JANUARY 2024
Happy New Year! Happy 2024! The club has seen a fantastic start to the year with full tee times and lots of very happy visiting golfers! The 9 minute intervals between tee times has eased the congestion on the course and allowed for a much better flow of play. The Drinks cart has been running daily and is a fantastic addition to the club. We danced into New Years Day with ‘The Substitutes’ returning to the club. These guys really know how to fill the dance floor. Great music and company - what more could you ask for to start the year? We are getting VERY excited to host Wilber Wilde and the Trouble Makers on Australia Day - this is going to be a fantastic event for the club and we would love to see you all there! (you can book through the QR code on the flyer at the back of this newsletter) A little house keeping notes - we please ask Members to refrain from filling the skip bin with personal rubbish. Someone over the Christmas/New Year Period filled our bin with their old and unwanted boogie boards and left us with very little room for club rubbish (and there is a lot this time of the year). The course will still be busy for the remainder of January and into February. Please make sure you book your tee times because we can’t allow people to walk on (even on the back 9) over this time. On a personal note we will be saying goodbye to Nicci on the 19th January. They have made the difficult decision to keep the family together and go back ‘home’ to Fiji. She has loved her 2 years here at QGC, and would like to thank everyone who made her feel so welcome and part of the QCG family. Happy Golfing! Rob
The Course Report..... As we enter the new year of 2024, It’s a good time to reflect on all the challenges and projects we faced and what we accomplished as a club. 2023 was the first year of being Superintendent of Queenscliff golf club in my career. Over those 12 months I experienced lots of change on and off the course. Since I started there has been a change in my staff. I was lucky enough to hire my first apprentice (Ryan) who had no idea about greenkeeping but was willing to learn. He is now one of us turf guys and is already showing great skills across all aspects of our job. I also hired our 3rd Year apprentice (Cass). He was exactly what my crew needed. Someone who could be sent out to do the jobs and I know they are getting done to my high standard. These two guys have made a big difference to our team. We also said goodbye to our great staff member Tim, who I had the privilege working under at Lonsdale and working alongside here at QGC. Some of the challenges on the course we were not expecting in 2023. As you are all well aware by now both times we did renovations on our greens and fairways they didn’t go to plan by the contractors. Fixing these issues brought a lot of stress and extra workload onto my staff and I. These areas are now recovering very well but it didn’t come without the extra work put in. Our maintenance schedule has changed to give the golf course a better playable surface. We are now mowing fairways, tees and surrounds twice a week. Greens getting cut 4-5 times a week. Greens getting rolled a minimum of two times a week. Bunkers being groomed and raked minimum of twice a week. Holes being changed 2-3 times a week. As well as fitting in our fertiliser programs for each surface, spraying for plant protection (Fungicides, Insecticides and Herbicides) , Cutting rough, trimming bunkers edges and general course improvements (Paths, replanting vegetation) just give to give an idea.
This busy maintenance program wouldn’t be possible to do with 5 staff if it wasn’t for the help of our volunteers. This group of amazing men and women come in every Monday (or when is needed) to give their time and help with any job. They have had a hard year working all through the north end of the course cutting, pulling and poisoning all the unwanted Italian Buckthorn. This is a big environmental issue and they are doing everything to keep it at bay so the native vegetation can have a chance to grow back. A special thanks to Peter McSween for taking care of this group and appointing jobs to each helper. We appreciate each and everyone of these volunteers. A big project we got to complete last year was the black championship Tee on the 3rd hole. This was a great project I got to manage with the help from Greg Monahan (Construction) and Kelvin (Greens chairman). This straight and flat par 3 is now more challenging with the water hazards more in play but with spectacular views of the surrounding wetlands. These projects are what improve the course one step at a time and keep us be competitive with surrounding courses, without taking away what we have special that those courses don’t have. I just want to say a big thank you to my staff (Rick, Matt, Cass, Ryan) , Rob and Nicci, All the committee members (past and present) and clubhouse staff (Fraser, Cindel, Angus, Kim, Sam) for making 2023 a great year and moving the club forward in every aspect. I look forward to 2024 here at QGC. Wishing everyone a safe and healthy year ahead. I hope that your 2024 golf resolution is achieved out on the course. Course Superintendent, Jake
Donations to the club Recently the committee passed a resolution Requiring that before any fittings, furniture, signs etc are placed in the clubhouse, on the course or in the carpark , approval must be obtained from the committee. The function of this resolution is to ensure that the proposed additions are in keeping with the character of our course and in keeping with our overall strategic objectives. As well as ensuring that public safety requirements are considered. By following this resolution we hope to avoid embarrassment by having to remove unauthorised items.
Recycling update QGC – LCQPL – Container Deposit Scheme The drink container collection scheme operated by the Lions Club of Queenscliff / Point Lonsdale (LCQPL) on behalf of the Queenscliff Golf Club (QGC) is running smoothly with $397 collected so far in the first four weeks, which will be ploughed back into the community over 2024. That represents approximately 4000 bottles and cans. Thanks to the staff and volunteers who have refined the process and made it easier to manage the scheme. The container deposit scheme has significantly reduced waste to landfill at the QGC. Please continue to place all empty drink containers in the bins provided. Kind Regards Kevin Flynn on 0409 542 915.
Spotted! Turtle spotted on the 7th!! “I’ve seen 70 gummy sharks on the 7th, 1000's of Kangaroos, Snakes, even the elusive OB Parrot. But never a turtle! This is a first for me”! Kelvin Pettigrove
Black Snake on the 15th Spotted on Saturday 30th December by Peter McSween making its way across the 15th. Please be aware and avoid waking through long grasses. In the unlikely situation of a bite please call 000. A full snake bite kit is located in the clubhouse.