THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE - May 2010
Members
Mixed Foursomes and Junior Gala Day
The Captain will cover the results in his column. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Captain, Col Hines, and his band of helpers both paid and voluntary. This includes Mike Nolan, Betty Bourne, Jason Hart, Sharyn Kennedy, Andy Johnson and their respective teams. A big thank you also to Ron Richards for his involvement with the Junior Gala Day. These events ran very well and the organizing party deserves our thanks and recognition. Well done.
Building Renovation Project
I have been actively seeking feedback on our plans from other golf clubs whenever the opportunity has presented itself. We are the envy of many clubs due to our location and everyone I have spoken to has commented favourably on our plans to renovate and take better advantage of our unique site.
The S.96 Amendment to the DA was signed off by Council on Friday 23rd April. Our Building Contractor is now busily complying with the ensuing construction certificate and then work will begin. Over the next couple of weeks you will see the site sheds being erected immediately to the south of the building (adjacent to the kitchen and outdoor gaming room). As you would understand there will be various interruptions and temporary changes as the project progresses. We will endeavor to keep you updated as information comes to hand.
TAB Facilities
The club has received approval to obtain a TAB facility. The installation of the TAB facilities will be incorporated into the renovation project and we will endeavor to have the new facilities installed for this years Melbourne Cup.
Membership Subscriptions
Based on our YTD financial performance and the fact that member’s will face some inconvenience during the building renovation the Board has decided not to increase playing membership fees for the year ahead. I thank you in advance for your patience.
Club Auditors
The role of our club’s Auditor is to act as representatives of you the members and provide checks and balances on the Board and Management’s financial operation of the club. I have recently met with our club’s Auditors and outlined my expectations going forward. They were very positive about the current systems and operating procedures as controlled by our General Manager and Accountant.
Insurance Cover for Members
I was recently asked to clarify the amount and type of insurance cover the club provides for the members. As this requires a technical response I have requested information via our brokers, Coast and Country Insurance. I will include an overview in the next edition of Pin High.
Financials
March trade has remained steady with the exception of gaming revenue which was down for the month. We also incurred considerable extra expenses for the course over the last few months due to fighting diseases in our greens.
This has resulted in us not reaching budget for the month. Year to date we are still performing very well particularly in comparison to other golf clubs both local and state wide.
Profit Table
| Month |
Actual |
Budget |
Last Year |
| January |
$26,949.10 |
$55,193.89 |
$67,533.94 |
| February |
$11,250.96 |
($7,503.12) |
$70.02 |
| March |
$6,336.17 |
$26,129.21 |
$38,050.94 |
| YTD |
$202,235.35 |
$132,584.33 |
$179,165.08 |
Cashflow Table (EBITDA)
| Month |
Actual |
Budget |
Last Year |
| January |
$57,723.63 |
$86,910.56 |
$96,417.88 |
| February |
$42,122.89 |
$24,213.55 |
$29,133.74 |
| March |
$37,150.68 |
$57,845.88 |
$67,660.40 |
| YTD |
$475,118.19 |
$412,514.36 |
$427,816.74 |
Note: EBITDA = Earnings Before Interest Tax Depreciation and Amortisation. EBITDA is a widely used financial calculation. EBITDA is used to measure
and compare the performance of a business without the impacts caused by financing decisions/structure, taxation issues and asset write off policies
all of which can impact accounting profit. EBITDA is an approximate representation of the company’s Cash Flow.
Ken Hey
President
Notice to Members - As at close of trade 30 June 2010
1. Any unspent house account amounts (ie the $100 house account paid at sub renewal time; NOT any house top-ups made by members) will be forfeited as at 30 June
2. The trophy voucher prize ledger will go back to zero for all prizes earned prior to 30 June 2009
3. The ball prize ledger for all balls earned prior to 30 June 2009 will also go back to zero as as at 30 June
4. All unused loyalty points on your account (card) will also be forfeited as at 30 June 2009.
CAPTAIN'S CORNER
The new handicap system appears to have settled in okay, there have been numerous stories flying around of some members losing up to 3 shots where some have received 5 shots but most appear to have stayed on the same handicap or moved up or down by 1. Members should remember that the 20 best scores as at the 9th April set the bench mark for all rounds since that day, in other words every time you play a competition round the 20th score as at 9th April drops off and the card for the day you play becomes number 1 of the 20 best scores. This system continues every time you play in a competition and determines your handicap, just because you have a good score doesn’t mean you will lose a shot/s.
We had a reasonable number of players in the Mixed Foursomes Championships on 18th April. Winners of the 27 hole scratch were Rodney Wehrle & Kaye Garrett with 123; the 27 hole net winner were Russell & Mary Fleeton (23½ H/C) with 125½. Congratulations to both couples.
Our Junior Gala Day on the 24th April was well attended with 186 taking part in the two shotgun starts. The men’s AM handicap winners were Jeff Wheele & David Newman (11 H/C) with 64, the men’s scratch was won by Luke Barrie & Adam Selby with 72, the medley Handicap winners were K James & G James (201/3 H/C) with 662/3 whilst the scratch winners were Nikki Garrett & Gary McLachlan with 72. The PM men’s handicap winners were George Crowder & his father Peter (111/3 H/C) with 682/3, scratch winners were Jason Hart & Ben Woodland with 75, the medley handicap winners were Ross Howell & Henry Howell (191/3 H/C) with 702/3 and scratch winners were Alice Diamond & Col Kelly (Gosford) with 80, our congratulations go out to all the winners.
One of our members, Ron Richards, ran the bookies bag on the 9th and his untiring efforts for the day raised $585 an excellent effort, well done Ron!
Our next big event is the Tuggerah Lakes Junior Classic on Sunday 23rd May, entries have been sent out and we are hopeful of getting a good turnout for this event. Our numbers have been increasing each year as they love playing at our great course.
Rules Corner:
A couple of rules covering embedded ball & preferred lies winter rules.
25-2 Embedded Ball
A ball embedded in its own pitch mark in the ground in any closely mown area through the green may be lifted, cleaned and dropped, without penalty, as near as possible to the spot where it lay but not nearer to the hole. The ball when dropped must first strike a part of the course through the green. “Closely-mown area” means any area of the course, including paths through the rough, cut to fairway height or less.
Relief for embedded ball
Rule 25-2 provides relief, without penalty, for a ball embedded in its own pitch-mark in any closely mown area through the green. On the putting green, a ball may be lifted and damage caused by the impact of a ball may be repaired (Rules 16-1b and c). When permission to take relief for an embedded ball anywhere through the green would be warranted, the following Local rule is recommended:
"Through the green" - a ball that is embedded in its own pitch-mark in the ground may be lifted, without penalty, cleaned and dropped as near as possible to where it lay but not nearer the hole. The ball when dropped must first strike a part of the course through the green.
Exception 1: A player may not take relief under this Local rule if the ball is embedded in the sand in an area that is not closely mown.
Exception 2: A player may not take relief under this Local rule if it clearly unreasonable for him to make stroke because of interference by anything other that the condition covered by this Local rule.
“Preferred Lies” and “Winter Rules”
Ground under repair is provided for in Rule 25, and occasional local abnormal conditions that might interfere with fair play and are not widespread should be defined as ground under repair.
However, adverse conditions such as heavy snows, spring thaws, prolonged rains or extreme heat can make fairways unsatisfactory and sometimes prevent use of heavy mowing equipment. When these conditions are so general throughout a course that the Committee believes “preferred lies” or “winter rules” would promote fair play or help protect the course, the following Local Rule is recommended:
“A ball lying on a closely mown area through the green (or specify a more restricted area, e.g., at the 6th hole) may be lifted without penalty and cleaned. Before lifting the ball, the player must mark its position. Having lifted the ball, he must place it on a spot within (specify area, eg six inches, one club-length, etc) of and not nearer the hole than where it originally lay, that is not in a hazard and not on a putting green.
A player may place his ball only once, and it is in play when it has been placed (Rule 20-4). If the ball fails to come to rest on the spot on which it was placed, Rule 20-3d applies. If the ball when placed comes to rest on the spot on which it is placed and it subsequently moves, there is no penalty and the ball must be played as it lies, unless the provisions of any other Rule apply.
If the player fails to mark the position of the ball before lifting it or moves the ball in any other manner, such as rolling it with a club, he incurs a penalty of one stroke.
Note: “Closely mown area” means any area of the course, including paths through the rough, cut to fairway height or less.
PENALTY FOR BREACH OF LOCAL RULE:
Match play – Loss of hole; Stroke play – Two strokes.
“If a player incurs the general penalty for a breach of this Local Rule, no additional penalty under the Local Rule is applied.”
Col Hines
Captain
COURSE REPORT
The Greens and Tees have received an extensive renovation this autumn. In the month of March, soil testing was carried out on the greens to
determine what amendments were needed to rectify any deficiencies in the growing medium.
The results indicated that the soil pH was at the desirable level and the Potassium level needed to be elevated slightly across all greens.
The main issue was the increased Sodium level due to the effluent water. Sodium is often associated with high salinity and in high concentrations can be damaging to
soil structure and cause direct injury to the plant. This was expected, but the Sodium level increased due to increased irrigation cycles because of the very humid
months at the start of the year. Along with this, no rain meant that the Sodium wasn’t being flushed thru the sand profile. The greens program already includes
regular applications of Calcium, but the amount and frequency will be increased to rectify this issue.
All greens were cored with ½ inch hollow tynes and then the amendments of a renovation fertilizer and Gypsum (Calcium) were applied at the appropriate
rates. Topdressing of sand followed which was rubbed into the core holes. These procedures disrupt the playing surface and golfing public, but it is a necessary
evil to produce and maintain a playing surface.
Tees 1, 4, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 18 were also cored with ½ inch hollow tynes, seeded with Ryegrass and then topdressed.
Temporary 9th hole- This hole will be used as a spare hole and practise facility in the future when the new 9th hole is built after the clubhouse renovation. The cost of construction of this tee was kept to a minimum. This was achieved by:
* The soil profile was excavated from the new nursery site at the southern end of the course.
* The finishing level was cut from the surrounding practise fairway.
* The native plants from the 9th hole, bottom bar and along the eastern side of the driveway were transplanted around this tee. A small amount of native shrubs were purchased.
The main cost associated with this new work was the Couchgrass turf and irrigation upgrade.
The winter work program scheduled for this year:
* Remove turf from the 9th green and transplant into the nursery site behind the 8th tee.
* Remove turf from the 9th green surround before the clubhouse renovation and turf miscellaneous areas around the course.
* Spray herbicide to kill grass around tree bases, fences and course boundary to minimize hand mowing for staff and speed up play when looking for golf balls.
* 10th hole- The concrete tee path will be extended as well as a new path leading from the 10th green to Shelly Beach Rd. The green and approach irrigation will be upgraded as well as the approach re-shaped and turfed.
* Planting and mulching of new native areas. These areas will be planted with suitable species that adhere to TLGC planting policy.
1. Between the 7th green and 8th tee.
2. Along the southern boundary of the course.
3. Miscellaneous areas between fairways for regeneration.
Andrew Banning
Course Superintendent
GOLF SHOP NEWS
Tip from the Pro
If you are making to many double bogies when hitting your 3 wood to greens try this.
Work out how far you hit a sand iron and hit to that yardage (210m out from green hit 140m to leave 70m for a full sand iron). This is a useful way to limit bigger numbers on medal days and also when hitting out from trees. Try to hit to a spot further back on the hole and not at the green. This will give you a better angle for the recovery shots. Reducing the risk of the stroke and leaving a simpler third shot.
MONTHLY SPECIALS
Joke of the Month
A woman was cleaning her husbands dresser drawers when she found 3 golf balls and a box with $2000 in it. She waited for him to come home from the golf course to ask him why these things were hidden in his dresser drawer. The husband said I'm sorry I hid this from you but the truth is every time I cheated on you over the last 30 years I put a golf ball in the drawer. The wife was very upset at first but after thinking about it said "I guess 3 times in 30 years is really not that bad! Oh by the way what is the $2000 in the drawer. The husband replied" Well every time I got to a dozen balls I sold them.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Parent/Child Cup
Saturday 1st May, entries must be registered with the Golf Shop prior to teeing off.
Super Seniors Pennant Final
Friday 7th May, Cabramatta v Belmont 1st tee reserved from 10:30am until 11:00am.
TLGC Corporate Sponsors Golf Day
F
riday 14th May, 7:30am shotgun start. RSVP’s to Sharyn Kennedy.
Sureshot GPS NSW men’s qualifying round
Sunday 16th May, the leading 3 pairs qualify to represent TLGC at the Regional qualifying.
Ladies Foursomes Championships
Wednesday 19th May.
TLGC Junior and Cadet Classic
Sunday 23rd May, entries are available on the Junior notice board outside the Golf Shop.
|
Newsletter Archive
2010
Click here for April 2010
Click here for March 2010
Click here for February 2010
Click here for January 2010
2009
Click here for December 09
Click here for November 09
Click here for October 09
Click here for September 09
Click here for April 09
Click here for February 09
2008
Click here for November 08
Click here for June 08
Click here for May 08
Click here for April 08
|
PIN HIGH NEWSLETTER - MAY 2010
