NEWSLETTER … SEPTEMBER 2020

PRESIDENT’S NOTES: Welcome to Spring, and this month’s newsletter. I hope everyone has found our newsletters of

interest, and I wish to thank Secretary Kath for all the work she puts into compiling it each month,

especially the ‘Members Profile’ section. I am sure everyone enjoyed the read on Patron Reg. Over the

next few months Kath will profile our Committee so that as individuals, we are better known to all our

members; this will make for some interesting reading!!

The pathway on the 14th

is now complete, and we have now approved path work on the 7th

and 13th

.

This work is to be undertaken by Peter Hutchieson over the next few months. We wish to thank him

for this, and in addition to the paths, Peter also will be rebuilding the 12th

tee, which has needed

attention for some time. Funding for the paths and the tee has been made possible because of the

path levy, and our social club raffles. Your ongoing support of the raffles is very much appreciated;

sorry everyone can’t be a winner.

As you will have seen, the greens staff have now reconstructed the bunkers on the 8th

. This finalises

our bunker work for this year. Next year we will work on the left bunker on 17, and the bunkers on 14.

Well done to our greens staff – Dylan, Peter, and Gary.

Removal of dead trees will continue as an ongoing programme, and as you will notice, a number of

stringybark trees are continuing to die off on the 6th

and 12th

fairways. These trees have been put

under stress by drought, strong winds, and white ants. The white ants have been treated under advice

from Ben McClymont of Custom Pest Solutions, and hopefully this will help save some of the trees. A

replanting programme will be undertaken on the 12th

with tuckeroos, weeping lilly-pillies, and

paperbark trees.

As you may know, Bundaberg has a new weekly newspaper - Bundaberg Today – which is published

every Friday, and includes our competition results in the sports section; check it out. Last week’s

edition, which was the 1st

, included an interesting article on a recycling audit undertaken by the

Council. Over half the bins audited were contaminated with waste products. If they had

checked our recycle bins, it would have been 100%. I ask everyone to take a little care and

put only recycle products in the yellow lid bins. Recycle Right stickers have been applied to

the bins’ lids. We don’t want the situation do develop where the Council refuses to collect our bins

due to contamination. I would also remind members that the Juniors have a Recycling Bag for

bottles and cans, so please use this, as the proceeds are a major source of income for our Juniors.

Whilst on housekeeping matters, PLEASE make an effort to return your sand buckets to

the bucket rack or bin; it will only take you a couple of minutes. The number of buckets

left in the car park or hidden in the gardens is unbelievable. Remember; karma will happen!!

Good Golfing

Geoff Loveday

President – Bundaberg Golf Club

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SEPTEMBER COMMITTEE MEETING … KEY DETAILS:

A list of 10 applications for new membership and 2 applications to rejoin was presented to the Committee

It was unanimously agreed that the club proceed with, and finance, the construction of the buggy shed, and that annual rent be set at $400 per buggy per year, plus electricity costs; and that we investigate the feasibility of installing solar panels on the roof of the new construction.

It was also agreed to bring the current rent of the existing buggy sheds into line with the above rental conditions. [See details on Page 9]

The meeting approved the purchase of 14 ML of water at the special rate of $150 [the

current asking price is around $190 per ML]

Dylan presented the following course report for August: The end of August

was quite busy for the lead up to the Vets spring carnival with a lot of

volunteers chipping in to lend a helping hand to help the green staff

produce the course the best we could for our guests.

During the first week of September the green staff applied a granular

fertiliser to fairways and greens to help bring the grass out of dormancy. The

greens at this point in time will seem slower as the grass is growing more. It

needs to be growing well leading into renovations to get adequate recovery

from the upcoming renovations in October. The green heights have been

lowered to improve ball roll and the greens will be rolled twice a week to

maintain firmness and pace. The greens will be groomed on the 13th of

September to remove any seasonal thatch.

On the 14th of September the two front bunkers on the 8th bunkers

will be renovated and reshaped slightly to increase the size to the

right-hand side bunker, and to add zoysia around the edge of the bunkers

to have a collar cut around them. The zoysia requires less maintenance,

which reduce staff time maintaining the edges.

The 17th fairway has had D-loops placed at the end of the fairway to stop golf

buggies driving on the fairway. A rope on the right-hand side of the fairway

should be place from the end of the bridge on 17 down to the 18th tee to

help reduce compaction so the green staff can establish a better turfed

area. Aerating and applying gypsum will help improve this area. Peter

Hutchieson has made some new stakes in his own time to use on the

course to help the green staff rope off key areas, which the green

staff are incredibly grateful for.

After renovations I would like to extend the first green on the

right-hand side with turf from our nursery. By increasing the

size of the green closer to the bunker it will allow for more

pin positions closer to bunkers, thereby making it more challenging for golfers.

It was great to here so many positive comments from guests that have played the

course during the Vets Spring Carnival.

It was agreed that $20 000 be allocated to work around the course; this is to include the relocation of the men’s 12th tee, and then construction of cart paths, which is to commence with the 7th and 13th holes, and then other holes according to priority

Some of the deeper bunkers around the course will have the entrance lip removed to allow easier entry, as some of our older golfers have trouble getting in and out of them; 3rd [second on the left]; front bunker on the 5th; right bunker on the 10th; the right bunker of the 13th; and possibly the 14th and 17th bunkers

It was agreed that Peter Hutchieson be asked to make 100 stakes [approximate cost -

$1.50 each] to be used around the course, and that the final design be left in the hands of

Peter

David Obst presented his Match Report, and suggestions regarding

future championships were adopted by the committee [see Captain’s

Corner on Page 5 for full details]

The Ladies have been reimbursing Kay Tischler for plants, compost, fertiliser, etc., that she has been buying for the club, and are happy to do so

Roy Price reported that over the 2 days of the Spring Carnival, 368 people competed o The event ran smoothly, and there were numerous accolades regarding both the

organization of the competition, and the condition of the course o Roy thanked everyone for their support and assistance

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ON THE LIGHTER SIDE:

Dear Abby I've never written to you before, but I really need your advice. I have suspected for some time now that my wife has been cheating on me. There are the usual signs: the phone rings but if I answer, the caller hangs up; my wife has been going out with ‘the girls’ a lot recently, although when I ask their names she always says, "Just some friends from work; you don't know them." I always try to stay awake to look out for her coming home, but I usually fall asleep. Anyway, I have never broached the subject with my wife. I think deep down I just didn't want to know the truth, but last night she went out again and I decided to really check on her. Around midnight, I decided to hide in the garage behind my golf clubs, so I could get a good view of the whole street when she arrived home from a night out with ‘the girls’. It was at that moment, crouching behind my clubs, that I noticed the graphite shaft on my driver appeared to have a hairline crack right by the club head. Is this something I can fix myself, or should I take it back to the pro shop where I bought it? Signed

Perplexed

The Rider After they went into the locker room, another golfer who had heard

the old guys talking about their game went to the pro and said, "I've been

playing golf for a long time and thought I knew all the terminology of the game,

but what's a rider? The pro said, "A rider is when you hit the ball far enough to

actually get in the golf cart and ride to it."

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CAPTAIN’S CORNER:

August and September have been particularly good months for the club, with player numbers -

both members, and social players throughout the week – remaining high.

The Match Committee’s focus at this month’s meeting was in regard to Club Championships. We

will be reviewing the running of all the Honour Board events to try to restore some prestige to

these. Sponsorship and prizes also will be reviewed.

The Club Championship will be contested over 2 consecutive weekends. Players will be asked to

nominate for the Championship, with these players receiving preferred tee times on the

Saturdays. We will now have the top 8 in each grade in seeded draws for the 3rd and 4th rounds,

with A Grade players to tee off last. Any playoff for Champion, in any of the grades, will be

conducted over 4 holes, [10, 11, 8 and 9], and then, if there is still a tie, there will be a sudden

death playoff using the same holes. Winners will receive a trophy, as well as an embroidered

Bundaberg Golf Club shirt designating them Club Champion for their particular grade.

We will be reintroducing a Match Play Championship, with the qualifiers to be the top 32 nett

scores from the Club Championships; this will be a handicap event. Full match play rules will be

used. Over the coming months we will publish some of the more unusual match play rules in the

newsletter to start you thinking about this event.

The Four-ball Championship will be played over 36 holes on 1 weekend, with nominated players

receiving preference on the time sheet for the Saturday.

During all Championships, the main daily prizes will be for Championship players, with an

overflow event for all others. The last few years have seen a decline in numbers playing

the last round, so hopefully with a few minor changes, we will have more members

involved in all four rounds.

IF MEMBERS HAVE ANY IDEAS OR SUGGESTIONS ABOUT THE RUNNING OF OUR CLUB,

please place these in the box near the door to the Clubhouse. Your ideas will be discussed

at our next meeting, and you will be notified of the outcome. We want to hear from you

because we value your input.

David Obst

Captain – Bundaberg Golf Club

MICK’S COACHING COLUMN: Hi, members, and welcome to Mick’s Coaching Column for

September.

Anybody who has had a lesson from me in the past will

know that I like to tailor swing solutions and improvement

strategies to the needs of every individual golfer. I rarely compare

your swing to Adam Scott’s or other swing models, and I am very wary of putting out too much

general information in videos/YouTube clips, because for many golfers, this actually does more

harm than good. What you will find in these articles are a couple of Golden Nuggets of

information that I find valuable for every single golfer.

Tip #2: Understand that some ‘lies’ don’t let you play some shots!! So, when I am talking about ‘lies’, I’m talking about having a good look at the bit of grass [or

lack thereof] that your ball is sitting on. You need to understand that the lie has a huge effect

on how well you can execute any shot.

I came up with a little rating system that helps me adjust my expectations; I rate my lie out of a

possible 10 points, with 10 being the perfect lie. Every time I need to take a point or two off

my ‘lie rating’, I need to lower my expectations for that shot. Having done that, I can then

make a realistic prediction about where the ball should finish up, based on the lie and my own

ability!

10/10 lie: ball in the middle of the fairway, nice grass, not in any sort of hollow

7-8/10 lie: ball in the rough, but it’s sitting up well enough that I can get a ‘relatively clean’

strike

5/10 lie: ball in divots, on bare patches, or in deep rough where most of the ball is hidden

Using my own game as an example, when making a shot 100 m away from the green

with a wedge in my hand:

off a 10/10 lie: I expect that I should hit the green, and somewhere within 10 m of

the flag

off a 7/10 lie: I’m just trying to get it anywhere on the green, and happy to accept my

typical result from this type of lie, which is about 20 -30 m away from flag

off a 5/10 lie: I’m not even looking at the green; instead, I’m looking at somewhere short

of the green that will afford me the easiest next chip [If you read my last article, you will

understand the thinking of just getting the ball back in play!]

So next time you have an urge to pull out a club without looking at the lie of the ball,

STOP, THINK, and CHOOSE a suitable club for the shot required, and be realistic when

planning where you think the ball will finish up.

I have lessons available 6 days a week to help you ‘play better golf … more

often’.

Bookings can be made at the Pro shop.

Mick Murnane

PGA Golf Coach – Bundaberg Golf Club

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FROM THE TREASURER:

Current Account Balance: $84 561 Investment Account Balance: $126 090 The club has received a further $22 500 JobKeeper payment There is one more payment of $15 000 due to be received in the

future We have submitted two grant applications:

o $17 000 for club room refurbishment o $35 000 for a new course vehicle

August has been another good month for the club, with a profit of $12 254, after allowances for our grant and JobKeeper income

We also had course renovations expense of $14 690 during the month

All major accounts are paid – creditors total $26 717 The gross profit from the bar is abnormally high at 67%, as income

includes 5 days of July [July’s gross profit was correspondingly lower]

I would also like to take this opportunity, once again, to acknowledge

Annette Schultz – our Administration Officer – for her ongoing

efforts regarding our grant applications and our adherence to the

COVID-19 Protocols, and to thank her on behalf of all the members of

our Club.

Annette, your efforts and commitment cannot be overstated.

David Cartwright

Treasurer – Bundaberg Golf Club

VETS’ SPRING CARNIVAL NEWS:

In conjunction with Wide Bay District Veteran Golfers Association, Bundaberg Vets and 4 other

district clubs have been running the Wide Bay Spring Carnival for the last 6 years. During this

time, this event has grown in popularity, so much so that over the two days of competition in

Bundaberg on 6th & 7th September, there were 370 games; unfortunately 40 or so players had

to withdraw because of border closures due to COVID-19 restrictions.

With 70 golfers attending the welcome barbecue on Saturday 29th, the clubhouse was buzzing

with noise and chatter, which was wonderful to be part of.

Both days of competition ran very smoothly, thanks to the behind-the-scenes work done by

members of the Vets Committee, who toiled tirelessly to ensure the success of the

Bundaberg competition.

Many words of praise were heard from members of local and interstate clubs, and I would like

to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their enthusiasm and input, which facilitated

such a great competition.

As I know everyone agrees, our course is in superb condition, and this was greatly

appreciated by our visitors. In this regard, I would like to thank our amazing ground staff

[Dylan, Peter, and Gary], and our volunteers, who give of their time so generously week after

week. I would also like to thank the Pro shop staff [Craig, Sandra, and Ryan], and bar staff

[Sandy, and her helpers] for their efforts.

Sponsors play a crucial part in the staging of any major golf carnival, and I would like to thank

Browns Funerals, Saywells’ Quality Meats, Takalvans, and the Bundaberg Golf Club for their

support of this event.

Roy Price

President – Bundaberg Veteran Golfers

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BUGGY SHEDS

LATEST INFORMATION At the Bundaberg Golf Club’s recent Committee Meeting held on 15 September, it was unanimously agreed that the club proceed with, and finance, the construction of the buggy shed, and that annual rent be set at $400+GST per buggy per year, plus electricity costs; and that we investigate the feasibility of installing solar panels on the roof of the new construction. It was also agreed to bring the current rent of the existing buggy sheds into line with the above rental conditions. This means: there will be no requirement for a 7-year lump sum prepayment

by potential occupants to finance the project; they will just have to pay the yearly rent in advance, and electricity will be charged at the end of the year; and

members who submitted an EOI in renting a buggy shed will be given first option to rent.

AROUND THE COURSE WITH KEITH: Hi, Fellow Golfers Here is the latest information about the course, and proposed work to be done in the near future:

in preparation for green renovations next month, the greens are now being groomed to remove thatch

we will be trialling the painting of entrance lines to all bunkers to curb people walking into them from the wrong place

some of the deeper bunkers will have the entrance lip removed to allow easier access and egress, as some of our older golfers, in particular, experience some difficulty getting out of them (getting in them is easy … for ALL of us!!)

the 2 recently renovated bunkers on the 8th will be in play this week the course is in great shape, so the scores should reflect this

During the recent Vets Spring Carnival, there were numerous positive comments about the condition of the course, and how enjoyable it was to play it. Again, a special ‘thank you’ must go to Dylan, Peter, and Gary for their tireless efforts in maintaining the course, and to our highly-valued volunteers, who give of their time so selflessly, week after week. It makes me proud to be a member of our club. [See next page for a tribute to our club volunteers.]

How good is golf!!

Keith Ackerman

Greens Director - Bundaberg Golf Club

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This page is dedicated to our band of amazing volunteers:

David Obst, Kay Tischler, Rod MacInnes, Kerry Jones, Roy Price, Peter Ey, Geoff Loveday,

David Cartwright, Peter Hutchieson, Richard Wagner, Russell Ezzy, Col Gibbons, Gordon

Finsen, Bill Pole, Peter Hughes, Keith Ackerman, Lyal O’Shanesy, Roger Clark, Peter Busch,

Graeme Jenkin, Hugh O’Malley, Ross Wilson, Nick Nicholas, Greg McCracken, Ross Brandon,

Noel Stitt, Lesley Loveday, Jean Davis, Averil Chalmers, Kath Scotney

[If I have omitted anyone’s name, I apologise unreservedly.]

It is estimated that volunteers Australia-wide donate 158 million hours to sport a year;

that’s the equivalent of almost 90 000 full-time jobs. Research has conservatively

valued that contribution at $3 billion.

Our volunteers are priceless and highly valued; they are the backbone of the

Bundaberg Golf Club, and the club would not be in the position it is without their

generous, selfless, and sustained efforts.

Our course in in exceptional condition, and the course hygiene is second to none, thanks to our

wonderful Greens Staff [Dylan Keam, Peter Taylor, and Gary Lituri], whose efforts are only enriched

by the industry of our army of volunteers.

These tireless workers, as well as the volunteers in and around the clubhouse, not only contribute

to the appearance and condition of the course and the operations of the club, but also free up

significant amounts of money, which can then be deployed to other projects, which may

otherwise remain on the back burner.

Partnering with our club as a volunteer is a fulfilling way to experience a true sense

of belonging. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, have a chat to one of

the members mentioned above, or contact one of our committee members to

find out how you can contribute.

We have a great club; by volunteering, you can make it even greater!

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Pro Shop News From Craig: Hello from the Pro Shop …

It’s great to see numbers are still increasing over the past month. With the weather starting to warm up,

I can see the course becoming busier and busier. With that in mind, I would like to reiterate from last

month the importance of using the members’ booking portal when booking social and competition

golf. With the COVID -19 requirements still in place, we need to make sure we have details of who is on

the course.

Over the next month we have a lot of corporate and charity days. The follow dates will be impacted:

Sunday 4th October – Carinbundi Golf Day (no play)

Friday 9th

October – Life Flight Golf Day (no play)

Friday 16th

October – Master Builders Golf Day (no play)

Sunday 18th

October – South Kolan RL Golf Day (no play)

Friday 30th

October – Friendlies Foundation Golf Day (no play)

As you may have seen in our video, we have purchased 6 new Lithium Golf Carts that will go into our

hire fleet in the coming months. With the club building the new buggy shed, if anyone is interested in

test driving a new cart, please contact us in the Pro Shop. Alternatively, we always have great quality

second-hand carts for sale.

If you were not aware, our buggy shed was broken into recently. Fortunately, we have been

able to recover everything that was taken. It is a timely reminder to make sure you have

insurance for your cart. Some house and contents policies will cover them; however, if yours

doesn’t, I have sourced a policy that will cover your cart stored on the golf course, your golf

equipment, and will even give you $300 should you get a hole in one during competition. The cost is

$187 per annum. If you would like more information, please contact the Pro Shop.

Look forward to seeing you all soon!!

Craig Swift

PGA Head Professional – Bundaberg Golf Club

PROFILE NO 3: Geoff Loveday

Geoff was born in Mundubbera, and raised on a dairy farm at Beeron Road. One of four

children, Geoff worked with the ANZ bank for 18 years; owned a milk run in Townsville for 5

years; owned Lenard’s at Sugarland in Bundaberg for 10 years; and owned Signworx for 16

years. Geoff and his wife Lesley have two children - and very recently, on 31 August – a

treasured little grandson, Asher Peter.

Geoff’s involvement in such varied businesses over the years has equipped him with a

formidable range of knowledge and skills, that, when combined with his seemingly endless

enthusiasm and energy, have served our club so well for many years.

Geoff’s association with golf began in Mundubbera in 1968, caddying for players at the local

club. He has been a member of the Bundaberg Golf Club since Feb 1994, and plays off a very

respectable handicap of 10. Although Geoff has never won a Championship – he’s been a

‘bridesmaid’ a couple of times – he has enjoyed a couple of highlights. His big year was 1993

when he reached a single-figure handicap, scored his first hole in one [still hopeful of another],

and his first eagle on a par 5 hole.

Geoff admires a number of golfers; however, his favourite is Karrie Webb AO, who is a member

of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Geoff was invited to join the Committee in 1996, which he did. He was nominated

for Club Captain at the 2001 AGM, and remained in that position until 2015. Geoff

recounted that he particularly enjoyed his tenure as Captain, because it gave him the

opportunity to be involved with all the members, which dovetailed perfectly with his

gregarious disposition. He enjoyed the organisation and running of competitions, and is

not too proud to admit that there was a bit of trial and error at times over the years, with

the odd hiccup along the way. At the 2015 AGM Geoff was nominated for President, a

position he has held since that time. Geoff has also been President of Wide Bay since

2016; his main duties in that role are to chair meetings, attend district events, and set

the district calendar in conjunction with the Secretary.

Of all the courses Geoff has played, his favourite two are Jack’s Point in New Zealand’s

South Island , and Barnbougle Dunes in Tasmania [Geoff’s preference] - the closest

you will find to a seaside links course in Australia.

Keith Hermann, who has known Geoff for some time, believes he has been “ … the

rock of BGC for a number of years, now. You can always rely on Geoff for

knowledge about how to play the game, or a particular ruling,” says Keith, “and

you can always guarantee that he will be very competitive when you are

playing with him.”

Our Club President, Geoff Loveday, is the subject of this month’s

profile. Geoff is, without any shadow of a doubt, the ideal of what a

club president should be. His boundless energy, genuine enthusiasm,

and reverence for his club create an enjoyable environment in which it

can flourish, and its members can feel valued and respected.

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For a number of years, Geoff’s name has been synonymous with the Juniors. He became

involved with them after the [then] coordinator left. At that time the Juniors were struggling

financially, so to raise their profile, Sandra McLeod created a Facebook page; Craig also

became involved by conducting come-and-try days. Sausage sizzles became part of the

Saturday morning ritual at the club, and were well patronised by all members; as a fundraiser,

they were very successful. At one stage, the Juniors boasted more than 50 members, with an

average of 40 payers on a Saturday at the peak of its operation. Later, Andrew Wooldridge

became involved with Juniors, which helped relieve the pressure on Geoff.

Sadly, but understandably, Geoff has announced he will finish with the Juniors at the end of

this year. This was a highly emotional decision for him; however, he has retired, and is

entering a new phase of his life, and now is the right time for someone else to assume the

mantle. It is difficult to find someone to take on this responsibility; there are some wonderful

people involved with the Juniors; however, it seems no-one can manage to do it full time as

they have other commitments. The club desperately needs volunteers to help with the juniors,

and Geoff is hopeful that someone will assume the responsibility of coordinator.

Geoff can be found almost every Saturday selling raffle tickets from about 6:30 am until

midday. Peter Ey was president when the raffles first began; some members lent the club

money to buy a new ice machine, and the club had to pay them back!! After the debt was

repaid, Geoff volunteered to keep the raffles going. From humble beginnings, the raffle has

now grown to be grossing about $600 each Saturday. Funds are used for course and

clubhouse improvements, the construction of cart paths, the purchase of plant and

equipment, the construction of signs, such as the Burnett Cup sign on the wall facing the 18th

green, and whatever else need financing. Whatever the project, one thing is certain – all

members benefit in some way.

Geoff is enthusiastic and committed; it has always been his philosophy to do any job

to the best of his ability. Early in Geoff’s presidency there was no club Treasurer, and

this extra responsibility weighed heavily on him, but since David Cartwright has become

Treasurer again, the pressure has been eased. Geoff believes we have a very good working

committee at the club now; however, he freely admits that at times, he still feels the

pressure of the responsibility of his position. His solid belief is that he and the committee

should always act for the greater good of all members.

Geoff values his position for what it enables him to do for the club - not for his own glorification.

He is a President for all seasons; a man who is prepared to cope with any contingency, and one

whose behaviour is always appropriate to every occasion. When discussing Geoff and his

contributions to the club, so many members I spoke to used such terms as: enthusiastic,

committed, energetic, selfless, and genuine.

I would like to add humble to that list for this reason: many of you may not know that when

Geoff was nominated for a Life Membership by our Patron, Reg Rowe, he was genuinely

astounded, because to use his own words, “I was just doing what I was supposed to do.”

In many ways and very often, Geoff Loveday does so much more than he is

‘supposed to do’; he regularly steps outside of his own self-interest to serve our Club!

THANK YOU, PRESIDENT GEOFF, FROM ALL OF US!!

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