Good afternoon golfers

 

As a result of helping with the course renovations yesterday along with another eight other willing volunteers the Captains Corner has been delayed until today.

 

Because of all the "mahi" the course was able to be opened for our women today (back nine only) and we will see how it pulls up as to whether or not it can open tomorrow for general play.  Todays weather will be helping and with TK and staff getting the rest of the sanding done today we may well be good to go.

 

This report will be about two things.

 

1. ANZAC Day

 

2. Respect for our course.

 

The only golf results to report is the semi-finals of the Holland Cup which produced an epic match between Tane Cassidy and Gail Kirkland which went 25 holes before Tane prevailed by making birdie at the 7th hole (third time around the course) while Gail parred it but,  it was the only hole that Gail did not get a shot on third time around.

 

What a great match and what an advertisement that men and women can compete as equals in club competitions.  The handicapping system sorts it out.

 

We do have some exciting news about our efforts to encourage more participation of our "futures" members but I am going to save this until a later report once the school holidays are over.

 

 

 

To date entries are trickling in and I expect that as we get closer to the date more will flood in.  Please note that entries will close on Tuesday 23 April in order that we can have accurate numbers for catering purposes; and to prepare a multi tee draw (depending on how many enter it may be possible to have a shot gun start).

 

We will have breakfast catered for us this year by my wife Margaret and a friend of hers, who will prepare and serve a delicious hot breakfast.  Note, the breakfast will be served from the kitchen so that everyone gets a plate of food.  It will even contain some potato element which will be of great relief to Ciaran O'Kelly I'm sure.

 

At the conclusion of the golf a special treat will be a plate of hot "Southland Cheese Rolls" on each table.  If you haven't tried these you are in for a rustic gastronomic treat. 

 

The cafeteria will do the usual chips et al, and maybe Keith can obtain some more sausages for the barbecue.  We'll see.  They were popular at the Easter Ambrose.

 

Breakfast will be available from 7am at the club house and the assembly at the front of the clubhouse for the commemoration will be at 8am.  Tee off will be 8.30am to ensure all the formalities are concluded and people are able to move to their tees.

 

Rum!  This will be available on some of the tees for "fortification" you understand.

 

The Karori Golf Club will battle against the RSA and the best Karori player will win the Fraser Cup.

 

There will be a modest prize pool including incentive prizes (wait until you see where the longest drive will be - not the usual and it may bring more people in to the equation). 

 

Closest to the pin on number 4 and for the women, please be aware that in your case the closest to the pin is the second shot. 

 

There will not be a club raffle.  It is traditional for the Eagles to use this day to sell their big raffle and Terry Bastion's team will be managing this.  Please be generous.

 

There is an entry fee but if you let the clubhouse know that you want to enter they can put you in the field and you can pay on the day.  Alternatively you may let me know at my email (peck.m@xtra.co.nz) and I can enter you too.

 

We had a hundred people in the field on Easter Monday.  Let's match that again. 

 

Feel free to invite any friends or acquaintances from other clubs to join us.  So long as they have an official handicap they will be made more than welcome.

 

In order to cater for the tournament, the tee bookings for the rest of the day are closed until 1.30pm.

 

 

I'm posting three images which are self explanatory.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first two (and most disturbing) are images of a divot taken out of the left hand side of the 4th Green for no particular good reason (straight at the pin). 

 

Assuming this is not deliberate it is just plain unacceptable behaviour and cannot be tolerated.  But, I'm not so tolerant.  I think the divot was deliberate and we will again have to put back the cameras around the course to catch the culprit.

 

If I catch anyone doing this to our course not only will I have the person banned from playing golf at Karori, I will circulate their name to all other Wellington/Wairarapa golf courses so that the person will find it difficult to play golf anywhere in our region.

 

Then to the divot on number 5.  Five shots out of the same spot.  The turf from each (might I venture the comment agricultural hack) was not more than a meter in front and when I found them on Sunday, they were fresh.  The photo does not do justice to the mess that was made.

 

This is our course. 

 

I am proud of it to the point that I spend a lot of my time volunteering to help our greenstaff maintain and improve it.  A sizeable group of volunteers do likewise and our staff put in long hours for our golfing pleasure.

 

It would be fair to say the TK had steam coming from his ears when he showed me the damage to the 4th green, made by someone late on Sunday afternoon/evening, after all the work that had gone in to coring and preparing the surface for sanding and seeding.

 

It is only grass.  It will grow back but the behaviour in doing this to our course is disrespectful.

 

Members should take a sand bucket with them when they play (at least one bucket in each group) to repair any course damage and divots made.

 

I'm going to have sand buckets and pitch repairers kept behind the bar in the club house to be given to all green fee players when they pay their fees.  Staff will be asked to advise them that they will need to repair all divots and repair pitch marks.

 

As for me, some early morning, and late evening marshaling.

 

Anyone want to join me?