December Board Meeting

The following notes are from the Board Meeting held on Thursday 22nd December 2022.

DID YOU KNOW?

Over the past 2 months, many Members have asked about the Course condition drying out and the dam water levels rapidly diminishing. In the article below, our Course Superintendent, Peter Donkers, provides information on the current water situation and the process of irrigating the Golf Course. Keep in mind how exposed the Long Reef Headland is to wind, particularly in the higher areas and the extreme contrasts between the wet weather in the first 9 months of 2022 and the wind/dry weather over the past 3 months. Rain each night as we sleep would be very welcome.

Keith Warren | President

In 2022, 2350mm of rain fell at Long Reef, however in the past 12 weeks there has only been 87mm of rainfall whilst experiencing very high winds. With the promise of La Nina and wet weather continuing throughout the summer months, we irrigated fairways throughout November. By late November the Course was quite dry but the BOM were mentioning a wet summer was still to be expected.

By December the irrigation dam level was very low, so we stopped fairway watering to conserve water and only watered greens, tees, and odd areas. So far there has been very little rain, 28mm in November, 18mm in December and with the high wind, we have gone into drought mode very quickly.

In mid-December we started transferring water from the new dam to the irrigation dam between the 5^th & 6^th holes. The low dam levels now have our team pumping the water between the 2 dams. Our dam capacity is approximately 18 mega litres but our dams are also at water table level.

A normal greens and tees irrigation cycle would use around 1 mega litre per week in dry conditions and if we were to water fairways as well it would be substantially more than that. The dams also suffer from evaporation especially in windy conditions. There is a bore which can produce around 3 litres of water per second but in dry conditions the bore cannot run continually.

When water is limited such as now, we prioritise irrigation of greens and tees and limit the amount of water most other areas receive. We often set up hoses and sprinklers and concentrate on keeping high traffic areas alive to avoid losing grass.

All our dams are filled from stormwater runoff from local roads and from the course drainage which all filters back into the dams. Over the past 25 years the Club has done extensive work in many areas, diverting stormwater from local roads which previously went directly to the beach but now comes through the Course. All this work along with course drainage allows us to be self-sufficient for irrigation requirements, unless in very extreme conditions.

Our dams are capable of filling from empty to 100% capacity within 2 hours during very heavy rain, however it is when we have high winds and minimal rainfall for extended periods of time that the Course suffers.

Hopefully we continue to get some thunderstorms or significant rain like last weekend (preferably in the evening to not disrupt your golf) which gave us around 30mm and helped green everything up for the short term.

Peter Donkers | Course Superintendent

Welcome to the first newsletter for 2023. 

As a trial, from 2^nd February 2023 we will change the Women's Divisions for Tuesday and Thursday 18 hole competitions to the following: 

Trial from 2^nd February 2023. Tuesday and Thursday's Competitions - 18 holes.                           

STROKE

Division I                                                   0 - 20.7 GA

Division 2                                             20.8 - 30.9 GA

Division 3                                             31.0 - 54.4 GA

For those players not wanting to play a stroke round, a Stableford event will be held- one division only playing off the Gold Tees.

STABLEFORD AND PAR

Division I                                                   0 - 20.7 GA

Division 2                                             20.8 - 30.9 GA

Division 3                                             31.0 - 38.2 GA

Division 4G                                          38.3 - 54.0 GA

Division 4G is played off the Gold Tees and all other divisions are played off the Red Tees.

All Major Events, Medal Rounds, Matchplay and Non - Handicapped events will be played off the red tees unless otherwise advised by the Women's Committee. 

Good luck to our Women's Club Champion, Josie Garrett who is playing in the Champion of Champions at Manly Golf Club on Monday 30^th January. 

We welcome 6 new members from the rookies program and thank you to the mentors who will look after these ladies during 2023. We look forward to playing with Petrina Rousel, Sandra Haberlin, Libby Cleary, Toni Wilson, Sonia Cordaiy, Deb Kent and Dana Garner.

Results:

Congratulations to Jane Hagan (19) 76 net who won the weekend club medal and 2^nd round of the Summer Cup on Saturday 7^th January.

Over the last few weeks we have seen some great scores. Congratulations to Toni Wilson (45) who has joined us from the rookies program who scored 37 pts on Thursday 29^th December.  

18 holes - Liz Morton (42) 43 pts, Chez Hickman (37) 42 pts, Jenny Watts (32) 42, Wendy Thomas (22) 41 pts, Jane Hagan (20) 41 pts & 42 pts, Ali Gattas (19) 41 pts,  Moira Rowland (29) 40 pts, Corrine Crawford (39) 40 pts, Sally Hill (22) 40 pts, Sue Dewell (40) 40 pts, Jie Cheng (23) 40 pts twice, Debbie Hankey (38) 39 pts, Sue Smiles (23) 39 pts, Sue Rossi (43) 39 pts, Aki Lee (35) 39 pts, Kim Sloane (17) 39 pts, Jen Jansson (15) 39 pts, Wendy Millson (19) 39 pts, Michelle Ackerman (34) 39 pts, Janet Atchison (13) 39 pts, Muriel Dawson (31) 38 pts, Rowena Robinson (31) 38 pts. Michelle Ison (34) 38 pts, Jenni Brown (14) 38 pts twice, Karen Smith (15) 38 pts, Tanya Heber (13) 38 pts, Louise Millward (30) 38 pts. 

9 holes - Mary Payne (37) 20 pts & 19 pts, Lyn Harper (31) 20, pts Carol Cummins (40) 20 pts, Ann Henderson (41) 19 pts, Kathie Nelson (35) 19 pts, Fay Sinnott (35) 19 pts,  

Up Coming Fixtures: 

Weekend Opening Day Sunday 29^th January 2023 for 6 and 7 day members - we play the event of the day, 4BBB competition and you will be playing Single Stableford in conjunction. There is an entry sheet up in the locker room. Please either enter your name on the sheet or email ladies@lrgc.com.au if you wish to play. The committee will draw names for the 4BBB. There will be light refreshments and a drink and presentation for the Weekend Gold Medal, Weekend Stableford Aggregate and the Scratch Score for 2022. Entries close Thursday 19^th January. The GNSW fees for 7 day members $10 weekend (opt in / out fees) are also due, please pay these online on MiClub, date Sunday 29^th January. This is the same as you book your tee times. Please only pay for either weekend or weekday fees. 

Weekday opening Day Thursday 2^nd February 2023 - 4 ball Dropout Ambrose. Information regarding this event is on the board in the locker room. There will be a lunch for $35 per person. Please pay for the lunch on MiClub, open now, (same way as your book your tee times). The GNSW fees $15 weekday (opt in / out fees) are also due. Please pay for these on line in same way as the lunch. 

Change in the fixture book 2023. The Stroke - Club & GNSW Medal 1, Singles and Long Marker Knockout competition qualifiers, start of 1^st eclectic and point score has changed to Thursday 9^th February 2023. Thursday 16^th February will be stableford.

The match play for the Singles and Long Markers Knockout Competitions will stay the same as per the program book, 21/2, 23/2, 28/2 and 2/3. 

Pink Charity Day Thursday March 23^rd from Michelle Milsted (organising Committee)

We will be raising money for Brash-At, a charity that raises money to support research into finding a cure and as a means for creating a support network for other families dealing with Ataxia Telangiectasia (A-T). 

A-T is a rare and incurable disease often described as the worst parts of cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and cystic fibrosis. Throw in a dose of cancer and lung disease and you have a general picture of this relentless condition.

For more information, please visit their website: HERE

We are seeking any donations or services from our golfing community. If you are able to help in anyway, please contact myself or any committee member. You can email me for any additional information on ladies@lrgc.com.au                                                                                                                                                    

 Stephen Twigg | Welfare Coordinator

He barely hit the ball but it missed the hole, kept running and finished about 20 metres off the front of the green.

Which applies?

A. Jeremy would like to play his stroke again but his ball is further from the hole than originally.

B. Jeremy must now play his ball from its new position, off the green.

C. Jeremy may declare his ball unplayable and with one stroke penalty under Stroke and Distance replay his putt.

Long Reef is one of the oldest courses in the Sydney area, and one of the few in its original location.

Which were the early Sydney clubs which are still in existence?

The first reliable report of Golf being played in the Colony of New South Wales (and Australia) is contained in the diaries of Alexander Brodie Spark, a Sydney businessman and entrepreneur. Golf was played at Grose Farm, Sydney in May 1839, on a patch of ground that now forms part of the campus of the University of Sydney, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Victoria Park. Grazing livestock was kept on Grose Farm making it suitable ground for a rudimentary golf course.

The key figure in that short-lived phase of golf was Captain James Ferrier, master of the Lady Fitzherbert. The golf coincided with his enforced stay in Sydney waiting for a crew to take his ship back to London. Ferrier was an enthusiastic golfer and a prominent member of Royal Blackheath Golf Club in London. The most likely scenario is that he carried golf clubs and balls in his cabin and played golf whenever he was on land and could find suitable ground to play some golf.

Another early golf match as reported in "Bells Life in Sydney and Sporting Reviewer" Sat 28^th Nov 1857.

"The ancient and royal Scottish game of Golf was played on Tuesday afternoon, 24th Nov., at 4 o'clock, a distance of two miles, viz, from St James' Church to Lyons' Terrace and back twice, between Capt Kirk and Mr David Robertson of Sydney, for £50 a-side; the bet

being who should do the distance in the fewest number of strokes. Won by Mr Robertson doing the distance in 18 strokes Capt Kirk in 20. The Captain not being satisfied, another match came off on Wednesday afternoon at 4 o'clock, distance 3 miles, for the same amount, which was again won by the Sydney man in 27 strokes. Capt Kirk 30. Thus terminated this match, being the first played in Sydney. We are proud to see we have a man

in Sydney who can take both the shine and the "shiners'' out of the conquering Captain, the hero of San Francisco.

We also understand that the victor and vanquished in this match, are open to play any two parties in these colonies, for any amount agreed on.

After the match had been completed, the crowd of boys being anxious for the ball, and excited by the novelty of the game. Captain Kirk drove his ball 200 yards, which gave the boys a run for it. Robertson, the Sydneyite, turned his face towards St James' Church, and drove his ball clean over the church, which made the spectators fancy he was capable of sending it to the Circular Quay. It is Mr Robertson's intention to write home at once to his brother (the present champion of Scotland), with the intention of procuring from the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of Saint Andrew, Scotland a supply of clubs and balls, to be presented to the youth of the colony, for the encouragement of this really noble game. Mr Robertson will be glad to teach any party gratuitously, and we sincerely trust soon to see a well constituted club formed here, and to see hundreds of our city taking the train to Homebush either to witness or make matches, Mr Robertson being always ready."

Editors note; It is good to see our Long Reef Members keeping up this wonderful tradition of wagering on matches.

References;  Golf Clubs web sites and Australian Golf Heritage Society archives

Jeremy replaced his ball, replayed his putt carefully into the hole.

Clarification 19.2a/1    " Official Guide to the Rules of Golf 2023" applies.

"Player May Take Stroke and Distance Relief Even When Spot of Previous Stroke is Nearer Hole than Where Ball Lies"