This eNews is the monthly 'Member Update' which keeps members informed of general Club news.
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Committee NEWS
Those members visiting the Club over the Easter weekend will have noticed that the bulk of the demolition work to the southern side of the Clubhouse – adjacent to the 7th fairway – has occurred over the past fortnight. The old tank, the ramp to the kitchen and some of the garden beds have all been removed. Not surprisingly, a small amount of the old Clubhouse roof which contained asbestos was located buried underground. Alchemy’s contractors have been on site carefully collecting and appropriately disposing of the roof fragments, and readying the area for the civil works to the southern extension. It is expected that this preparation work will be completed early next week.
The entry foyer to the Clubhouse is now seeing a lot more activity as all of our food and beverage supplies are being delivered via our front door. I would like to thank the members for their patience during the initial phases of the construction and for remaining outside the building compound allowing Alchemy to safely commence their works.
We are expecting a decision from the City of Greater Geelong on the permit for the Temporary Clubhouse next week and will communicate more information shortly.
Lastly, a reminder that all of the Weekly Updates on the Clubhouse restoration can be viewed online via the link below. The most recent update is also being displayed in hard copy form in the Links Room each week so that members can easily read it there.
Congratulations are in order to Superintendent Craig Molloy and the dedicated course maintenance team for their exceptional work in preparing the course for the recent Club Championships. Despite facing challenging weather conditions, their efforts ensured that the course was presented at its best throughout the event.
During the finals weekend, temperatures soared, with Aireys Inlet recording 39.6°C on Saturday, 37.5°C on Sunday (39.6°C in Geelong), and 38.8°C on Monday. These hot conditions posed a significant challenge, but thanks to the meticulous care and attention to detail by our maintenance team, the course remained in top-notch condition for players and spectators alike.
It's worth noting that these high temperatures followed a year of below-average rainfall, with Barwon Heads receiving 35% less rainfall in 2023 compared to the previous year, and nearly 20% below the long-term average. The Club is set to record the lowest March rainfall since data was collected for the Bureau of Meteorology in 2002.
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Above: "Boz passed away a few weeks ago aged 105. We can now safely call him a true hero." Click the image above to read the article by Anson Cameron that appeared in The Age on 9 March 2024. Boz Parsons was a member of the Club for over 60 years.
NEW EVENT: Book Talk - Grantlee Kieza OAM
In collaboration with local bookstore Heads & Tales, bestselling author Grantlee Kieza OAM will be in the Clubhouse to talk with members and their guests about his latest book 'Sister Viv'.
Award-winning journalist, Grantlee Kieza OAM, held senior editorial positions at The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph and The Courier-Mail for many years and was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his writing. He is a Walkley Award finalist and his latest book is the inspiring story of the nursing hero who survived a wartime massacre and dedicated her life to saving others.
Date:Thursday 18 April 2024
Time: 6.00pm
Location: Links Room
Cost: Free
Books will be available to purchase on the evening and beverages will be available from the bar. If you intend to stay for dinner afterwards, please make a separate booking prior to Friday 12 April.
Please register your attendance via the link below to assist with set-up and staffing. Thank you.
If you hit a wayward shot and you think you may have difficulty finding the ball, it’s always good policy to play a provisional ball as a precaution, which will save you time if the original ball is indeed lost.
Of course, it’s possible that you’ll hit the provisional ball in the same spot as the original ball. Let’s also say that the provisional ball is the same brand and number as the original ball, and you find both balls, therefore you are unsure which is the original and which is the provisional? What is the procedure?
Above: Owlet-nightjar. Look closely.
Bird of the Month
By Robin Spry
Our regular bird of the month contributor, Robin Spry, has been very busy attending the BirdLife Photography Biennial Conference 2024 in the Adelaide Hills, a five-day event, incorporating two days of local guided tours prior to the conference, the two-day conference, and a range of self-guided tours after the conference. While at the conference she was thrilled to have her first ever
sighting of an Owlet-nightjar peeping out of a tree hollow. (Pictured)
While she is on leave from her regular articles, you might like to revisit some past favourites and be in awe at some of her own (and others') amazing photography.
Climbing lignum is commonly sighted in sand dunes and coastal environments, including our golf course. It is a scrambling, dense climber with woody stem...
Only one change from the diary in April at the request of Kingston Heath GC. (Rescheduled to Friday 3 May 2024).
BASH CUP
As you can see (above) the BASH Cup, an annual men's event played against Kingston Heath Golf Club, has been rescheduled to Friday 3 May. Members wishing to be considered for the 24-man team can put their names on the EOI timesheet via the link below. (Arrival from 11am, lunch at 11:30am. golf in 1pm shotgun. After golf snacks and presentations around 5:15pm.)
Above: Several members who were unable to get to Geelong Grammar for Boz Parson's memorial watched a live-stream in the Committee Room on Saturday 17 March. It was organised by member, Lyn Mulligan (front RHS).
Rules Answer
Rule 18.3c Playing Provisional Ball Until It Becomes the Ball in Play or Is Abandoned
If the player plays a provisional ball into the same general location as the original ball and is unable to identify which ball is which:
If only one of the balls is found on the course, that ball is treated as the provisional ball which is now in play.
If both balls are found on the course, the player must choose one of the balls to be treated as the provisional ball which is now in play, and the other ball is treated as the original ball, which is no longer in play, and must not be played.
The moral of the story: when playing a provisional ball, perhaps use a different number or brand to the original ball to avoid confusion (and a stroke and distance penalty!).
Anzac Day Events
