Oatlands Enews – Friday 10th January 2020

Content

This Enews Newsletter covers the following topics:

  • From the Course
  • Fundraising Golf Day for the Rural Fire Service – Save the Date: Friday 13th March 2020
  • Former Oatlands Member Qualifies for PGA Legends Tour
  • World Handicapping System – January 2020
  • Adopt a Bunker Programme – Off and Running (Raking!!!)
  • Getting Started Programme 2020 – Commences February 2020
  • Junior Development Programme – Term 1, 2020
  • Volkswagen Scramble – Sunday 1st March 2020
  • QPC&C Tiger Tee Challenge Timesheets – Open 4 weeks in advance
  • Saturday Morning BBQ – To Resume Saturday 25th January 2020
  • Pro Shop – Callaway and Srixon Club Clearance
  • Replacing the Flagstick
  • Upcoming Events

From the Course

Rainfall for the Week: 0.5mm  Rainfall for 2020: 6.5mm   Dam: 25%   Green Speed: 9.5ft

The greens were able to get through the extremely hot day last Saturday, with only some minor hand watering of some isolated dry spots required in the afternoon. Our strategy to skip cutting or rolling greens on these very hot days is a major factor which enables the greens to cope in these conditions, as we aren’t placing any extra stress on the plant that doesn’t need to be applied. 

The wintergrass that is mixed with the Bent grass in our greens was certainly looking unhealthy on Monday and Tuesday. The team has been able to needle tine all greens this week, providing some much needed air into the soil profiles. The wintergrass has responded to this and is looking much healthier on Wednesday and Thursday. All greens were sprayed with a Pythium fungicide this week, with a leaf disease fungicide added to the tank mix, as well as a calcium fertiliser to strengthen cells and help the plant recovery from recent stresses. Growth regulator was also added to the tank mix to ensure a nice tight surface is maintained. 

All areas of the course have been cut this week, with roughs also being mown to tidy up any longer areas. The whipper snippers have also been out trimming around tee markers, distance posts and areas that the mowers can’t get to. The team has also started trimming bunker edges as well, which will continue into next week.

The rainfall on Monday evening was nice, and has certainly brought a green tinge back to some of our playing surfaces. We continue to irrigate fairways and tees with daily inspections of the dam still occurring to ensure that we don’t damage our pumps by going too low in the dam.

Our volunteers were back on course on Monday, blowing fairways, checking and repairing the practice nets, edging pathways, major stick picking throughout the course and clubhouse maintenance in the bar area. Welcome back gentlemen and thank you for assistance!

Enjoy the weekend!

The Course Team.

 

 


Fundraising Golf Day for the Rural Fire Service – Friday 13th March

Oatlands Golf Club will be hosting a fundraising golf day on Friday 13th March 2020 to assist in raising funds to support the NSW Rural Fire Service in light of recent devastating fires in NSW. After consultation it has been decided that the funds raised will go to the families of the two NSW RFS Volunteers that were killed fighting the fires.

Thank you to those members who have already started to book in for the Fundraiser and also to those offering up items for raffle and auction. Items such as golf bags, weekend stays at holiday homes normally listed on AirBnB, and any other suitable items will greatly assist in raising money for the families impacted. To donate a raffle or auction item, please contact the Club General Manager,  gm@oatlandsgolf.com.au.

The day will open to members and guests, with the entry fee $80pp for members and $110pp for non-members. Early reservations can be made by emailing the General Manager, gm@oatlandsgolf.com.au or via the online timesheet which is already open and listed on Friday 13th March.

We hope as many members and guests will get involved in this event and help to support the heroic effort of all those involved in fighting the unprecedented bushfires, along with those who have been tragically impacted.


Former Oatlands Member Qualifies for PGA Legends Tour

Former Oatlands GC member and now Gold Coast resident and Hope Island member, Mick Graham, has qualified for the PGA of Australia Legengs Tour via the Legends Tour Qualifying School tournament. Mick grabbed the last of 11 spots available with a three round score of 10 over par at Sandhurst Club in Victoria. This qualification will allow Mick to play Legend Tour and Pro Am events as a PGA Tour Professional for the upcoming year. Well done Mick and good luck for the year ahead.


World Handicap System – January 2020

The World Handicapping System will come into effect in late January 2020. Below is an overview of the main changes in effect with the introduction of the World Handicapping System (WHS):

  • Transfer of 0.93 Multiplier (which creates a small change to the formulas for the GA Handicap and Daily Handicap)
    • The 0.93 Multiplier will be transferred out of the GA Handicap calculation and into the Daily Handicap calculation.
    • As a result, a GA Handicap will be calculated simply by averaging the best 8 of a player’s most recent 20 results.
    • Note: Golf Australia statisticians confirm this change will have no overall impact on the handicaps players actually play off (ie Daily Handicaps). This is because the slight increase it will cause to GA Handicaps (by being removed from that formula), will be exactly the same as the decrease it will cause to Daily Handicaps (by being transferred into this formula). As a result there will be no overall impact.
  • Daily Rating System – PCC
    • The WHS will feature a statistical daily rating system.It will be called PCC (Playing Conditions Calculation).
    • The WHS daily rating formulas and regulations have been in full effect in Australia since May 2019.
    • When the WHS comes into effect, the PCC will be displayed on your handicap record as an adjustment value (eg ‘+2’ or ‘-1’) rather than a
    value such as ‘68’ or ‘72’ as happens pre-WHS under the Australian DSR system.
    • PCCs are permitted to range anywhere between -1 (ie easier conditions) and +3 (harder conditions).
  • Maximum Handicaps
    • The maximum GA Handicap under the WHS is 54.0 for both men and women.
    • Your club’s handicap & competition management software can choose default handicap limits lower than 54 for any (or all) competitions. (Decision pending for OGC).
    • For example, your club may choose to set Daily Handicap limits at 36 for men and 45 for women for most competitions and then use a higher limit for beginner competitions or for events for less-skilled players.
  • Soft Cap of 3 Strokes
    • A GA Handicap will continue to increase at the current rate of 100% of the ‘8 of 20 scores’ calculation UNTIL it reaches 3 strokes above its best point from the previous 12 months. Once in this new Soft Cap zone, a player’s GA Handicap will only be allowed to increase by 50% of the calculated amount until it reaches the existing and unchanged Hard Cap of 5 strokes.
  • Bonus Reduction for Exceptional Net Score
    • GOLF Link will apply an automatic additional reduction to a player’s GA Handicap if the player has an ‘exceptional score’.
    • If the player’s score is 7.0-9.9 strokes better than what their GA Handicap was at the time the round was played then GOLF Link will apply an automatic additional reduction of 1.0 stroke to their GA Handicap. If the player’s score is at least 10.0 strokes better than what their GA Handicap was at the time the round was played, then GOLF Link will apply an automatic additional reduction of 2.0 strokes to their GA Handicap.
    • To establish whether a score is exceptional, GOLF Link will compare the player’s GA Handicap at the time the round was played with the number in the ‘Sloped Played To’ column for that round. (The ‘Sloped Played To’ column is one of the columns that is displayed in a player’s handicap record on www.golf.org.au.).

All calculations will be handled by the Club’s website and Golf Link. 

For full detail of the World Handicap System please click here


Adopt a Bunker Programme – Off and Running (Raking!!!)

The Club would like to thank those members that have already offered to take part in the Adopt a Bunker Programme and encourage more members to take part. The members who have adopted a bunker so far are:

Member Hole Bunker 
James Coates 5th Hole Front Right Greenside
Warren Graham 17th Hole Front Right Greenside
Larry Woldenberg 5th Hole Left Greenside
Ralph Cadman 1st Hole Front Right Greenside
Peter Cox 18th Hole Front Left Greenside
John Fader 2nd Hole Front Left Greenside
Carole Blonk 13th Hole Front Right Greenside
Paula Skelton 6th Hole Left Greenside
Lindsay MacInnes 16th Hole Front Right Greenside
Linda Gyzen 11th Hole Back Left Greenside
Mike McFarland 17th Hole Front Right Greenside

The programme works as follows:

  • Members nominate a bunker that they would like to take an added responsibility for (we are hoping to get 2-4 members for each bunker)
  • Members then give their adopted bunker a little extra TLC each time they play their respective hole, when pace of play allows
  • The idea is to smooth out the bunker for the next group that plays, not to shift large amounts of sand, which is performed weekly by course staff and volunteers

The video below shows Course Superintendent (Dominic Yates) demonstrating the correct way to rake a bunker so it is ready for play for the next group.

Members wishing to take part in the Adopt a Bunker Programme should inform the General Manager, gm@oatlandsgolf.com.au.


 

Getting Started Programme 2020 – Commences February 2020

The Club’s  twice annual Getting Started Programme is set to continue in February 2020.

These 8 week programmes are a great way to introduce family and friends to the game of golf and the culture and camaraderie of Oatlands Golf Club.

The 2020 Programme commences in February with a Sunday and Thursday programme, dates and times are listed below:

Three programmes available:

Sunday 8:30am – 9:30am or 9:30am – 10:30am: Starting Sunday 9th February, 8 week programme

Thursday 11:00am – 12:00pm: Starting Thursday 13th February, 8 week programme. 

Cost for the programme is:

$240 for 8 weeks

To register, please complete the online form below:


Junior Development Programme – Term 1, 2020

The Clubs 2020 Junior Development Programme (JDP) is recommencing on Thursday 30th January 2020 following the long school holiday break. The 2020 programme sees a few changes to last year, including;

  1. A new structure to group categories
  2. Learning of all main elements of the game each term
  3. Online bookings required (Please note: Bookings are required as sessions will be capped at a maximum number of 12 participants).
  4. Supervised on-course play available every Saturday (booking required)
  5. All participants and accompanying parents must comply with the Clubs Dress Regulations

Please click on this link for a full update on the 2020 JDP Programme including group criteria and booking procedure. 


Volkswagen Scramble – Sunday 1st March 2020

Oatlands will be running a Mixed Volkswagen (formerly Holden) Scramble on Sunday 1st March, 8am shotgun start.

The event will be open to members and guests and require a minimum of one member per team to qualify with a 4 person ambrose format.

The cost is $40 for members and $70 for non-members.

All participants will  receive a Callaway gift pack and the winners will qualify for the regional final where they will be joined by one the Clubs PGA Professionals for the 5 person ambrose format and the chance to qualify for the national final.

Bookings are available now through the Clubs website by clicking on the link below.

Click here to book for the Volkswagen Scramble

Click here for an event fact sheet.


QPC&C Tiger Tee Challenge Timesheets to Open 4 Weeks in Advance

Members are advised that all Tiger Tee Challenge Open Day Timesheets will open 4 weeks (28 days) in advance commencing immediately.

This is to allow more time for non-members to book in for the limited opportunity that is available for non-member / unaccompanied play at the Club.


Saturday Morning BBQ – To Resume Saturday 25th January

The Clubs regular Saturday morning BBQ breakfast will resume on Saturday 25th January 2020.


60 Seconds with Dave – Downhill Shots

This week, 60 Seconds with Dave focuses on the playing Downhill Shots. We hope you enjoy the video and it helps you out on the course. 

If members would like to see any topics covered in 60 Seconds with Dave, please email him your ideas at golflessons@oatlandsgolf.com.au


Replacing the Flagstick

Members are reminded to take care when placing flagstick back into the hole to ensure that the flagstick sits straight for the next group.

The flag bases and hole bases at Oatlands have a fitting system that is designed to have the flagstick sit perfectly vertical and maintain this position for the life of the flagstick as opposed to the alternate smooth flag and hole bases which are less secure and over time will wear and the flag will start to lean.

Ironically, if the current flag and hole bases aren’t aligned properly the flag will lean off centre.

When replacing the flag, members are asked to give the flag a slight twist to ensure the teeth on the base of the flag (pictured) lock into the hole base (also pictured).

 


BISTRO ON BETTINGTON – DATES FOR 2020

A reminder that these events are held on selected Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays throughout each month and are a wonderful way to introduce new people to our Club. Bookings are essential and we ask that you reserve your table at least two (2) days in advance. Dates are shown below:

Jan Saturday 18th & Wednesday 29th
Feb Friday 14th & Wednesday 26th
Mar Saturday 14th & Wednesday 25th
Apr Wednesday 29th
May Wednesday 27th
Jun  Friday 12th & Wednesday 24th
Jul Saturday 18th & Wednesday 29th
Aug Friday 28th & Wednesday 30th
Sep Wednesday 30th 
Oct Friday 9th & Wednesday 28th
Nov Wednesday 18th
Dec Wednesday 9th & Saturday 19th (Christmas Buffet)

 

 

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