CAPTAIN'S BLOG - NEWS

Legacy week began on Saturday the 30th and runs through to Sept 6th. Legacy is the main charity that the club supports and badges will be on sale throughout the district

We have a bell on the 10th at about the 180m mark. The bell is used to indicate to the players on the tee that the group in front has reached that point on the course. We will be adding a couple of signs to the 10th – one by the bell and one by the tee – indicating the protocol for use of the bell.  Page 18 of the Rules which covers Etiquette and Behaviour on the course, there is a special section on Safety. It is the player’s responsibility to play in a safe manner. A court case in Queensland a few years ago, to do with a person who was hit on the golf course by another player’s ball, quoted this section of the Rules which resulted in the conviction of the player.

NEAREST THE PIN & PRO PIN ON THE 14TH
At the recent Match & Greens Meeting it was decided to revert to the old system. Now the pro pin and the nearest the pin markers will be placed at the current nearest the pin location (i.e. where the player’s ball  that is claiming the nearest the pin or pro pin was. )
It was suggested that the pro-pin be tried on another hole. The reason it is on the 14th is that the 14th green is 'within range' for more players rather than the 4th, 6th or 11th. That means that more people can compete in the pro-pin.

New Flags are out on the course now.  


Our new carts arrive on Monday afternoon and they have an identical logo - BGC 1901

Kylie leaves us in two weeks – if everything goes to schedule! I have placed a collection box in the Pro Shop and members may contribute here for a cash gift for Kylie. I have already bought a baby’s gift and a card – the card I will leave in the Pro Shop for people to add their good wishes to.

The GURs at the back of the 4th, 10th, 11th and 17th greens are compulsory (we have run out of compulsory GUR signs, more to be ordered). In the middle of each of the GURs there is a white stake.

If the player’s ball is the compulsory GUR they must use the drop zone on that side of the stake. For example, if their ball is on the right-hand side of the stake then they use the drop zone on that side of the stake.

Ephemeral Waterways
On Tuesday, during a course inspection, I took some photos of the ephemeral waterways on the course. These are working exactly as designed. The subterranean pipe carries the quiescent water during normal periods keeping the hazard dry. When it starts raining the flow rises and the pipe continues to carry the water until it reaches its maximum capacity.When the amount of water entering the waterway continues to rise the water overflows onto the surface of the hazard and the increased flow is carried away.

Unfortunately we have had to cancel the Captain versus Captain fixture this Sunday. Early next week we'll work out an alternate day for it. we had around 40 to play in the event with many booked in for the Sunday Roast lunch. The rain was very welcome even through the golf has had to be rescheduled.

 The committee did not accept his resignation and he stayed as captain until 1947 when he then became president for three years. Later he became Patron from 1957-1965. 


He was a gifted athlete. He coached and was stroke in the Australian rowing crew that went to the 1912 Olympics - he was also a cross-country runner, winning a number of three and five mile events. 


John Fitzhardinge's father was also a member of the club, being club champion in 1947 and 1950. John, I understand , took up golf three years ago and is a member of Manly Golf Club where his wife has been a member for some 33 years. 

Roger Fitzhardinge had a stable in Burradoo, just to the south-west of Chisholm Hill. Incidentally Brian Lamb bought a horse bred by him some years ago.  

A return match for the Bruce Smith Cup is being held at Moss Vale on the 27th Sept. The previous match was held at Bowral earlier in the year when Moss Vale scored a convincing win. A sign-up sheet will be in the pro-shop this coming week

The Captains Trophy

This year Col Collins won the Captains Trophy with a nett 65. Col is a (very) long time Highlands resident and plays golf each Wednesday and Saturday in the afternoon field. Col, now retired for many years, was the Shire Clerk  on the Bowral Municipal Council before the councils were amalgamated in  in  1981. The winner was announced at the dinner and judging by the applause Col was a very popular winner.

Saturday 9th the club held The Captains Dinner,  one of two formal dinners, the other being the Anniversary Dinner where the President officiates. It is an opportunity for the Captain to review the last year and to acknowledge and thank members and staff for their support and work. 

Unfortunately this year it was not possible for our course superintendent Damian Gair to attend, but I have included here a few words ... "Maintaining a golf course is a great job. Presenting our course week after week must be a great pleasure to Damian - it is to us. All the positive comments from visitors and our members alike about our course and then knowing how many our course staff number, makes it all the more impressive. Their job may look easy, but it is not - it is just that they are very good at doing it, bringing a large experience, expertise and enthusiasm to it - thank you to Damian and staff."

Australian Open. The Australian Golf club this year host the Australian Open at their Rosebery course. The last time the Open was held at The Austrlain was in 2007 when Craig Parry won. This year the tournament is held on the 27th, 28th, 29th and 30th of November. Last years Australian Open winner Rory McIlroy, and current PGA Champion, who won at Royal Sydney Golf Club has announced his intention to defend his title at The Australian. 

Over the last 2 months there has been extensive planting on the course. Extending the Silver Sheen pittosporum behind the 7th green, lining the 11th fairway with claret ash, the planting on the southern side of the 17th as with all the other planting have drawn very positive comment from members and visitors alike. The town of Bowral is famous for its English style gardens and our golf course reflects the character of Bowral - more so with the plantings over the last 2 years. Over the years we have lost many old established trees to various causes and recent years have been no exception to this. Storm damage, disease, weather and perhaps old age are principal among the reasons. We have noticed that many Peppermint Gums (eucalyptus nicholli) on the course are stressed - some dying.  Advice we have received from arborists is that  in our district many  Peppermint Gums are dying. The reason for this is unclear. The extremes in the weather is thought by some to be responsible. 

Recently we received council permission to remove several large gums, several peppermint gums among them. The so-called pinus canker has been responsible for the demise of several trees. Pine trees on the western side of the 16th, trees on the northern side of the 4th among many others have all been affected. The  planting program redresses the loss of the established trees - we are planting more than we are losing. In future years it is easy to imagine how our course will look.  Our ground staff do a magnificent job. There have been other changes on the course, the mounds behind the 10th green have been removed. The mounds were a high maintenance item being unsuitable to mow and being able to be maintained at an acceptable height by labour intensive whipper snipping. Likewise the mound behind the 4th - these mounds have been removed and when the grass becomes established it will be mown to 'surrounds height' and then further out to rough height. (Similar to the 8th.)

All the new plants are on a watering program by the ground staff until they become established. Last year we lost some plants to rabbits; this year we have lost some of the pittosporum behind the 13th green as a result of the high wind shortly after they were planted. These winds 'worked' the plants to and fro and have allowed air voids to develop around the roots. Too much air around the roots and the plant will die. We will replace the dead ones. 


So who is the man in the picture? He is Joyce Kilmer, the author of 'Trees' which has the very well known lines .

Captain versus Captain.
Each year we have the Captain vs Captain event. It is played as a single stableford, medley. Last year the men's team was successful in gaining the honour and this year both teams will be trying hard. On Sunday the 17th we have our roast, so it is possible to play in the morning and then come into the clubhouse to have a roast lunch at the completion of the game. There is also an afternoon set of tee times for the competition so that golfers who prefer to play in the afternoon have the opportunity of lunching before playing their round. The sign up sheet is in the Pro Shop. The roast menu is:-

Roast leg of lamb with roast 
vegetables and rosemary jus

Apple and blueberry pudding 
with berry compote and ice cream



It should be a very enjoyable day.  Booking at the pro-shop please