the photos below.

The day’s team event was won by Bella Park, Sophia Shin and Sophia Chung with a score of 87 points with Lisa Bechara, Debbie Jepson, Anne Marie Wahbe and Jenny Doherty the runners up, with a score of 83 points.

The day also saw the Ladies Committee recognise a number of the Club’s trophy winners (ahead of the Honour Board trophies being recognised at their Annual Dinner on Thursday 21st November), which included:

• Grade Pennant Division 2 Winners
• Jo Mills Trophy – Penny Deehan
• Barbara Koch Trophy – Margaret Furini
• Fourball Par Trophy – Leonie Guthrie and Cheryl Peterson
• OLGA Cup – Lesleigh Perkins
• Most Reduced Handicap – Melania Kim
• Shirley Davies Trophy – Kerrie Winter
• Crystal Bowl – Kim Lim
• Dorothy Besemeres Trophy – Lizzie Sorbara
• Birdie Competition Division 1 – Linda Gyzen
• Birdie Competition Division 2 – Jill Vale
• Birdie Competition Division 3 – Anne Stanfield
• Yellow Stableford Eclectic Division 1 – Jin Kim and Sang Hee Son (Tied)
• Yellow Stableford Eclectic Division 2 – Melissa Adams
• Yellow Stableford Eclectic Division 3 – Kerrie Winter
• Golf NSW Gold Medal – Paula Skelton
• Golf NSW Silver Medal – Lesleigh Perkins
• Golf NSW Bronze Medal – Lizzie Sorbara
• Summer Foursomes – Jan Rankin and Linda Gyzen
• Hole in Ones – Anna Kim and Jenny Park

Ladies Annual Presentation Dinner

Members are invited to the Club’s Annual Ladies Dinner on Thursday 21st November. This event will celebrate the end of the Ladies season and another great year.

The cost for the night $83pp including a three course dinner prepared by our executive chef, Andrew Yang, and live music from the QC Collective.

To confirm your attendance, please RSVP to the Office on 9630 4444, admin@oatlandsgolf.com.au, or book via the online timesheet.

Christmas Cheer – Ham Day’s

The Club’s annual Christmas Cheer days will be held in early December. Based on member feedback in recent years, 2024 will see the Turkey prizes replaced, and the major prize winners will receive 1/2 Ham + family size Christmas Pudding, while the Turkey rundown will now be replaced with 1/2 Hams.

The schedule for this years events is as follows:

• Wednesday 4th December: Men’s Christmas Cheer (7am and 12:30pm shotgun starts)
• Thursday 5th December: Ladies Christmas Cheer (8am shotgun start)
• Sunday 8th December: Mixed Christmas Cheer, Main prizes only, no rundown (normal Sunday timesheet)

Entry for the Men’s and Ladies events will be $29pp, while the Sunday event will be the standard club competition fee only.

Booking sheets will open at their normal time, 8 Days in advance at 4:30pm.