News Letter Course at Covid level 2

Richard Crowe
May 13, 2020
5 min read

Club President Report

So here we are down to Alert Level 2 at last, great!

The key differences in moving from Level 3 to Level 2 are, that golf can now be played outside your “bubble” and the NZ Golf handicapping system is live again. However, many restrictions remain in place, and may be there for a month or two. Per the latest NZ Golf advisory received on Tuesday (see attachment), the restrictions are summarised as follows (most as indicated in last week’s newsletter):

Golfers will be able to play outside their previous “bubble”;
Physical distancing (2 metres encouraged) should be maintained between all staff, players and visitors;
An interval of 10 minutes between tee times is recommended;
Hygiene, sanitisation and contact tracing procedures (see below) will remain in place;
Gatherings will be restricted to a maximum of 100 persons, with no more than 10 persons in any group;
Competitions can restart within the gathering size constraints;
Booking ahead for tee times is not required (note that bookings made for Thursday 14, Friday 15 May and Saturday 16 May will stand);
The clubhouse will be allowed to reopen (see below), but with physical distancing stressed;
The amenities blocks will be reopened: please wash your hands before and after play, and use the supplied hand sanitiser;
Flagsticks will be back in holes but are not to be touched (our cups will remain upturned for now);
Whilst bunker rakes are allowed back on the course, it is likely we will leave ours out and employ a “preferred lie” local rule in bunkers (one club length drop in the bunker, no closer to the hole).

Contact Tracing:

As foreshadowed last week, under Level 2 we have been able to stand down our volunteer team of onsite supervisors and now depend on individual responsibility in following the necessary procedures in checking in upon arrival at the golf course and leaving afterwards. For those with smartphones, checking in can be very simply done via the DotGolf app. For those without smartphones, please fill in the contact tracing register sheet that will be on the table by the clubhouse door. Thank you – this is a vital component of the Govt moving the country down to Level 2.

Clubhouse:

The Govt has adopted an Anzac Day-style rule for hospitality venues wishing to open from Thursday, whereby the bar can only be open serving alcohol if customers are there to dine, that is, customers in the clubhouse must purchase food if they wish to consume alcohol (restaurant not bar principles - bars will be allowed to reopen from next Thursday 21 May). Taking this into account along with the “single server per table” restrictions, we have decided not to reopen the clubhouse until Saturday 23 May. This decision gives the committee, meeting again on Monday evening, a chance to discuss plans/methods/implications for reopening the clubhouse and supplying food and alcohol whilst complying with necessary procedures. Discussion with our caterer Jan will obviously be a key element to this.

Scorecards:

It appears that the e-scoring facility being developed within the DotGolf app has not yet been made available. With the clubhouse closed until Saturday 23 May, DotGolf cards will not be available until then so please take a card from the table by the clubhouse door. Please do not exchange cards with a marker - fill in your own card and just note on it in the marker box the name of a fellow player who is witness to your score. After your round place your completed card in the box on the clubhouse wall.

Thank you.

Enjoy playing with your golf buddies again!

Richard Crowe

Club Captains Report

Hello to all.

Hope we are all well in current times.

Well we are slowly getting back into it and I hope you have had a chance to get out for a hit with the weather being fine.

I would like to take the chance to say thanks to Richard Crowe for all the emails and meetings and time spent on the member’s behalf for getting all the safety and regulations together so we as golfers can get out there again. Also, thanks to all the team that have help set up and are running the booking times, put up notices and done some course work without these jobs being done there’s no golf…no more check in supervisor on level 2.

THIS SATURDAY THE 16TH MAY, THE TIME SLOTS WILL CONTINUE AS THEY HAVE BEEN AND THERE WILL BE A START SHEET GOING UP FOR SATURDAY TEE TIMES GOING FORWARD. SO YOU WILL NEED TO PICK YOUR TIME PLEASE AND REMEMBER MEN THE LADIES HAVE THE 13TH TEE FROM 9.30 AM AND 9 HOLERS START ON THE 7TH WE WILL BE HAVING A LOOK AT THIS SET UP OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS SO BARE WITH US THANKS.

The club house will NOT OPEN THIS WEEKEND but will return the following weekend as with set Covid rules. So only one more week to go and we can have a beer and a feed back in the club house.

PLAYING GOLF: The pins will be back in and cups still turned up at this stage also rakes in bunkers will be provided if you want use them. If NOT, you can take a drop in the bunker if you happen to end up in an unraked area (nearest point of relief IN THE BUNKER) NO Penalty

Putting to within 30 cm and next putt given is an option to save getting the ball out of cup as the pin MUST STAY IN AND CANT BE TOUCH AT THIS STAGE so if you wish that’s a choice you can make but remember these cards will be counters in the system .

PLEASE SEE LOCAL BOARD FOR RULES THANKS.

Handicaps as some of you will be a wear there’s has been a change in the system so please check out your new LOWER handicap.

Tuesday and Saturday Ladies Report

Tee off time still 9.30 but no competition at this stage. You must check in on arrival through the manual register or on the golf app.

Tuesday there will be no club rooms open so enjoy your round.

Saturday ladies will officially start on 23rd May at 9.30 with the same requirements.

Enjoy Marie

PRO – TIP

Know your Club Distance.

A good golfer knows how far he/she hits each club a poor player does not !! To check hit 20 balls with your 7 iron. Discount the few short poor shots & possibly 4 very good ones & pace to the group where the average balls have finished. This would be your average distance with your 7 iron. Now WRITE YOUR DISTANCE DOWN. You should have approximately 10 metres between each club. We all love to hit the ball each day as far as we can but it isn’t possible so you need to know your average distance, & this is the way to do it.

At my Academy I give a special card out.

YOU’RE WELCOME ANY TIME

Keep Well & Stay Safe

Good Luck & Good Golfing.

Professional John Garner.