Welcome to this month’s Captain’s Report and the first report for 2021.
All is on schedule to deliver a memorable 125th year for The Brisbane Golf Club from a match perspective starting with our Opening Day on Saturday, 13 February and qualifying for the G.H. Mocatta (President’s Cup).
Please note all of the dates I have listed below are subject to change due to weather or other circumstances beyond our control.
2021 Fixtures
If you haven’t already picked up a copy of the 2021 Fixture Book, they are available from the Office or Golf Shop. It is also available on the website in the Brochure Library.
Below is a quick insight to a couple of the events for 2021.
2021 Club Championships
Both the Men’s and Ladies’ Club Championships will be played over two qualifying rounds of stroke with the top eight going into matchplay. The qualifying rounds for both men and ladies are at the end of May and beginning of June this year.
The ladies this year will have both qualifying rounds played over various days to allow all lady members to qualify without having to take leave from work/school commitments, thus strengthening the number of entrants. Round 1 will be played on either Saturday, 29 May or Tuesday, 1 June with Round 2 to be played on either Thursday, 3 June or Saturday, 5 June.
For the men, The Hunter Family Medal will be awarded to the person with the best gross score over the two qualifying rounds. The AH Colledge Trophy will be awarded to the person with the best nett score over the two qualifying rounds. All grades are eligible to win either event.
Once all eight qualifiers are known for the various grades etc, all the matchplay events will be played together. All quarterfinal matches will be played on Sunday, 13 June, the semi-finals on Sunday, 20 June with all the Club Championship finals to be played on Sunday, 27 June.
2021 BGC Shootout
The BGC Shootout will be again be played in 2021. All members who entered in 2020 will automatically be entered in the 2021 event. There will be maximum of 12 qualifying rounds of which your four best stableford scores during these qualifying rounds will be used to determine which 19 players get a start in the BGC Shootout final played on the first Sunday in November. Entry is $20 and you must pay at the Golf Shop prior to your first round to be included in the qualifying scores. Any member that is eligible to play on a Saturday is eligible to qualify for the Shootout Final day. The qualifying has been adjusted slightly so that there will be a minimum number of three A Graders, three B Graders, three C Graders and three Ladies in the final 19, with the remaining seven spots being available for all remaining entrants.
The final will be played over 9 holes. All 19 will play down the first hole and two players will be eliminated at the completion of each hole. If three or more people have the same highest nett score on any hole, then those people will have a chip off, two furthest from the hole is eliminated. This will occur for all holes until there are three people remaining playing the last. To give you an idea on the prize up for grabs, we normally have around the 200 people playing on Saturdays. If there are for example 200 people who nominate to play in the shootout, then the winner after the 18th hole will receive $1200 into their club account whilst the runner up will receive $600.
Qualifying dates will be as follows:
20 February, 27 February, 13 March, 27 March, 24 April, 8 May, 12 June, 19 June, 24 July, 7 August, 14 August, 18 September
If you wish to be included in this event or can’t remember if you were part of last year’s event, please contact the Golf Shop.
New Penalty Areas on 5 & 17
I hope everyone has read and understands the changes to the penalty areas on the right hand side of both these holes.
After our Match Sub Committee Meeting earlier in the week, it was agreed that the Out of Bounds area along the RHS of 5 will now be an infinite red penalty area, similar to the RHS of 6 and 8 as of Saturday, 13 February.
Click here to learn more about the New Penalty Areas on 5 & 17.
Nearest the Pins
As of Saturday, 13 February, we will be re-introducing NTP’s. There will be a staked board placed off the green with a measuring tape, and a bottle of hand sanitiser alongside for use by anyone who writes their name on the sheet on the board.
Wait Lists
The playing of golf even over the warmer months has seen timesheets nearing capacity more frequently than normal. Whilst this is great to see everyone enjoying playing golf and playing at nearly full fields, there are a few members who are missing out. To avoid this occurring, it is recommended that these members use the wait list, as generally, if you are a little bit flexible in your request time window, you will get a game.
Furthermore if you are on the timesheet and know that you cannot play, then out of respect for your fellow members, please take your name out of the timesheet at the earliest convenience so that another Member may take your spot. Please also avoid pulling out the night before, as by this time, some members on the wait list have removed their names as they have made other arrangements.
Irrigation Project
As per the recently published Course Report, the proposed irrigation works will commence from 1 March 2021.
Whilst every effort will be made to minimise impact to golfers, the project will require a safe workspace for the people doing the works, therefore, when a hole is being worked on, this hole will be closed for play. Whilst this project is ongoing, a temporary course routing will be in place. Please check with the Golf Shop prior to play each time as these temporary routings will change on a regular basis, depending on a variety of factors, including which hole/holes are being worked on, whether the day is normally a one tee or two tee start etc.
I understand that this could cause some angst, but I ask for your understanding and patience for the duration of the project, because I believe the finished product will provide a fantastically conditioned course over a longer period of time.
Course Closure
Please be advised that our scheduled Autumn greens’ renovation will occur on Monday, 1 March 2021 as recently notified, requiring the course to be closed on this day to allow this work to be completed. This will involve the greens being aerified, top dressed, rolled and fertilised. Please note the greens will not be scarified.
These works are important to the health of our greens as it promotes root growth to deal with the cool months when the greens are dormant. We expect their full recovery within three weeks. We saw the positive results of this during the last couple of years and are confident of the same through 2021.
However, the Clubhouse, Golf Shop and driving range will be open with golf tuition also still available.
Safety on the Course
Please be aware that when you have completed a hole, that you do not leave the green in a location (i.e. front of green) that could cause you to be hit from an approaching shot from the group behind you. Yes, the group behind should wait for the green to clear, but we all know that this does not always occur. I am talking mainly about players leaving the 16th and 20th holes, don’t be lazy, walk around to the side and rear, even if the pin is on the front portion.
Volunteers
Our volunteers have restarted for the 2021 season, and you probably have seen the improvements on the course, such as at the 17th tee and 1st tee surrounds. A big thanks to all involved.
Reminders
And now that the season is underway, I would like to remind you of a few points that might have been forgotten over the summer.
Carts
On the course, there are signs and ropes to protect various parts of the course from damage by motorised carts. Please be aware on where you are driving your carts and use the cart paths where provided when possible. This keeps the course in the best condition possible.
Spare Holes
Use of the spare holes for practise is okay, as long as it is limited practise. That means if you are more than 20 metres away from a green, a maximum of 2 balls are permitted. If you are practising your chipping from within 20m of the green, a maximum of 20 balls is allowed. And be aware of anyone who, shock horror, actually just wants to play the spare holes as they are, holes. Once the Irrigation Project works are up and running, use of the spare holes will be limited as these holes may be part of the course routing.
Pace of Play
The pace of play for the 2021 season will be monitored again now that the season is underway. I gave everyone a break over the summer. To give you a reminder: When I receive the pace of play report, I do a bit of analysis on this report. If your group takes longer than 4 hours and 15 minutes to complete your round, AND is 13 or more minutes slower than the group ahead, the whole group receives a yellow flag, and I take a note of this. If you receive 2 yellow flags within a 3 month window, you will receive a Pace of Play heads up from myself. Three heads up notifications and you will be moved to the “Reserved for slow play” timeslots at the rear of the AM and PM timesheets for a period of 1 month. Your position in the field is to keep up with the group in front, NOT to keep ahead of the group behind.
Enjoy the 2021 golfing season.
Alan Grieve
Captain
Member News
Hole-In-One Club
BGC has a Hole-In-One Club. Membership will cost each member just $1 each time a Hole-In-One is recorded in a competition and means that if you achieve a Hole-In-One every member of the Hole-in-One Club will pay you $1. If we have 100 Members in the Hole-in-One Club then an ‘ace’ will earn you $99.
To join, simply send an email with your name and membership number to geoff@brisbanegolfclub.com.au.
Latest Results
Monthly Medal November
- A Grade – Lloyd Cotterill – 70 nett
- B Grade – Darren Beckham – 67 nett
- C Grade – David Coorey – 41 points
- Best Gross – Lloyd Coterill – 75 OCB
Monthly Medal December
- A Grade – Rob Dagnell – 70 nett OCB
- B Grade – Ned O’Connor – 66 nett
- C Grade – Josh Anderson – 41 points
- Best Gross – Zack Halpin – 74
Monthly Medal January
- A Grade – Peter Lansom – 69 nett
- B Grade – James Garnett – 70 nett
- C Grade – Bob Helm – 41 points
- Best Gross – Campbell Kerr – 73
Grade Electrical 6 Month Captain Challenge
The winner for the last 6 month challenge (July to December 2020) was Mark Deuble on 105 points on a countback from Ash Holmes.
Upcoming Events
Midweek Matchplay Challenge (Oldest Member Cup) Qualifying – Wednesday 17 February
16 pairs qualify, refer Members Dairy for conditions of play.
Sir Leslie Wilson Cup – Saturday 20 and 27 February
36 hole stableford event
Joan Fletcher Qualifying – Saturday 27 February
8 qualifiers from 2 divisions, refer Members Dairy for conditions of play.
Tennyson Cup Qualifying – Saturday 13 March
16 qualifiers, refer Members Dairy for conditions of play.