Parramatta Grass Removal
The next date for volunteers to help with removal of Parramatta grass will be Monday September 2nd at 8am. If you have a few spare hours, please consider coming along and helping the club.
Michael Crookes.
As of 1st September 2019, the cost of a Member’s social round will be $9.
Men’s Captain Report
Welcome to the spring edition of my report. We have been blessed with great golfing weather during the months of June and July with no rain and strong fields for the mens’ competitions for Wednesday and Saturdays. Now that the days are getting longer timesheets will be adjusted allowing for more competitors.
The Course is in excellent condition with speedy and smooth greens. We are still experiencing issues with the 7th and 9th greens and repair work is being done to improve the surface. Unfortunately we are in a non-growth time and these repairs will take some time to have full effect. Members will have noticed that green staff have repaired all the divots on all tees. A great effort by green staff but this is a reminder to members to fill their divots whether on the tee or on the course. If members see social players on the course please remind them to carry a sand bucket and fill all their divots.
To assist in the filling of divots on tees sand boxes will be purchased and placed on all tees. This will make it easier for members and social players to fill their divots.
Another area of concern is that members need to take a little more attention is the care of bunkers. In my duties as course ranger I have noticed that during the mens’ competitions bunker rakes are being left on the edge of bunkers not in the middle and in some instances sticking out from the edge of bunkers. Bunkers are also not being raked properly. Members stop being selfish and think of your course and your competitors.
The mixed team series has begun with a total of 14 teams entering. Round one ha been completed with two more rounds to be played. A change in the conditions of play is that the final result will be based on the best two of three of each individual rounds.
Members are reminded that if they are in the Gosford Electorate please vote on the Service NSW Go Fund me site and vote for the Golf Club Path Funding. If you require assistance please contact the office or any board member.
A new local rule will be in place from 1 September in that all grass clippings from greenkeepers left in the general area of the golf course are to be treated as GUR and members are entitled to free relief.
A proposal has been received that the Thursday Competition will become a medley competition. The structure will be the same as any other medley competition. We currently have medley competitions on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sundays. Bases on the ruling given in the discrimination court against a Brisbane Golf course any 7 day member is entitled to enter a competition on any day there is a competition course regardless of sex. After discussion with all interested parties I will inform members of the outcome in my next newsletter.
In January 2020 another dramatic change is being implemented by Golf Australia which is the Universal Course rating This basically means that course ratings will be gender neutral and all members can play off any marker in the daily competition. The course will be rated for men and women off each of the markers. In conjunction with this change we will be implementing new slope, par, Scratch ratings as well as new hole ratings. As time gets closer I will inform all members of the exact specifics.
When on the course members are reminded of the following
All Social play is off the yellow markers. Members please do not practice off the plates or the blue, white or red teeing areas. When practicising please remember to take a bucket and fill your divots.
- Please repair all divots on the greens
- Please take a sand bucket
- Please rake the bunkers and leave the rakes in the middle of the bunkers
- Please keep up with the group in front
- Please stick to the ready golf principles
- Please do not drive carts in arears where they are prohibited. Please stay on the designated paths.
Graham Chee – Men’s Captain
Ladies Captain Report
Sheena is having a well-deserved holiday visiting family and friends so I am doing this report in her absence.
Grandmas’ and Great Grandmas’ day was held on 16thJuly with the trophies kindly donated by our Patron, June Bowen. Yvonne Cumming won the Grandmas’ division and Judy Verlander the Great Grandmas’ division. Congratulations to them both!
On Monday 22nd July we were able to showcase our course with the CCWGA District Foursome Championships being held at Gosford. We had a lovely sunny day with 120 ladies participating in two divisions. Congratulations to all our Gosford Ladies who played very well, with the following Gosford winners.
In Division 1:
- Marianne Lanham & Ann Baker who were the 18-hole Nett winners
- Fay Bailey & Di Thomlinson 18-hole nett 3rdplace.
In Division 2:
- Liz Robinson & Geraldine Turner were 18-hole nett winners
- Jan Fitzgerald & Bev Adams 18-hole nett runners up
- Robyn Phillips & Cheryl Davison 18-hole nett 3rd place
- Carolyn Buttsworth & Kim Cardiff 18-hole nett 4th place
Many thanks to our Committee members who assisted the District to made the day run smoothly. Instead of us providing Morning Tea Sally Hopkins made small snack packs to take on the course. These were a hit with the ladies and I think she may have started a trend. Well done Sally.
Pro shop day was held on 23rd July. This was a fun, stroke competition and non-handicapping, giving the ladies the opportunity to hit off the Men’s tees.
Div. 1 (blue markers) Division 1 winner was Lorraine Bignall
Div. 2 and 3 (white markers) Division 2 winner Deborah Flanagan and Div. 3 winner Rhonda Austen.
Thank you to the Pro shop for sponsoring this event. We all enjoyed the challenge of playing the more difficult courses.
Two divisions of the singles knockout started on Thursday 25th July with the finals to be held on Thursday 15thAugust. Good luck to all the participants.
Don’t forget to put your name down for President v Captains Day which is on the 13th August. This is an American Foursomes and a draw for partner. The entry sheet is in the Ladies locker room.
The Gosford Bowl is being held on 27th August so make sure you get your entry in. If you know anyone from another club please invite them to play in it. It would be great if we can get a full field for the event.
We now have about 12 Rookies playing regularly on a Thursday, they are enjoying their time on the course and are progressing well. There is already one Lady who has started to join in the 9-hole comp on a Thursday, with this number expected to grow. If you see the Rookies on the course or around the clubhouse, please take time to say hello and give them a few words of encouragement. We can all remember how daunting it was when we first started playing on the course.
The next Rookie program will commence in September, with 2 days available.
- Tuesday (3rd – 24th Sept inclusive)
- Thursday (5th – 26th Sept inclusive)
Sessions will run from 10.00 – 11.30 am. We already have some interest in this so if you know anyone who may like to join in please ask them to contact the Pro shop
Helen Potter – Ladies Committee
F-Troop Report
July 2019 has been a busy month with plenty of projects on hand.
We have had some chilly morning starts but that has not deterred our loyal volunteers.
We are just about at the end of our wood sales for this year but are stockpiling well for next year.
Our projects this month were course clean up and tree maintenance and firewood preparation and sales.
Ongoing maintenance of trees including removal of dead pine trees, rubbish and loose timber pickup around the course, maintenance to shrubs, hedge maintenance, clean up of the paths and gardens around the clubhouse, wedding garden and practice nets, cleaning of the bush toilets and clubhouse maintenance., maintenance to clubhouse when required.
If you have some free time on Monday mornings and you would like to contribute to our projects please contact Peter or Jan Martin. We generally work from 7.00 am until 10.30am with morning tea supplied by the club about 10.15 to 10.30 am. We are currently averaging 12/13 volunteers each week which is a big help towards speedy completion of our projects.
Contacts:
Peter Martin – 0437 325 207
Jan Martin – 0400 430-088
Superintendent’s Report
Summary of works
July brought with it 48 mm of rain, 22 mm above the average rainfall for the month.
- July 2019……..48mm (Average 26 mm)
- August 2018………13mm (Average 70mm)
The average temperature for June was 18 degrees.
Soil temperature is around the 18-degree mark.
Since the last newsletter I have had 2 weeks of annual leave.
Before I left, we laid turf around the new concrete path near the 18th green. After about 2 weeks we laid out a protective matting over the turf leading onto the path from the 18th fairway. The idea of the mat is to take the brunt of the traffic and allow the turf to grow underneath the matting.
The boys have been around to most greens and repaired bare areas on the green surrounds.
All the gardens have been mulched.
Selected bunkers have had sand moved from the outer edges of the bunker to the impact areas of the bunker.
The summer program has begun. We verti-drained the greens last week, fertilising them as well. This week is the start of the insecticide program.
At the start of June, I had a water test done on the 15th /12th dam. It had been 8 weeks since descent rain.
Iron levels were classed as……..HIGH
High Iron levels tie up Phosphate (P). Phosphate promotes strong root growth.
Sodium levels were ……………….Marginal
Marginal sodium levels in June are far from ideal.
Machinery maintenance is nearly completed ready for the upcoming season. All machines have now had their oils and oil filters changed. All mowers that require blades have had new blades fitted.
Another bank of sprinklers has been installed on the 18th fairway, leaving 2 banks to go. The fairway will have once completed 26 sprinklers.
David Nicholls – Course Superintendent
News From the Pro Shop
If you’re feeling like your game isn’t quite its best this winter, you might just need a few upgrades. We are your one-stop shop for anything from training aids to the latest apparel.
Just in, we have Under Armour jumpers featuring the GGC logo for $129 and GGC logo’d caps for $39. Snag a bargain and get the hat for $20 when you purchase the jumper!
Ecco shoes recently came to our shelves, and we are happy to announce the addition of the Ladies Biom Hybrid 3 line, which retails for $279. They are the ultimate for comfort, featuring goretex as well as BIOM® NATURAL MOTION® technology which creates an embracing glove-like fit that frees you to move with barefoot ease and efficiency.
We all know how frustrating it can be when you can no longer slide your clubs in or out of your bag with ease. The lining inside deteriorates with age, plus the unnecessary force with which clubs are sometimes returned to the bag… But tempers aside, there’s no reason to put up with a golf bag that has seen better days. We stock Bagboy, Callaway, Cleveland, Ping, Sun Mountain, Titleist, Wilson. The greater the product turn over, the longer we can continue to bring you the latest and best gear.
The Bagboy Nitron buggy was voted “Best in Golf” by Golf Digest. The revolutionary auto open cart features lightning-fast nitro-piston technology. Not only that, but it folds down to a fraction of the size. All these features for $320.Island Green is a subsidiary company of Pan World Brands Limited, a UK based company in Salford Manchester. They offer affordable and high-tec golf clothing for men and women with fashionable and functional designs.
We are pleased to now stock Men’s & Ladies apparel. We have Ladies’ long sleeve shirts, puffer vests and rain jackets and Men’s rain jackets and rain pants.
