Giving the course some “Nip and Tuck’ since 2000

Big changes on 3rd , 5th and 8th and much more

Giving the course some ‘Nip and Tuck’ since 2000

By the end of 1999, apart from the search for a secure supply of water for the course, which is addressed in the chapter 10 on Water Reclamation Plant, there had been few major changes to any of the fairways and greens except for the 5th in 1996/7. A program of bunker reconstruction commenced during 1997-1998. (See chapter 2 on Bunkers)

Taking Responsible actions.

Since Pennant Hills Road had been widened in 1993, there had been an increase in traffic volume and the Club chose to take positive action to obviate the likelihood of balls going onto the road.

The first action was the introduction a temporary Local Rule that would discourage players from hitting down the right hand side of the 3rd fairway.

While this was partially successful, it was decided to strengthen the rule, deeming an area on the right hand side of the 3rd fairway a No Go Zone, marked by Blue markers. Compulsory relief was to be taken with a one shot penalty with the ball being dropped and played from the point where the ball crossed the margin of the No Go Zone. Again, this assisted in the objective, however, the Club chose to further strengthen the local rule.

In March 2002, 5 trees on the left hand side (LHS) of the 3rd hole approaching the green were removed to open up the left side of the fairway for play, and strongly discourage players from hitting down the right side of this fairway.

A trial was made of men playing from forward tees on the 3rd hole. This forced players to hit drives away from Pennant Hills Road from a lower starting point tee thus lowering the initial trajectory of each drive improving the effectiveness of existing trees and screens.

Whilst each initiative had assisted in the main objective, the Club decided that it would be a better solution to lower the level of the fairway landing area by some 3 metres and also to move the tee box further west towards Pennant Hills Road.

The 3rd fairway would become a more level landing area, with the LHS being raised by about 2 metres above the level of the 12th fairway.

The flatter fairway provided for more controlled second shots towards the green.

It was recognised that the excess fill from 3rd fairway could be deposited in the gully mid-way down the 5th hole fairway, improving the 5th hole and eliminating dumping costs.

A new bunker on the right hand side (RHS) of the 5th fairway in the drive zone was recommended to discourage hitting down the RHS.

After endorsement by Club members and the Hornsby Council, the work commenced in September 2003. During the reconstruction work the 3rd and 5th holes were played as par 3s.

The temporary 3rd was a 140-150 metre hole. The temporary 5th as a 160-170 metre hole. The par of the course was 67 during this period.

An interesting ‘once in a life time’ event happened for one lady member, Jan Robertson, during the construction period. She ‘aced’ the shortened 5 th hole on 28 September 2003. And her record is preserved in the Club Archives as the only person to have had a Hole-In-One on the 5th hole!

The reconstruction of the 3rd and 5th fairways was completed quickly and both holes were back in play as par 5s by late November 2003. The cost of the changes to both fairways was $235,148.

The following year, the Course Architect, Jim Wilcher recommended the removal of the fence adjacent to the 3rd tee and move the ‘back white” tee as close to the western fence as possible.

The spoil removed from the 3rd fairway was relocated onto the 5th fairway and used to create a new bunker, fill in the deep gully which ran across the fairway towards the M2, and create mounds and swales after the bunker to help provide a better overall shape for the fairway. The new alignment completely transformed the 5th hole, and created a much more interesting and playable hole than it had previously been.

In 2001 it was decided to extend the 8th hole by building a new championship tee about 30 metres back from the present tee. The work was commenced in June 2002 and was ready for play in Spring.

The new and existing sections had extensive drainage added and initially the tee was protected from balls from the 11th tee by a wire screen. In due course, following a recommendation by Ron Harper a series of parallel lili pilli hedges were planted on the left and grew to provide protection for both forward and back tees.

Tee and protective hedges in 2022.

10th and 11th fairways.

The building of the water reclamation plant in 2007 produced a ‘headache’ and ultimately a beneficial outcome for the 10th and 11th holes. The location of the plant required a significant amount of spoil to be removed and the cost of dumping off site was prohibitively high. Both these fairways sloped to the right from the tees with trees and rough along much the right hand length of the fairways. This did not provide an ideal or pleasant playing environment for the Club golfers and often resulted in lost balls and lost tempers!

Despite some initial opposition, at Darcy Cluff’s suggestion and persistence, the decision was made to use the spoil on the course and create a series of low knolls and swales on the right hand side of both the 10th and 11th fairways.

The spoil was dumped along much of the right hand side of both fairways and was later contoured by a heavy grader, to produce a series of knolls and gentle swales along their lengths. Not only did this improve the visual aspect of the fairways, but also introduced a playing environment which was vastly more pleasant and appreciated by all golfers, with the level of frustration arising from a sliced tee shot, being reduced considerably.

Simultaneously with the construction of the WRP, the Tree Preservation Officer from Hornsby Council approved the removal of a number of trees in the vicinity of the WRP, as well as a Liquid Amber and adjacent pine tree, on the RHS of the 11th, at the back of the 15th tee, which caused many a groan or worse from tee shots hit a little to the right.

The mounds on the 11th hole were started in November 2007 and completed fully turfed in February 2008. The mounds on the 10th fairway were started in February 2008 and completed in May 2008, and brought into play in mid July 2008. Two fairway bunkers were added on the RHS of the 10th fairway at driving distance for long hitters in January/February 2008.

The execution of the revised 10th fairway also resulted in virtually blocking sight of the water reclamation plant (WRP) from the clubhouse and fairway.

There were major changes to the bunkers since the 1990s which are recorded in chapter 2 “BUNKERS!”