Club Email

Did You Know | Clubhouse refurbishment/renovation/redevelopment

Members have asked me for an update on where the Club stands on the long discussed Clubhouse redevelopment.

After the hiatus of Covid and corresponding with the renewed Strategic Plan, the Board is now reinvigorating the project to develop a plan for our Clubhouse that addresses its age, and level of disrepair, its layout and how it meets or fails to meet the needs of our Member and community stakeholders plus how we can better optimise its stunning location.

Board Director Andrew Thurlow has been appointed as the Building Committee chair. He has a deep well of property experience and we are fortunate to have his expertise. Andrew has commenced engaging with stakeholders to get a better understanding of the ideas, opinions and perspectives being held.

We have met with members of the previous Building Committee to ensure we have continuity of committee membership and experience.

We have commenced a process of appointing specialist food/hospitality/club consultants to engage with stakeholders through focus groups etc. to understand what stakeholders want. They will also analyse and benchmark the different elements of our existing business to understand their relevant importance, and whether there are opportunities to develop them further. We have received 2 proposals and will appoint the most appropriate.

Stephen Holdstock, our Treasurer, has developed and is fine-tuning a 10 year financial forecast to enable us to model different scenarios around extent of work, capital cost, funding, disruption etc. The Board is determined that the financial well-being of the Club is not jeopardised.

We are assessing and costing urgent works some of which I have mentioned before. Some cannot wait but we are working on ways to address the issues in a way that where possible the benefits will be carried forward.

At this stage I cannot say with certainty what the extent of the work will be. Refurbishment, renovation or complete redevelopment are all options. What is ultimately proposed by the Building Committee and the Board will depend on the inputs of stakeholders, including Members, The Northern Beaches Council, local residents, community, staff etc. Plus obviously anything needs to be financially viable.

Our lease ends in August 2026 and until we have the security of new tenure, we can solicit input and plan, but "breaking ground" on anything that is not urgent or compliance related would be unwise.

We will communicate progress as the moving parts become clearer, but please be assured that us a Members will be kept informed as the journey progresses.

Keith Warren | President

From the Captain

C Grade Cup and Women's Weekend Premiership
The first qualifying round of both events was held last Saturday and the Matchplay participants will be determined after this Saturday's second round.

Starting numbers in the C Grade Cup were already disappointing and after late withdrawals and a couple of unreturned cards, there are now only 15 Members vying for the 12 qualifying spots. Peter O'Reilly and Luke Cheng jointly lead with 95 while John Davison and Greg Hunter currently round out the top 4, which would earn a bye in the first round of the Matchplay.

Defending Women's Club Champion, Josie Garrett, holds an eight shot lead over Jenni Brown in the Weekend Premiership with Catherine Wiggett leading Bronze by 5 shots from Sue Smiles.

Good luck to all this week.

Timesheets
Those Members that have entered the Club Championship, A, A Reserve and B Grade Cups will automatically be entered onto the timesheets for Saturday 8th and Saturday 15th October.

The timesheets for Saturday 22nd and Saturday 29th will come out as normal at 6pm on the Mondays prior with the qualifiers for all grades of Matchplay already entered onto the timesheet. Both dates will have one tee starts with the Matchplay leading off. The Members competition will follow behind and will be extended (thanks to daylight savings) to optimise the number of available spots.

10th Hole
I'm guessing that less than 10% of the Membership can reach the green from the teeing areas but it is regularly causing unnecessary delays. Previous requests that Members assist with the pace of play by "calling up" on the 10th hole do not appear to have worked consistently.so we are now making it a compulsory call-up hole - assuming the group behind are on the tee ready to play! When all of your group has reached the green, please move to the back edge and call the group behind up, being mindful of the group in front playing of the 11th. Where possible walk around the right hand side of the green. If you are on the tee, please pay attention to the group in front and be ready to play when called. Thank you.

Spring Eclectic
The Saturday competition started on September 3rd and will run until Saturday 3rd December. From next Monday and weekly thereafter, we will post updated leaderboards on the website.

Practice area
Just a reminder that when the teeing area is set up on the artificial grass, it is not optional - you must play from that area. Please do not play from either side just because you may not like hitting off it. Thank you for your cooperation in protecting the practice teeing area.

Birthdays only happen once a year
Congratulations to Phil O'Regan who had 43 points and won Score of the Day on his birthday (17th August). Hopefully he doesn't have to wait a year for another win!!.

Competition winners
The big winner over the last couple of weeks is Phil White. He picked up $260 by getting in the circle on the 8th in two on Saturday 10th September. Well done Phil!

The hard luck story was that my playing partner, Jimmy Knox also stuck his approach shot in the circle that day but had had to take a penalty drop after putting his tee shot in the hazard-easy 4 though Knoxy!! He did, however, still win Scratch (2 under par) and A Grade with 40 points. Luke Shahmatov had 1 under par off the stick and 39 points to finish runner-up while Mark Broadhead was third with 38, after a countback. Steve Sheppard was the B Grade winner with 37 points, beating Michael McNee on a countback with Trevor Water winning a countback for third, one point back. Anders Kobula won C Grade with 39 points, with Michael Rogan runner-up with 38 and Adam Rust third (36).

Score of the Day though went to Jie Cheng with a brilliant 44 points. Jie was obviously the Women's winner too and combined with regular playing partner, Denis Watchorn to win the 4BBB. It would have been hard for Denis to help at all with Jie's scoring but if I was him, I'd claim the one I did add was the one that enabled them to win the countback over Steve Sheppard and Murray Rowe when both groups finished with 45 points.

Steven Hill shot an excellent +6 in Wednesday 14th's Par event and won B Grade and Score of the Day. Next best on the day was Ross Kocass with +4 which won him A Grade. +2 was the score that secured Tony Cooper the runner-up spot to Ross and Alan dean and David Freedman second and third respectively to Steven. It was the score that won Steve Sloane C Grade, after a countback with Bob Machar. Stewart McGeady had +1 to win a countback for third in A Grade but combined well with Mark Hansen and won the 4BBB with +9. Philip Gors also had +1 and took out third place in C Grade. Mark Gilligan and Bob Way were runners-up in the 4BBB with +8.

September Medal
Mick Harding warmed up for the defence of his B Grade Cup by winning the B Grade Medal and Score of the Day with an excellent nett 66. Hope you haven't peaked a month too soon, Mick?!

Jamie Duff would have pushed Mick close had it not been for a triple bogey on his 15th but he still took out the A Grade Medal with nett 68, beating Richard Smith after a countback. Jimmy Knox was third in A Grade with net 69, also after a countback and won Scratch with a gross 72. Cameron Daddo was runner-up in B Grade with nett 68, one ahead of Murray Rowe, who won a countback to take third. Phil Hooper was the C Grade Medal winner with nett 67, two ahead of Tristan Lloyd with Peter Nichols, two further back, winning a countback for third.

Josie Garrett (73) edged out Catherine Wiggett (74) to win the Women's Medal.

Unacceptable Dress Code
You may recognise the Member in the picture beside but I will not divulge it to save potential embarrassment!! This is not how he was dressed when he started the 6th hole and I'm sure by now you can guess why he finished it looking this way.

Now for the serious point.....

He is certainly not the first Member to need to strip off to retrieve their clubs from the water and regrettably, I fear, he won't be the last but please take care when parking your buggy or with your remote control.

Enjoy your golf.....and try and keep your clothes on please !!!

Doug Campbell | Captain

From the Women's Committee

What an amazing September we have had at Long Reef Golf Club.

On September 8th we held our 2nd Charity Day of the year in aid of Blue Bottle "Kids Cancer Project". Thank you to all involved, with 83 players participating in the event.

Total monies raised was just under $11,000. Great effort to all involved, particularly to all people that donated prizes and LRGC in donating the green fees for the day.

Our organising committee lead by Dani Montgomery, greatly assisted by Di Muncke, Sue Blanche, Adriana Bowyer, Jo Bellemore, Fran Shay-Sedillo and Wendy Millson.

Special thanks must also go to Jenny Schulenburg for teeing off the 9th hole. I for one enjoyed those pineapple lollies.

On the golf side, 18 holes competition was won by the team consisting of Sally Hill, Helen Ayes, Penny Ware and Jodie Mcpherson (visitor)

9 hole competition was won by Margaret Mullins.

On Monday 19th September Golf NSW hosted the 2022 Coronation Medal which was held at both Concord and Lakeside Golf Club Camden.

Karen Smith and Wendy Millson represented us at Concord, while Jane Hagan and Sally Hill represented us at Lakeside.

76 players played at both courses (152 players in total) with 38 clubs were represented.

Long Reef Golf came 2nd overall, just behind St Michael's. An amazing effort by our girls.

Individually Wendy Millson came in 3rd (75 net) while Karen came in 5th (76 net).

Jane Hagan scored 79 net, while Sally Hill scored 80 net.

Because of this result both Long Reef and St Michael's Golf Clubs will be hosting this event in 2023.

Golfing news continues to shine.

On Sunday 18th September Rachael Loomes and Lisa George represented Long Reef Golf Club

at the 2022 Keno Let's Play Ambrose Regional Final played at Goulburn Golf Club.

With a score of 73.25 net our girls came in 2nd, just behind the winners from Federal Golf Club with a score of 73 net. Well done ladies.

Congratulations ladies. Long Reef are proud of all of you. There will be lots of celebrating over the coming weeks.

Gilda Severino | Women's President

From the Pro Shop

Upcoming Fitting days

Mizuno October 12 | Taylormade November 4 | Callaway November 18

All bookings through the Pro Shop (02) 9982 2943 or proshop@lrgc.com.au

Goulburn v Long Reef

LONG REEF VERSUS GOULBURN ANNUAL VISIT

SUNDAY 6^TH NOVEMBER AT GOULBURN GOLF CLUB

Open to all categories of male playing Members

(including Retention Plus)

The format is a 2 ball best ball, with breakfast before a shotgun start, then dinner and presentation following the event.

Single players will be found a partner.

Sign on sheet placed on notice board early October.

Goulburn is a reciprocal club and we have been playing this event since 1952 uninterrupted till covid. At its peak there were over 50 Long Reef members heading to Goulburn (check the photo's in the locker room). Long Reef usually wins at home and Goulburn usually wins there, although Long Reef has won away more than Goulburn and we are at least one up : )

The current members that travel do it in various ways, some head down on Thursday playing golf on the way, then playing in Canberra on Friday, others on Friday and Saturday, and some just for the day, many play in the local Competition on Saturday which has a prize for the best Long Reef score (Dave Cooper memorial trophy). For those that like a punt Saturday 5^th is ladies day at Goulburn race track, a great country race meeting with race lovers coming from all over the state.

There is plenty of accommodation in Goulburn with Motels, Hotels and Airbnb, another great way to stay is renting a house through smalldetails.com.au which specializes in Goulburn and has been looking after long Reef members for many years, look online or call Megan 0402113337.

Clear your diary and get out of Sydney for the weekend and support our country cousins and continue this great long standing tradition.

Rules with George | Question

Question: Playing the ninth hole, on a very wet day Kerry hit a good second shot which seemed to have stopped in a very large area of temporary water. The group looked for the ball for three minutes but did not find it. The water was very deep and they were virtually certain that the ball was in the water which was an abnormal course condition.

Kerry took relief dropping a ball in relation to where the ball had crossed the margin of the area. Another member of the group, Jim, had walked about 50 metres forward and before Kerry played his ball, Jim found the missing ball well ahead of the water.

Which is correct?

A) Kerry must play his original ball.

B) Kerry must play the ball he dropped in taking relief.

Friday Club Report

Grail warriors
The planets finally aligned last Friday, just in time for our most prestigious day, the Friday Club Championship. The sun blazed down, the wind was gentle, the sky was blue and the scores were magnificent ... and it was a stroke round.

Merlin the Magician couldn't have conjured up better conditions.

For the Friday Club, the quest for this trophy is our version of the Holy Grail. Not the Monty Python version, the Thomas Malory version (1485) in which Camelot's fittest and finest knights rode out to seek this fabled treasure. (It's not really clear why they felt the need to embark on this quest. Maybe they just needed to get out of the house. We all know how that feels!).

Friday Club's fittest and finest similarly took the field last Friday. All our quiet achievers were there (and some not so quiet ones) and the names of likely champions were whispered by the online betting fraternity.

Bookies installed easy-to-spot favourites like the evergreen Hills (Sally and Steve), dangerous Dave Collett, Apollo incarnate (Wayne Grady) and the big dark horse, Dave Brown. Desperate punters even considered longshots, like that wily but creaking old pair, Rob Keir and Ross Guignon.

There were damsels too. Not the damsel-in-distress variety but tough and scary ones, like Helen Ayres, Nicki Wiebe and Prudence Bardsley.

In the epic Arthurian tale, only three knights got to hold the Holy Grail. They were the best of the best: Sir Galahad, Sir Bors and Sir Percival. They were devout, celibate and teetotalers and they never used intemperate language.

Our answer to these three gallant heroes was our own Graham Carlton, Greg Doussett, and Helen Ayres. Top class people, top class players (except for the intemperate language bit ...)

Like the knights of the Round Table, last Friday this trio of in-form players fought and conquered bad luck, helped old people (Friday Club committee members) and kicked well clear of the field. Playing with dignity and honour, they battled it out to the last hole.

In the end, Graham scraped home on a countback, with Greg second. Both players had a make-you-blink net 66 strokes. Helen was third with 68, a mighty effort.

Even our swans came out to watch the golf. They know when magic's in the air.

Meanwhile, in our regular combat arena, our blue army was marching to a different beat ... a popular song of the '60s made famous by none other than The Rolling Stones.

Get Your Kicks on Route 66 was all the rage in 1964 and the number 66 once again seemed to be top of the pops amongst our young-at-heart baby boomers.

A total of four players returned this rather handsome number last Friday. While Graham Carlton and Greg Doussett hogged most of the spotlight, other worthy players also got a curtain call.

Michael Bowyer, making another tilt at Friday Club glory, would have been singing along with Mick Jagger as he made 66 a winning score in division one (the home of golfers with vinyl record collections).

Mike's score gave him a handy five-shot advantage over Dave Brown.

In division two, Warwick Ackhurst and Jim Kirby, rocked around the clock for 18 holes but Jim couldn't get any satisfaction. His 71 was no match for Warwick's magic net 66.

In division three (the fun crowd), Adrian Pryke's 69 seemed a mountain too high for the field, and so it proved. Jodi McPherson, proved once again that her heart belongs to Long Reef, with a spritely net 75 to take second place.

Away Trip
We are talking about going to Gerringong and Kiama for our away trip on Sunday Oct 23 and Monday Oct 24. These dates would allow us to play golf on Monday and Tuesday mornings at Gerringong and Kiama Golf Clubs. These south coast towns are enchanting places and a great antidote to "life in the city". All members of LRGC are welcome to join us.

2 Night Stay & Play for Two at The Mercure Gerringong Resort. Includes golf and free cart rental at Gerringong GC & Kiama GC, $479!

There's also a one-night option for $269 if you can't manage both nights. This might suit some time-poor people.

If you are interested or want more information please email me at perry2097@optusnet.com.au or phone me on 0415 760 853.

Perry Yeldham | Friday Club President

Friday Club’s 2022 Championship winner Graham Carlton.

From the Archives | The Barling Trophy

As far as possible at this time of the year when the Returned Services Day, for Legacy, is about to be played we try to feature one of LRGC's returned servicemen. By co-incidence the story about Alfred Dudley Barling, that is former Lieutenant Commander Barling is part of the Club's Barling Trophy story continued from the last newsletter.

Alfred Dudley Barling - Lieutenant Commander

Royal Australian Navy Special Service Beach Commando

LRGC Member 1932-1977

Formerly the A.P. Lambert Memorial trophy, the silver tray was renamed the Barling Trophy in 1991. Dudley Barling had won it as the Lambert trophy in 1940 the first time it was held. Dudley's name is engraved on the side and he donated it back to the club in 1991 fifty years later via Edmund Playfair the Club Captain at the time.

(Alfred) Dudley Barling was born in Hackney in London in 1899. One source suggests that he served in the Merchant marine in WW1 as a very young man and married in New Zealand in 1925. We do know that he emigrated to Australia in 1926.

He gets a mention in the All-Rounders section of our club's book - The First Sixty-five Years of Long Reef Golf Club, by Ross Lanes. "In 1927 he quickly made a name for himself by beating Ambrose Palmer in the 1927 Australian Amateur Welter Weight Boxing Title." (Palmer went on to become the country's leading Amateur and Professional Boxer across three weights.) "Dudley was also a top swimmer who won the A.I. F. Championships many times." He joined the golf club in 1932 and won the Lambert trophy in 1940. His golf was to be more than interrupted during the war years as he was called up to the R.A.N. and had to suspend his membership. Category 8a was used, with no fees to be paid, which was made available by the club for servicemen and women for the duration of the hostilities.

Returning to the Club after the war he was committed to playing in the A.I. F. days. Over a period of 27 years he won the 1914-18 trophy on four occasions, 1935, 1946, 1960, and 1962. Let's hope he was invited to be a speaker at the dinners and tell some of his war-time stories. He could have mentioned the fact that he was the man who fished John Gorton out of the Java Sea after he had been in the water for 24 hours.*

As well as those games of golf in the 30s Dudley was completing his commitment to the R.A.N.V.R.(Seagoing) He had joined the reserves in 1933 with the rank of Lieutenant. In November 1939 at the age of 40 he transferred to the R.A.N. (S) with the rank of temporary Lieutenant and so began a war that saw him serve throughout the south pacific for six years. Below is a very shortened list of the action he saw. Starting first on a mine-sweeper as Commander of the HMAS Ballarat he spent two years serving in Timor, attending the evacuation of Singapore and Sumatra and patrolling in the New Guinea waters. In 1941 he had been promoted to Temporary Lt. Commander and in 1943 he was posted to the RAN Special Services Beach Commandos becoming Principal Beach Commando of one unit in 1944. The new commando units had been formed by the Navy to go ashore with the first wave of amphibious attacks. The aim was for the unit to organise a smooth transition for the arriving troops, having conducted local reconnaissance, signposting the beaches, and then controlling boat traffic and communication with both Australian and allied forces.

In 1945 he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross the D.S.C. "for gallantry, fortitude and skill whilst serving on HMAS Westralia, in numerous amphibious assaults in the South West Pacific area, including New Guinea, the Philippines and Borneo. These extensive operations covered more than two years of service."+. In April 1946 he was discharged from the Navy having arrived home uninjured and returned to the Navy Reserve with the rank of Lt. Commander. He resigned his commission in 1948.

So, it was back to golf in 1946 and his job as a Company Secretary. He was mainly a Saturday player in the 50s and 60s maintaining a handicap around 18. In 1973, he transferred to Social membership and resigned from the club in 1977. He moved to Queensland in the 80s but returned to live in Bayview Gardens where he died at the age of 94 in 1993.

As the Barling Trophy the re-cycled dish it is now played for by members who have been members for 20 years and more - any category. In the Archives we have the copy of a letter written to Dudley Barling in 1991 by the winner Graham Clark. (President 1977-84. Life member 1984 )

"Dear Dudley

Last Sunday (5.5.91) I was privileged to compete for the Barling Trophy at Long Reef and, as fate would have it, I had the good fortune to win it. This is a great honour and joy to me and I want you to know how proud and grateful I am to you for providing this trophy. To be the inaugural winner is of course another plus"... "You probably would not remember me, but I do you. I joined the Club in 1964 and remember you particularly from Diggers Day...

..To close, just let me again say thanks to you, last Sunday was a great day for me, made even greater by the fact I remember the Donor.

Your sincerely,"

Graham Clarke

If anyone in the club remembers Dudley, we would love to learn more about him. In the meantime his name is remembered around April time each year when the Barling trophy competition is played.

Sources

*The first 65 years if LRGC- Ross Lanes
+ Honour and Award Recommendation RAN . Service records
Letter written by Graham Clark

Sandra Mellowes | Archives Committee

REEF BREEZES

From your President