PIN HI Spring 2013

PIN HI Spring 2013

PRESIDENT’S REPORT As the golfing year winds down it is time for a quick review.

Golf participation rates continue to decline worldwide, a problem which challenges all Club administrators including ourselves, although our Club is in an enviable place due to five factors:    

No debt and a sound financial position Up to date facilities Extra land Our Ordinary membership category is full, although some vacancies exist in the Provisional Ordinary categories The Associates have had a stellar year with 17 new Members across various categories

A review of all of the Club’s costs continues as the Board searches for savings, so that increases in subscriptions can be minimised. However, sensible cost reductions can only go so far, so it is even more important to find new sources of revenue without compromising the ethos of the Club.

It has been suggested that with new neighbours about to arrive on the Club’s southern boundary the Club ought to become a “local” for these people. That view has been rejected by the Board although any membership applications will be considered in the usual way.

A sub lease within the terms of the Club’s Perpetual Lease, of the hard stand area of the Eastern Land, is progressing with the assistance and approval of the State Government. By the end of the month that part of the transaction should be completed and then a Development Application to the City Council will be filed.

The recent survey has been very useful to the Board as we respond to the membership needs and improve amenities.

Two queries can be dealt with quickly. United States private Members’ Golf Clubs do not have reciprocal Club arrangements, so access is based on friendships with Club Members. Access to resort courses is much easier.

In Asia much the same case applies, although some possibilities exist. When the Board enquired into this aspect of reciprocity a couple of years ago it was found that little demand existed to play these courses so the proposal foundered.

The Club’s Centenary will be celebrated in 2020 so a Planning Committee has been established to ensure it is properly planned and widely celebrated as a Club and community event.

Congratulations to Russell Muir who was confirmed as General Manager of the Club by the unanimous resolution of the Board at its most recent meeting. The Club looks forward to a long and mutually beneficial association Thank you to all Board Members and the Associates’ Committee for their dedication to the best interests of the Club during the year. I also thank the Club’s membership for their support and the people who work for the Club for their contribution, and wish all of you good health and happy times for the approaching festive season and the New Year.

Des Knight INSIDE THIS ISSUE: □ Captain’s Communiqué…..P2 □ Course Manager’s Report….P8 □ Forthcoming Events…P12

□ JDP….P6 □ Notes from GM…P10 □ Rules are Rules…P13

□ Associates’ News…P7 □ Heritage and Archive…P12

COMMUNIQUÉ FROM THE CAPTAIN It has certainly been a different end to the year versus the start as we head towards the final part of the golfing season. The weather played havoc with events at the commencement of the season, but with Members’ co-operation and good spirits all events in a busy golf calendar were completed as scheduled.

Our course continues to improve each year with the summer rains of the past two years setting us up with excellent winter conditions.

In September we successfully staged the Australian Senior Amateur Championship closely followed by the Norris Motor Group Pro Am, which was won jointly by our own RQ Member Kurt Carlson.

Hot on the heels of these events was a successful Division 1 Pennant season and for the first time in 13 years an Open Pennant Flag was forthcoming. Congratulations to all those involved for a wonderful team effort.

As we now cap off the year with our Club Championships, I want to wish all players the best of rounds.

Interestingly our Club is not always just about competitive golf. A recent statistic highlighted the social side of golf at RQ. Average afternoon fields for the year on Wednesdays and Saturdays have seen 354 and 374 rounds per month respectively. However average Friday afternoon rounds per month now total 302.

Many Members will be aware that we are continually looking at ways of improving various aspects of our course, and several particular areas have been a source of discussion for quite some time.

Some of these discussion points concern aesthetic issues, some are maintenance oriented, and some are from ongoing discussions with governing bodies. Detailed below are areas that will be worked on in the early New Year before the 2014 golfing season opens.

All the works below have been designed by and done in consultation with our Course Architect Michael Clayton. They have then been approved by the Match and Greens Committee, the Board, and the Course Committee.

Professional’s Driving Range (see page 3) The first area to receive attention is the Professional’s Driving Range. The existing target green will be removed and rebuilt, along with 2 additional target greens, of all of which will have a closer resemblance to the greens on the course.

A practice fairway bunker will be added to the southern side of the range.

The option of adding another 5m of length to the range and also another 5m to 10m of depth front to back will give Members more grass throughout the year. The range modifications will also have the added benefit of enabling it to be utilised for JDP practice when the course is busy on weekends.

3rd Hole Modifications (see page 3) Since construction of the new course, the 3rd hole has never quite lived up to expectations and has relied heavily on its length as its defence. The visual impact from the tee has also been something that each successive Board has tried to deal with. The works programmed will address both the visual concerns and the impact from the tee for the elite amateur or professional.

The landing zone will be narrowed and bunker edges raised. The fairway at the 250m mark will slope off toward the sand on the left hand side, which on completion should then be visible from the tee. A potential crossing for walkers could be installed on the right hand side.

13th Hole Carry Modifications (see page 4) Sand wastes will be constructed in the natural sandy areas that we already have and are to be consistent with others that we have on the course. A “Championship” tee will be created at the rear of the black and blue tee, in the vicinity of the tea tree that was recently removed.

7th Hole Carry (see page 4) The works on this hole will create a more visually appealing backdrop to the approach on the 6th green. The works will also make the view from the 15th across to the 6th and 7th more appealing.

The works will include scraping back the vertical edge of the bank on the lake so that the tidal flow will move up and down an angled bank.

The work in front of the 7th tee is intended to somewhat replicate the visual appeal of the tee shot on the 6th and at the same time deal with the ground between tee and fairway that has struggled with health and drainage.

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COMMUNIQUÉ FROM THE CAPTAIN (cont.)

The tidal flats and corresponding salt tolerant plantings will be brought into the fingers between the tee blocks on the 7th. The start of the fairway on the 7th will be increased to bring it closer to the 7th tee.

15th Tee Side Waste (see page 5) The waste that was previously created will be extended back towards the tee to give it increased visual impact.

Lastly in closing I would like to thank the Members and Associates and all of our wonderful staff for their support and enthusiasm in making Royal Queensland the wonderful Club that it is.

Illustration 1: Professional’s Driving Range

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Illustration 2: 3rd Hole Modifications

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COMMUNIQUÉ FROM THE CAPTAIN (cont.)

Illustration 3: th 7 Hole Modifications

Illustration 4: 13th Hole Modifications

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COMMUNIQUÉ FROM THE CAPTAIN (cont.)

Illustration 5: 15th Tee Side Waste

Ralph Heading Captain HONOUR FOR FORMER SECRETARY MANAGER HONOUR FOR FORMER SECRETARY MANAGER Former Secretary Manager Ted Coker (retired 1994), RQGC Honorary Member, and Golf Management Australia (GMA) Life Member, was honoured by the Club Managers’ Association of America at the recent Biannual GMA Conference held in Sydney in September. Ted was recognised for his dedication, leadership and professionalism demonstrated during his career as a golf manager. This award was presented to Ted by Mike Leemhuis, the General Manager of Congressional Country Club USA on behalf of the Club Managers’ Association of America. Ted is the first Australian to be honoured with this award.

The Certificate Club Managers’ Association of America Resolution of Leadership Whereas, the Club Managers’ Association of America hereby expresses, on behalf of Professional Club Managers around the world, its sincere gratitude and appreciation to: Ted Coker For his outstanding support of the profession of club management and the mentoring of club management professionals across the continent. Whereas, the many contributions he has made to the professionalism of the club management industry, and the dedication and leadership he has manifested, have been of such value and benefit to the global club industry now. Therefore, be It resolved, that we hereby commend his outstanding commitment and service.

Presented September 2013 M. Leemhuis CMAA National President 2009

Jim Singerling CEO CMAA 5

RQ ADAM SCOTT JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

Junior Pennants Our Junior Pennant side, composed of current and previous members of the Junior Development Programme, performed very successfully in Division 1 of the BDGA Pennants this year, winning 3 out of 6 matches. Under the continuing guidance of Brian Richards it has been a pleasure to watch the progressive improvement of the boys, with the team now highly competitive with the best home and away.

Congratulations to the boys and many thanks to Brian for his dedication and input.

RQ Adam Scott JDP This term we have continued our emphasis on following world's best practice in the structure of our Programme. Our aim is to develop age appropriate skills necessary to create golf swings in our pupils which will allow them to perform to the best of their ability and limit the risk of injury. Many of these core skills are common to all sports in childhood, particularly younger children, which is why many of the exercises are common to the different sports in which the children will be involved at school and Club level. Until development of the basic skills occurs specific learning cannot occur. We are introducing specific golf skills as developmental level allows.

Our team of Professionals, Richard, David and trainee Chris have worked tirelessly in the setting up and conduct of the Programme.

To reinforce the theory behind what we do Michael Dalgleish, world renowned Golf Biomechanics expert, Physiotherapist, and RQ Member gave a fascinating talk following one of our Sunday Clinics. We hope to be more closely involved with Michael next year to further progress our curriculum.

In addition this year the Hamilton Rotary kindly donated funds to allow for the purchase of a JDP iPad, on which the organisational documents can be stored, together with software to record the pupils' swings (which can then be emailed to the participant as a record of progress). This kind donation will make a big difference to the functioning of the Programme.

We have also now conducted baseline skills testing of the Silver group as per the Golf Australia "MyGolf" guidelines.

This will allow us to tailor instruction to each pupil's needs, particularly with regard to the individual private lessons, included within the JDP package for the Silver and Gold groups.

We are now reaching the end of the year, with the Parents’ Day and Championship Day to come in December to complete the Programme.

I would also like to remind all interested of the Graham Duus Memorial Golf Day on 17 November. This day is the major fundraising event for the JDP and involves morning golf (shotgun start), lunch, an auction of many exciting items, and viewing of the Australian Masters in the afternoon. This is a fabulous day and monies raised are crucial to the funding of our high quality Programme.

Suddy MacKechnie Vice Captain and JDP Coordinator

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ASSOCIATES’ NEWS As 2013 comes to a close, all of our major golfing events have concluded and we have enjoyed a long stretch of fine weather. We congratulate the following winners:

President’s Trophy 25/50 Year Membership Trophy

Donagh Lytras Barbara McGuire

Our premier golfing event, the Club Championship, was hotly contested during the month of August. This year, we reverted to the traditional Associates format, after many years of sharing final day with the Members. Championships were held over a 2 week period, with the finals played on Tuesday 27 August, with a celebration which followed in the Clubhouse, including drinks and canapés.

Barbara McGuire & Stephanie Cumming

We congratulate the following winners:

Club Champion Runner Up Beth Macdonald Trophy Runner Up Bronze Cup Runner Up Margaret Bergin Trophy Runner Up

Susan King-Scott Diana Charlton Janelle Woodhall Gail Madders Robyn Byrnes Jennifer Vickers Mary Panizza Margaret Earp

The course was closed from 2 - 5 September for the Australian Senior Amateur Championships.

Susan King-Scott

Invitation Day was held on Thursday, 12 September. The field was full, with visitors from 14 Clubs enjoying our golf course and a two course lunch afterwards.

The 25/50 Year Membership day was held on September 19. We welcomed three 50 year Members, Jean Hickey, Beth Wilson, and Margaret Kelly. We also welcomed 15 Members who attained 25 years of membership. Ruth McGuire entertained us as guest speaker with her customary wit and charm.

Margaret Kelly, Beth Wilson & Jean Hickey

Anne Johnston scored a hole in one on 17 September on the 17th Hole.

A third group of three free golf clinics was held in October for women keen to begin golf. These clinics have proven very popular and it is hoped that the Club will gain new Associates from those who participate in the clinics. This membership year has seen a record number of new Associates join RQ, and the clinics, now in their second year, are a contributing factor.

All Members and guests are invited to join the Associates for Melbourne Cup Day on 5 November. On 7 November we are travelling to Pacific Harbour Golf Club for our annual trip away while our course is closed for maintenance.

Our Grande Finale Day is on 12 November and the theme is Country and Western. A 9 hole competition will be followed by lunch and festivities.

We look forward to seeing many Associates at our AGM on Tuesday 19 November.

Jan Olsen and Stephanie Cumming 7

COURSE MANAGER’S REPORT Maintenance Matters A dry start to Spring has helped with maintenance and weed programmes as we move into the end of the playing season. Above average minimum and maximum temperatures has meant that certain products have needed their application dates to be moved forward from their traditional application periods, some over a month prior to past years’ applications. We will have to wait and see whether this trend continues through Summer, or whether the wet will return.

Congratulations go out to Adam Mills who recently won the “Assistant Superintendents’ Recognition Award”. This award presented by the Qld Golf Course Superintendents’ Association, enables Adam to be part of the “2013 Australian Masters and World Cup Of Golf” to be held at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in mid November. This extraordinary opportunity will see Adam exposed to preparation and setup for the two highly ranked events. Add to this the chance to see the world’s best golfers on a world class facility with a course design most consider amongst the best in the world. And all whilst under the tutelage of one of the most recognised Course Superintendents in Australia (the maestro – Richard Forsyth) – truly a once in a lifetime opportunity.

“Keepers of the Green” Since its early days growing as a sport, golf has seen some major advances in technology - from clubs, grips and ball improvements to cart, buggy, and even footwear. This can also be said for the upkeep of golf courses – gone are the days of the horse-drawn water cart, now replaced by computer operated irrigation systems, penned areas for sheep and or rabbits to forage and keep surfaces short (and fertilised) have given way to hydraulically driven mowers able to cut larger areas with more precision, speed, and ease.

As these advances led to a growth in popularity and an increase in paying patrons, courses were expected to keep up with the expectations of players, and surfaces were groomed more and more, giving way to a new career path “Greenkeeping”.

Early courses were in fact kept by volunteers of the playing membership; these pioneers often struggled against great odds to sculpt hostile land into natural preserves with streams, ponds, trees and grassland. The need for regular upkeep of the links resulted in the employment of staff to attend to these duties. The first written record of payment for greenkeeping services was in 1744 when the Royal Burgess Golfing Society engaged a boy as “our caddie or greenkeeper” with a remuneration of six shillings per quarter year, together with a suitcase of clothes. His role was defined as “to cut the hole and sweep for ten paces around the hole in anticipation of meetings.”

As early as 1764, notations in the St. Andrews record show payment of one guinea per year to the “Keeper of the greens” for “cutting new holes, filling old ones and repairing rabbit scrapes”.

These unsung heroes of yesteryear were also at the forefront of innovation as many saw the necessity for simplifying tasks and introduction of methods to help ease the burden of the job. One of the first innovations was actually a hole cutter developed by the “Keeper of the greens” at Royal Musselburgh which would revolutionise the game by introducing a standard in hole width and depth. Although there was no standards for hole and ball size in the late 1700s a device was manufactured to “relieve the problems associated with cutting a hole with a knife and providing consistent size of four-and-a-half-inches in width and depth in ground often comprising of rock and shale”. Some 50 years later it is interesting to note that the original size of this first cutter was approximately the official size adopted by the Royal and Ancient when developing the present day golf rules.

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COURSE MANAGER’S REPORT (cont.)

In another part of the British Empire, a carpenter and engineer, Edwin Beard Budding, was developing a piece of equipment that would eventually cast a larger shadow than the hole cutter in the world of greenkeeping. Whilst being employed at a carpet mill he noticed that the carpets of the day were made of pure wool and during initial manufacture the nap was left long and uneven. The final trimming involved rotating blades that passed over the surface and evened the cut, producing a smooth texture. Feeling that the pasturing of animals and their resulting damage on the links was not becoming for any course, and with his heartfelt love for invention, he set about developing the first mower. He adapted the concept of rotating blades on a cylinder to clip uneven grass to a uniform height; downsizing the scale of the machine he developed a portable unit by adding wheels – the first walk mower. When the portable unit was first demonstrated at Regents Park in the early 1800s the grounds superintendent was to remark that “the machine did the work of eight good men with scythes – and did it better!”

Perhaps the most influential greenkeeper in regard to course works and maintenance was “Old Tom Morris” who was employed as custodian by the R&A from 1865 – 1903 when at the age of 82 (the average life expectancy at the time was 45) he stood down so a “younger and stronger man could take the strains of the job”. Under his care the “Old Course” flourished, but like today, the changes he made were not without opposition. Some argued the constant smoothing of surfaces was unnatural and that golf should be played without change to the natural habitat. Reverend McPherson complained that “one could simply skirt around the hazards now – giving no challenge on the course”.

Members liked the variety of surfaces, defended by wild untended areas encroaching on the line of play and embraced the random nature of these hazards.

Morris however quietly went about creating the opposite. He widened fairway surfaces from 40 to 100 yards in breadth, outlined and defined the bunkers, allowed worms to remain in greens and their holes to serve as aeration, raised and returfed greens to help with drainage issues, used metal cups to insert into the hole to help with their preservation, developed the revetting method for laying turf bricks on vertical walls in bunkers, and to the disgust of many golfers was the first to use a sandy loam to top-dress greens to increase speed and uniformity.

Morris also eliminated the long standing tradition of teeing off two club lengths from the previous hole, a procedure that did more damage to greens than any other. “A separate teeing ground has been provided at each hole, which preserves the putting green from being broken from teeing strokes” commented the then Secretary.

After constructing a new eighteenth green and first hole in 1870, Morris suggested that the course could now be played clockwise or anti-clockwise. As a result he filled in many old bunkers and created various new sand pits. This brought the admonition that Morris was “in future to submit proposals to a General Meeting before proceeding to fill up any bunkers or otherwise alter the course” and may have led to him being one of the first persons to be reprimanded by a Greens Committee. Having achieved most of his goals, he let course design rest and continued to upgrade maintenance of the course.

By 1875 the new grooming practices, combined with the architectural work that Morris instituted, brought the Old Course to a standard that is not far from how the course plays today.

Through necessity and passion for both better results and playing surfaces the custodians of the early courses forged a path for present day curators to follow. From growing grass for others they have grown a profession for many.

Excerpts taken from “Keepers of the Green – a History of Golf Course Management” Whitten 2002

- Bob Labbance & Gordon

General With the end of the competition / playing season we are drawing close to renovation time (7th & 8th Nov). Greens will be double-verticut and scarified, then aerated using 5/8th hollow tines at inch centres to a depth of approximately 3 inches.

Amendments will be added (calcium, magnesium and organics) and holes filled with sand. We will then follow this up with another renovation in early December with the severity of the second renovation dependent on the recuperation from the first renovation.

Marcus Price

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NOTES FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER Since the last Pin Hi, the Club continues to be very busy in all aspects from usage of the course, Club functions and major events. Since our last edition the Club has hosted the Australian Senior Amateur Championships in the first week of September, the Norris Motor Group Royal Queensland Cup Pro Am in the second week of September, and several significant Member events including both the Members’ 25/50 Year Dinner and the Associates’ 25/50 Year Lunch.

My thanks as always to our team of hard working staff on the course, in the Clubhouse, Golf Service Centre, caterers and Pro Shop, who have excelled at providing high quality events that are memorable and highly regarded by Members and visitors alike.

I would like to especially congratulate those Members and Associates attaining 25 and 50 years of membership this year.

Members achieving 50 years of membership this year were: John Allen, John Bradfield, Ian Chester, and Ted Lennon.

Members achieving 25 years of membership this year were: Darrell Crawford, Jonathan King, Paul McLean, David Quirk, and Tom Somers.

Tom Somers spoke on behalf of those attaining these milestones in membership, remembering his introduction to the Club and the notable characters of the day. Tom was presented with his 25 Year Membership tie by Charles Earp, Honorary Life Member The Associates in these categories are listed in the ‘Associates’ News’.

Recently we welcomed new House Manager, Simon Gordon.

Simon has extensive experience in the hotel and golf Club industry and we wish him well in his new position. One of Simon’s first events was the annual Italian Night which is undeniably a highlight of the social calendar. Thanks must go to Victor De Pasquale and family for assisting with the arrangements for catering, Nev and Jenny Morgan for their generous donation of wine, and the ever popular Walter (accompanied by the De Pasquale brothers) for their unique brand of live entertainment.

Charles Earp and Tom Somers

Members and Associates will notice the developments taking place along Curtin Avenue West including replacement of power poles, levelling of land, and general increase in traffic. The strip of land on Curtin Avenue West closest to the North Shore development is earmarked for light industrial building projects. We have been advised that the power line upgrade is nearing completion, hopefully with little disruption to the Club’s power supply; however extra caution when travelling on Curtin Avenue West at all times is advisable.

The installation of the artwork at the northern entrance to the Members’ Locker Room is progressing well. The plinth is currently being prepared, and local artist Gill Duncan is finalising a golfing figurine that we hope to have installed prior to Christmas.

Russell Muir WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS Congratulations to 9 new Members who have joined RQ in recent months:  Paul DeSouza

 Tracy Heading

 Lex Duncan

 Scott Horton

 William Ell

 Matthew Ryan

 Ryan Fensham

 Andrew Smith

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PRO SHOP PRONOUNCEMENTS As the golfing year draws to a close, the time is right to review the results of 2013 and start to plan for 2014.

In reviewing our students’ performances on a regular basis through the data collected on their statistic sheets, it is still the short game that is letting most people down. This area of the game does not require strength or lots of money spent on updating equipment.

Once a solid technique has been developed it is then about developing your ‘shot vocabulary’ and dexterity through lots of practice and the development of your visualisation skills. We will be hosting several short game clinics over the next few months so be sure to check in the Pro Shop for dates and times.

With the banning of the anchored putter coming soon, the R & D teams of all the manufacturers have been busy. A technology that has been around for some time is now growing in popularity. The addition of, and variable positioning of, extra weight to the shaft of not only putters but all clubs is proving very valuable.

I have had this technology available for some time here at Royal Queensland. During a recent putter fitting day, we added these weights to several Members’ putters with some fantastic results. It is not for everyone but definitely worth a try. If you are interested in trying them, they can be removed, please contact me or David in the Pro Shop. We have them on our own putters, although with different amounts of weight.

Over the last few months, I have given a number of playing lessons. During a playing lesson we develop strategies on a hole by hole basis relative to the obstacles the designer has placed, the conditions of the day, and your skill level.

Everyone who has participated has gained significant insight into the way the game can/should be played. On numerous occasions the question asked is ‘how come no one has explained this to me before?’

One of the best ways to learn is to watch better players. We have a fantastic opportunity to do this next month with the Australian PGA Championship being played at Royal Pines on the Gold Coast from 7 -10 November. The first two days of the tournament coincide with the greens renovations here at Royal Queensland when the course will be closed.

I would like to host a day at the Championship on either of these two days spending time with you on the course watching players, pointing out what they are doing on the course and going to the driving range to observe the players warming up prior to their rounds, and then practising after their rounds. If we achieve sufficient numbers we could arrange a bus to and from the event. If you are a RACQ member you can purchase tickets at preferential pricing as well. Those interested please contact me directly in the Pro Shop.

I will also be participating in the coaching of Juniors in the PUMP Junior golf event being held at Royal Pines that week.

With Christmas just around the corner, Titleist and Taylor Made have given us lots of opportunity to buy for friends or ourselves. I am in the midst of travelling interstate providing fitting training to all of the Titleist fitting Professionals coinciding with the launch of the new 714 range of Titleist irons. Taylor Made has just launched its new range of Speed Blade irons as well.

With the limits placed on the club manufacturers by the governing bodies, you would not think that there would be much more that they can do to help us. I had the privilege of spending one and a half hours with the Directors of the Titleist R & D team while I was visiting their headquarters in March this year and they are very excited about the future.

The Titleist 714 range of AP1 and AP2 irons provide better results from the off centre hits through clever distribution of weight and thinner metal in the faces. Given strict instructions from the tour players not to change too much with the CB and MB models, they benefit from improved sole design and graphics.

March 2014 will also see an updated range of Titleist Vokey wedges available. I had a sneak peek back in March. I spent two hours one on one with the legendary wedge designer Bob Vokey at the Titleist Performance Institute in March 2013.

With the fantastic team of experienced and passionate staff we have at Royal Queensland if you have any questions, or need advice for anything golf, please call.

Chris Rutherford 11

Chris Rutherford with Bob Vokey March 2013

FORTHCOMING EVENTS Members’ Club Championship Finals Melbourne Cup Lunch Course Closed – Greens Renovations Associates’ Grand Finale Day Graham Duus Memorial Golf Day Associates’ AGM Charles Earp Cup Final Mixed Closing Day Golf and Dinner Members’ Closing Day, AGM and Dinner

Sunday 3 November Tuesday 5 November Thursday 7, Friday 8 November Tuesday 12 November Sunday 17 November Tuesday 19 November Wednesday 20 November Sunday 1 December Saturday 7 December

HERITAGE AND ARCHIVES It is but six short years to 2020 and the Club’s Centenary, a year during which the Membership undoubtedly will celebrate all things RQ. Central to such celebrations is the recognition of the Club’s heritage – that is, all that has gone before to make the Club what it is today. Your Heritage and Archives Committee has a significant role to play in presenting that heritage.

For the Centenary, two focal issues have been identified for the Committee’s attention:  Producing a Centenary Book documenting in detail the Club’s 100 year history,  Developing a museum of memorabilia and artefacts related to the journey The Club recently commissioned the writer, your Archivist Ian Lynagh, to author the book, while Heritage and Archives Committee Member John Greenhalgh has taken on the responsibility of developing the memorabilia collection.

With the Centenary Book, the intention is to publish a quality hard-cover volume of literary merit, presenting the Club’s 100 year narrative in an engaging manner and celebratory style. Currently, the plan is for it to be both a historical reference book and a readable coffee table style publication with quality pictorials. Extensive consultations with the Membership and relevant others, and meticulous archival research of sources both within and external to the Club, will provide the foundation for the book’s content.

As to the memorabilia, clearly a comprehensive display of historical artefacts relevant to the Club is apt to add interest for the membership, breathing life into those past 100 years. However, currently I suspect that there is far more of the Club’s history buried in the cupboards and bottom drawers of our longer term Members and Associates than there is in our collection. Heritage and Archives Committeeman John Greenhalgh has untaken the task of developing our current collection, so expect a plea from him to you in the very near future.

Although still six years out, we believe it is far from being too soon to start planning and organising the celebrations for this once-every-hundred-year event. So, in conjunction with the Centenary Celebration Planning Committee, chaired by the Vice-President Andrew Corrigan, the Heritage and Archives Committee’s initial preparations are under way.

Ian Lynagh Chairman Heritage and Archives Committee

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT Ilse Serfontein joined the RQ Team in July as Accounts Officer and is quickly proving to be a valuable addition. We sat down with Ilse recently and asked her a little about herself. Find out more about Ilse below: What do you enjoy most about working at RQ? The peaceful surroundings once you drive through the gate, and the friendly people.

Are you a golfer?

Not yet!

How do you like to spend your leisure time?

Going to the movies alone, sitting in the garden with a cup of tea and anything fun with my husband and children.

Best meal you have ever eaten?

A steak with bone marrow sauce at Heston’s pub in England.

What type of music do you like?

Eighties, Nineties and whatever makes me feel happy.

If you could invite three people to dinner, who would they be?

James Bond, Florence Nightingale and my husband (between busy lives and his travelling, sitting down for dinner with him is a luxury!)

Describe your dream holiday.

A trip around the world with stopovers in South Africa for a family reunion on Christmas Day, and in Thailand for a stay in one of those houses on stilts in the ocean.

What is one thing on your bucket list?

To hand deliver an Operation Christmas Child box to a needy child.

Who makes you laugh?

My children.

One thing people might not know about you.

I speak Afrikaans.

RULES ARE RULES DEFINITIONS – PART 2 The previous Pin Hi addressed some of the Definitions which are important to know when playing golf. This article deals with further Definitions.

Lost Ball Question 9. A player plays from the teeing ground and his ball heads towards deep rough. He searches briefly for his ball and believing it to be lost, goes back and tees another ball. Before he plays the teed ball, and within the five-minute search period, the original ball is found by his playing partners. May the player abandon the teed ball and play the original ball?

Answer 9. Yes. The teed ball was not in play since the player had not yet made a stroke at it and the original ball was not lost (Decision 27-1/1).

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RULES ARE RULES (cont.)

A ball is deemed “lost” if: a. It is not found or identified as his by the player within five minutes after the player’s side have begun to search for it; or b. The player has made a stroke with his provisional ball from the place or nearer the hole from the place where the original ball is likely to be; or c. The player has put another ball into play; or d. The player has made a stroke at a substituted ball.

Declaring a ball “lost” does not in itself deem that the ball is lost.

Ball Moved Question 10. In addressing the ball, a player accidentally causes the ball to oscillate, but it returns to its original position. Is the player penalised for causing his ball to move?

Answer 10. No. A ball is deemed to have “moved” if it leaves its original position and comes to rest in any other place (Decision 18/2).

Nearest Point of Relief Question 11. Where is the nearest point of relief from the casual water adjacent to out of bounds for a right-handed player in the Illustration? a. Point A b. Point B in the middle of the tree trunk c. Point C, just clear of the tree trunk.

Answer 11. Point B. The “nearest point of relief” is the point on the course nearest to where the ball lies that is not nearer the hole and where there is no interference by the condition from which relief is sought using the club, address position, direction of play and swing (right or left-handed) that he would have used had the obstruction or condition not been there (Decision 24-2b/1). It is not relevant that this point may place the player in an unplayable position. Although point A is nearer the ball, it is out of bounds and not on the course.

Obstructions Question 12. Which of the following are obstructions? a. A bottle top in a bunker. b. A paddle-pop stick in a hazard. c. The surface of an artificial path or road. d. A construction declared by the Committee to be an integral part of the course. e. A stake delineating a water hazard. f. A stake delineating out of bounds.

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RULES ARE RULES (cont.)

Answer 12. (a), (b), (c) and (e) are obstructions; (d) and (f) are not.

An “obstruction” is anything artificial, including the artificial surfaces and sides of roads and paths and manufactured ice, except: a. Objects defining out of bounds, b. Any part of an immovable artificial object that is out of bounds; and c. Any construction declared by the Committee to be integral parts of the course.

An obstruction is a movable obstruction if it can be moved without unreasonable effort and without unduly delaying play or causing damage. Otherwise it is an immovable obstruction. Players are advised to always read the Local Rules.

Although “stakes” are deemed a readily movable obstruction, as in the Rules of Golf, they may be deemed to be an immovable obstruction by the committee of some courses as is the case at Royal Queensland where the Local Rules state that all stakes defining hazards are immovable obstructions.

Outside Agency Question 13. In which of the following situations should the ball be replaced without penalty a. A bird is observed to pick up a ball and drop it in a hazard. b. A fellow competitor in searching for a player’s ball stands on it and causes it to become embedded. c. A player’s partner in searching for a player’s ball in the rough accidentally kicks the player’s ball and moves it. d. As a player is about to putt, a gust of wind blows the ball off the green. e. In match play, a player’s opponent hat is blown off and moves the player’s ball while on the putting green Answer 13. In (a) and (b) the ball is replaced without penalty as both the bird and fellow competitors are outside agencies. In (c) the player incurs a one stroke penalty and the ball must be replaced. In (d), wind is not an outside agency and the ball is played as it lies from off the green without penalty. In (e) the opponent incurs a one stroke penalty and the ball must be replaced.

In match play, an “outside agency” is any agency other than either the player’s or opponent’s side, any caddie from either side, any ball played by either side at the hole being played or any equipment of either side.

In stroke play, an outside agency is any agency other than the competitor’s side, any caddie of the side, any ball played by the side at the hole being played or any equipment of the side.

Neither wind nor water is an outside agency.

If a ball at rest is moved by an outside agency, there is no penalty and the ball must be replaced. It must be known or virtually certain that an outside agency has moved the ball.

Rub of the Green Question 14. In playing the first hole, your tee shot is deflected by a bird in flight and goes out of bounds. What is the correct procedure? a. You replay your shot without penalty. b. The shot counts and you play your next shot from under the spot where the bird was struck by the ball. c. The shot counts and you play your next shot from where you estimate the ball would have come to rest if it were not deflected by the bird. d. The shot counts and as the ball is out of bounds you hit your next shot from the tee with a one shot penalty (ie hitting 3 off the tee).

Answer 14. (d). If a player’s ball in motion is accidentally deflected by an outside agency, it is “rub of the green”, there is no penalty and the ball must be played as it lies. As the ball was out of bounds, the player must proceed under Rule 27-1. Note that if a player’s ball in motion is deliberately deflected or stopped by an outside agency, this is not “rub of the green”, and the ball is dropped at the estimated spot where the ball would have come to rest.

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RULES ARE RULES (cont.)

Stroke Question 15. Before playing from the teeing ground, a player took a practice swing, in the course of which he accidentally struck and moved the teed ball with his club. Did the player play a stroke or incur a penalty?

Answer 15. No, the player did not make a “stroke” which is the forward movement of the club made with the intention of striking at and moving the ball. Since the ball was not in play he incurred no penalty (Decision 18-2a/19).

Through the Green Question 16. Which of the following positions on RQ golf course are “through the green”? a. The rough. b. The wastelands between the 2nd and 3rd holes. c. The greens on the spare holes. d. The 6th teeing ground when playing the 5th hole. e. The Associates’ tee when playing from the Members’ tee. f. The practice putting green by the 10th hole. g. The practice putting green in front of the clubhouse. h. The practice fairway adjacent to the 3rd hole.

Answer 16. (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f) are through the green; (g) and (h) are out of bounds.

“Through the green” is the whole area of the golf course except: a. The teeing ground and putting green of the hole being played, b. All hazards on the course.

The sandy waste areas as defined in the Local Rules are not hazards but “through the green”, except where waste areas merge into bunkers. The demarcation between the two is defined by a line joining the blue concrete pavers using the edge of the paver nearest the green.

Wrong Ball Question 17. A player marks the position of his ball on the putting green, lifts the ball and sets it aside. By mistake, he putts the ball from the spot at which he set it aside. What is the ruling?

Answer 17. When the ball was lifted it is out of play (see Definition of “ball in play”). When the player played a stroke with his ball while it was out of play, he played the wrong ball (Rule 15-3). In match play he loses the hole, in stroke play he incurs a two stroke penalty and must correct the error by putting the ball back in play and playing from the correct place before playing off the next tee or be disqualified. (Decision 15/4.)

A “wrong ball” is any ball other than the player’s:  ball in play;  provisional ball;  second ball played under Rule 3-3 or Rule 20-7c in stroke play; and includes:  another player’s ball;  an abandoned ball; and  the player’s original ball when it is no longer in play.

Note: Ball in play includes a ball substituted for the ball in play, whether or not the substitution is permitted.

As can be seen by these examples, it is critical for a player to have a clear understanding of the Definitions so that the Rules can be correctly applied. I would again like to acknowledge the assistance of Peter Monks in the compilation of this article.

Neville Sandford

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