Photos Presentation Night- Calling Up -Field Artillery-Centennial Vineyards Member Benefit - Golden Rules

As we know we have had a lot of trouble with the little corellas. In the past we've used various bird scaring devices: artificial hawks, humming wires, cut outs of cats etc. We sought the advice of pest control experts and liaised with Parks & Wildlife. The most effective deterrent appears to be our gas gun which scares the birds . Of course using the gas gun is preferable to using more harsh means. Our greens staff are on the course at 6:30 in the morning and use the gas gun at times during the day. David S. has volunteered to use the gun later in the afternoon and this has had a great effect with no bird damage recorded on the greens for about six days.  (Where we live we can hear the gas gun being used at Centennial Vineyards)

Golfers are allowed relief from holes made by birds under Rule 25 reproduced below

25-1. Abnormal Ground Conditions
a. Interference
Interference by an abnormal ground condition occurs when a ball lies in or touches the condition or when the condition interferes with the player’s stance or the area of his intended swing. If the player’s ball lies on the putting green, interference also occurs if an abnormal ground condition on the putting green intervenes on his line of putt. Otherwise, intervention on the line of playis not, of itself, interference under this Rule.


Abnormal Ground Conditions An “abnormal ground condition” is any casual water, ground under repair or hole, cast or runway on the course made by a burrowing animal, a reptile or a bird.

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CALLING UP ON PAR  3s  POLICY
I have put up a new policy for calling up on par 3s. This will be discussed at the next Match and Greens and at the next board meeting. For the moment it is an interim policy. A member raised a concern about the Local Rule about playing the 14th and 15th holes and about how players were observing it. Some investigation revealed that Golf NSW had an advice about calling-up on par 3s and its implication with regards to liability etc. For this reason I have posted the following notice which the board may later ratify. 


"Playing golf involves inherent risks, including the risk of being struck by a golf ball. The risk of being struck by a golf ball is significantly increased if players "call up" the following group on a par 3 hole. Calling up on par 3 holes is not permitted on this course. Any player calling up a following group in breach of this policy does so at the player's own risk, and may not be covered by insurance."


Local rule deleted
The Local Rule on the back of the card (click here) concerning play at the 14th and 15th hole has been deleted. 

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Robin Murray is the proprietor of the Centennial Vineyard's restaurant. Robin is a member here and has generously arranged a benefit for members of our club. 


When a couple goes to the restaurant and order from the a la carte menu and produces their membership card (at ordering time) they are entitled to receive a free bottle of the Bong Bong white or Bong Bong red - both very drinkable wines. 

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Last Sunday on the way to golf we passed many Porsches heading towards Centennial Vineyards. Robin had 96 members from the Porsche car club there for lunch. 

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This year's winner of the Bill Crystal Trophy for left handers was decided on Saturday with Robert Eriksson coming in with a +2 in the par competition.

The Jock Rossell Trophy is a 2 ball aggregate par which was won by David & Peter Burgess. There were three teams on +1 and to decide the winner a countback was made. The count-back was even on the last 9, the last 6 and only on the last 3 was the winner decided. 

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USGA - Golden Rules of Golf


From the United States Golf Association's 
Links Magazine.

The 10 Golden Rules Of Golf 

1. Play the ball as it lies. 
2. Don’t move, bend, or break anything growing or fixed, except in fairly taking your stance or swing. Don’t press anything down. 
3. You may lift natural objects not fixed or growing, except in a water hazard or bunker. No penalty. 
4. Movable man-made objects may be moved. For immovable objects, you may take relief by dropping away from them within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, no nearer the hole, except in a water hazard or if the object defines out of bounds. In a bunker, you must drop in the bunker. No penalty. 
5. You may take relief from casual water, ground under repair, burrowing animal holes or casts, anywhere except in a water hazard. On the putting green, place at the nearest point of relief, no nearer the hole; otherwise drop within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, no nearer the hole. In a bunker, you must drop in the bunker. No penalty. 
6. In a water hazard or bunker, don’t touch the water or ground with your hand or club before the stroke. 
7.  If you hit your ball into a water hazard and cannot find or play it, either drop behind the point where the ball last crossed the hazard margin or at the place where you played the shot. On the tee, you may tee the ball. One penalty stroke. If you hit into a lateral hazard, you may also drop within two club-lengths of the point where the ball last crossed the hazard margin, or, within two club-lengths of a point equidistant from the hole on the opposite margin. One penalty stroke. 
8. When you hit your ball out of bounds or can’t find it after five minutes of searching, add a penalty stroke, go back and drop a ball at the place where you played the shot. On the tee, you may tee the ball. If you think you have hit your ball out of bounds or lost it outside a water hazard, play a provisional ball before searching for the first one. 
9. When you have an unplayable lie, you may drop a ball at the place where you played the previous shot, adding a penalty stroke. On the tee, you may tee the ball. Alternatively, drop within two club lengths, no nearer the hole, or any distance behind the unplayable spot, keeping it between you and the hole. If the ball is in a bunker, you must drop in the bunker, under either of the alternative options. If you can’t play your ball that is in a water hazard, see Golden Rule No.7. 
 10. You may repair ball marks and old hole plugs on the putting green that are on the line of your putt, but not spike marks.

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Saturday night was Presentation Night and it was very well received. This year was in a similar format as last year with the winners of the events being presented with their trophy and certificate and the runners-up in championship events being presented with a certificate. Runners-up in other events were given "an honourable mention". The evening flowed along very well. Neville & Bruce were successful and Neville gave a speech about claiming medical expenses for back injuries whilst carrying one's partner.