Hope you all had a lovely Easter with family and friends, and the Easter Bunny visited you!. The weather was glorious wasn't it? How blessed are we to live in such a beautiful part of Australia and belong to this community.
It's been a bit quiet on the golf course this week; but still some great scores were posted by a certain few - more later!
There has been a bit of chat about SLOW PLAY. This issue is raised a number of times during the year and is a cause of concern for many of us. The following points are a guide to help speed up the pace of play on the course....
- BE EARLY TO THE TEE: Make it a point to be at the first tee at least 5-10 minutes before your scheduled tee time.
- PLAY READY GOLF: Except in Match Play, “honours” are a thing of the past. If the fairway/green is clear ahead, then someone in your group should already be hitting. After hitting, walk briskly to your ball. On the way, think about the next shot. Estimate the distance or club selection. Be ready to hit immediately. Limit your practice swings/pre-shot routine to a reasonable level. If you are ready to play (and others are still walking to their ball), and it is safe to do so, then hit.
- WATCH EVERY SHOT, UNTIL IT STOPS: Lost balls are a main contributor to slow play. So, when you hit your ball, watch the ball UNTIL IT STOPS MOVING. This guarantees that you will never have to say “I thought I saw it go here somewhere.” Then, do the same for EVERY BALL IN YOUR GROUP. You will be amazed how much quicker it is for your group to find a ball when there are six eyes tracking it. If a wayward ball finds the rough/trees, etc, then immediately pick a landmark (small bush, tree, rock, etc) and note it aloud to your playing partners. And if there is any doubt, never, EVER say “Ahhh, we SHOULD be able to find it…”. Just hit a provisional.
- PARK YOUR BUGGY/BAG APPROPRIATELY: When sharing a cart, don’t wait for your partner to hit before going to your ball. Hop out with a few clubs and walk to your own ball while they play. When on or near the green, you should always park your cart/buggy on the side of the green which is closest to the next tee. Never leave it at the front of the green, or on the wrong side. The goal should always be to get to the next tee as efficiently and quickly as possible.
- BUNKER PLAY: If your partner needs to play from a bunker, it may be advantageous to let them play first, as the rest of you can then play while she rakes. If two players are in the bunker, then it may be quicker if one offers to rake up for both. If a partner skulls a shot over the green, then offer to rake the bunker for them while they move to their next shot.
- KEEP UP: The old rule rings true: keep up with the group ahead, not just ahead of the group behind. If you fall behind, have a player in your group putt out, then hurry to the next tee while the others are putting. If you are falling well behind, then let the group behind hit up or play through. When marking the scorecard, do it at the next tee, not the green. If you are falling behind, tee off before you mark your card.
- PICK UP: If you are out of a hole, and the comp allows it, then pick up and move on.
- HAVE FUN: I’m not asking you to rush through your game willy nilly. Remember, golf is a game to be enjoyed; but if we all take some of these pointers on to the course, then we can all enjoy the game together.
Tuesday 13th April - Stableford
Thursday 15th April - Medal Rd #2/ McLeish Cup Rd 1 PLUS PRESENTATION.
Friday 16th April - Bronze Shield Pennant Semis @ Yowani. Plate Pennants @ Moss Vale
Saturday 17th April - Stableford
Tuesday 20th April - Stableford on White Course
Thursday 22nd April - Stroke - Mabel McKenzie Brooch - VWGA Event
Friday 23rd April - Bronze Shield Pennants Final (FINGERS CROSSED!!). Plate Pennants @ Belconnen.
Saturday 24th April - Stableford on Blue Course.
PENNANTS
The Bronze Shielders/Sheilas had a draw @ Murrumbidgee yesterday, which propelled them into FIRST PLACE in their pool. A fantastic result for all the girls who have played over the past few weeks. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! This means they advance to the semi finals next week at Yowani GC. At the time of writing, we are unsure of who they will be playing, but we wish them ALL THE BEST LUCK.
The team yesterday was JANE CLIFFORD, PAM BARKER, CLARE STANHAM, CHRIS LEVY & ROSEMARY DOWNING. Sorry - no photo!
The CSGA Plate team were not so fortunate yesterday, going down to RCGC 3/2 @ Yowani. We have 4 more rounds to go before the semis, so we will see what tricks we can pull out of our bags!!
Virginia Wozniac
Leonie Poulton
Julie Hayden
Annie Geddes
Jan Deane
As mentioned previously, there were some great scores this week. Well done to all the winners!!
Saturday 3rd April - Stableford. Susan Harrison won with 36pts. Ellen Neale was R/U with 34pts. NTP - 2nd shot on 15th was Wendy Burke.
Tuesday 6th April - The winner was Penny Cuffe with a tremendous 40pts!! Close on her heels was Carole Turpie scoring a magnificent 39pts on a countback from Jan Deane also on 39pts. There were 8 girls who scored over 36 points!! Congratulations to you all!!
Thursday 8th April - Stableford on Blue Course. This was a tester wasn't it? However, not for some...... Leonie Poulton came home with a mighty 36pts, followed by Sandy Short on 35pts on a C/B from Pam Barker.
WELL DONE GIRLS!
WHITTAKER'S WINNERS
- Aldi - Well I thought you would all be a little over chocolate but please just try these little treats in a glass. You can peel the labels off and pretend you made them and they are perfect with some vanilla bean ice cream. They are called Desert in a Glass (about 7cm tall) and the double chocolate is the only way to go! In the refrigerated section near the cream.
- Aldi – I know it’s being terribly lazy but golf can be so tiring and the Moroccan Medley cous cous is a must to keep in the pantry. It’s in the rice and pasta section. It is instant in that there’s no cooking just boil up the kettle and there you have it.
- Aldi - These amazing sports glasses are available from Saturday 17th April. They are so cheap, about $10 and have interchangeable lenses for different conditions. Keep them in your golf bag for those windy or flat light days. I love them!
Happy shopping and next time I’ll try to tear myself away from Aldi and venture further.
Jane x
Well done to all of you who have played and won your matches in the Challenge Bowl and Jubilee Foursomes. Please put your results on the sheets provided on the Noticeboard. The first round matches have to be played by 2nd May.
On Thursday 22nd April the Mabel McKenzie Brooch Event is being held. This is a Stroke Event. Players MUST be financial members of the VWGA (veteran Women Golfers' Association). Please check with Ellen Goodwin (VWGA Rep) in regard to your status. The ToC for this event is on the Noticeboard.
DON'T FORGET PRESENTATION IS ON THURSDAY 15TH APRIL - WE WOULD LOVE YOU TO STAY!! I need some more photos of you girls!!
Enjoy your weekend. Stay fit and healthy!!
Women's Captain