News Archive


9th January 2020

An update on the water situation……

An update on the water situation……

Members 

The club has had to take further steps to protect the diminishing water supply. These steps have now been in place for a couple of weeks and are likely to remain in place until such time as there is substantial rain to replenish the dams.  We have now unfortunately had to stop watering the fairways. Between the lack of water and the evaporation rates, together with the detrimental effect of the high winds to the watering itself, the water situation has continued to deteriorate over the past couple of weeks.  With no rain of significance on the horizon, these steps have been required to safeguard supplies as they stand and ensure we have enough to concentrate on more vulnerable and higher priority areas of the course. Considering the amount of work we have done to improve the fairways in the past couple of years, this is a tough call and has not been made lightly.

The areas watered will now be greens and tees (excluding the tee-carry). Greens preservation will remain the priority should any further reductions be required in the future. While we are currently pumping from Gungahlin pond, this remains a limited resource and we will be informed by Government when he has to cease this. The next review of this facility is expected to be in the next few weeks. Hopefully we will be permitted to continue pulling some water from the larger pond.

Going forward we will now be pumping at a reduced rate in the region of 250-300 kl per day, down from 1.2 ml and the more recent 800 kl/day.  Of note the main dam is now down to about 3 m depth down from 4 m two weeks ago despite the recent reductions and the pumping from Gungahlin pond.  What is being pumped in from Gungahlin pond now is hoped will keep our levels at somewhere near the status quo.

As an aside, can I ask that if you see Shane and his team, you say hi and thank him for all of the work he and the team are doing.  The pumps that you will have seen working on the course have a run-time of around 3-4 hours and it has been Shane and a few others (Mark Hynes is one) who have been coming to the course to refuel the pumps so that we can continue pumping the water from the main Gungahlin pond.  Shane has been doing this for weeks now at a significant impost to his family and personal life balance.  Additionally, you may have noticed the team hand watering the Greens and their surrounds. There is simply no one more dedicated and we are incredibly lucky to have him and his small team.

For your information.

Richard Oliver/President

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3rd January 2020

GLGC Emergency Action Plan – REMINDER

GLGC Emergency Action Plan – REMINDER

Emergency incidents do happen on golf courses. One day you may need to call 000 for assistance and will need to direct emergency services to the nearest gate access on the course.

Your ACTION PLAN if Emergency Services are required is

1st call – 000  (or on mobile 112 if 000 fails)Give details of incident and exact location on the course. Emergency Plus Australia App is a useful addition to your mobile phone,

2nd call – Proshop or Club Reception to ensure gate key is readily available.

Stay with casualty and provide assistance until emergency services arrive.

Keys to access gates are held by the Proshop, Greenkeeper, Club Reception and some Emergency Services.

The gates are brightly marked with letters A – H for easy identification. Next time you play please take note of their location.

A copy of the gate location plan is on the wall at the entry to the Spike Bar.  See also GUNGAHLIN LAKES GOLF CLUB _Golf Course Emergency Access Plan

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2nd January 2020

New arrangements for the Lakeball scheduled for Saturday 4 January.

New arrangements for the Lakeball scheduled for Saturday 4 January.

All members

You will all be aware of the catastrophic conditions forecast for Saturday.  This was the day designated as the official opening game for the 2020 golfing year  on which we were scheduled to play our standard Lakeball event with a shotgun start and followed by a light lunch.  We were prepared to let the game proceed with the forecast heat but with the dangerous levels of smoke in the air and with the forecast heat the Committee has reconsidered this and agreed to move this game to a standard stableford round.  Here are the changed arrangements:

  • Saturday 4 January – standard Stableford game off both  front and back with a timesheet to be opened for the game on Thursday 2 January. 
  • Saturday 11 January – first Monthly Medal for the year.  Standard Monthly medal arrangements with presentations and badge draws at 6.00pm in the Spike Bar.
  • Saturday 18 January – Lakeball event with shotgun start and light lunch to follow.  The current timesheet for this event will be transported to the new date to allow players to keep their existing tee-box arrangements and so that those who have prepaid (for exceptional reasons) will not need to seek a refund and repay.

Noting that Saturday is expected to be very hot please reread my post of 15 November regarding the revision of the Club’s Extreme Heat Policy. In summary, it suggested that you all take the necessary precautions if you are intending to play on a day like that forecast  Key suggestions were:

  • Wear loose fitting, lightweight clothing
  • Wear a hat and apply 50+ sunscreen
  • Take 20 ml of fluid (water or sports drink) per kg of body weight, one hour before commencement of play
  • Carry adequate quantities of fluid and remain hydrated during play There are drinking fountains by the 4th tee, stream on 7th, halfway house lavatory and path to the 10th tee and chilled water in the Spike Bar.
  • Ensure that you have eaten properly
  • On completion of your round drink water or a sports drink to re-hydrate, and
  • If feeling dizzy or unwell during play, immediately notify your playing partners to ensure arrangements are made for assistance to be provided, as appropriate.

We apologise if these changed arrangements don’t fit with your personal plans but, the health and safety of our members more generally, is our key concern and, n this context, we have made the changes outlined above.

Regards 

Richard Oliver/President

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30th December 2019

Opening game of the year ….Lakeball on 4 January .

Opening game of the year ….Lakeball on 4 January .

All members 

This coming Saturday is the opening game of the year, our traditional Lakeball event. It is scheduled to be a warm day with around 41 Degrees forecast.  We discussed whether we should postpone the event however, have agreed that the event should proceed, as scheduled.  As you will know if you are registered, it is a shotgun start commencing at 8.30am with a simple lunch to follow. We are hoping that the game and lunch beats the heat and by the time it gets ‘hot’ you can be at home in the air-conditioning or sitting under a fan.

You will also hopefully know we revised our heat policy at the beginning of the 2019 season to move us from a position of cancelling events when the temperature was forecast at 40 degrees plus, to putting the onus back on members for self care on very hot days.

For Saturday’s game please re-read the guidance statement on this topic and take the necessary precautions…….lots of water, hats and /sunscreen.  In other words, if you are planning to play, take care of your health and look after yourself. Remembers there are a number of water bubblers on the course. 

Finally, remember at the end of the game a light lunch will be served which we, the Committee, would like you to join us for.

All the best for 2020 and good golfing.

Richard Oliver/President.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

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23rd December 2019

No social play from Blue tees

No social play from Blue tees

I have had a request from Shane to implement No social golf from the blue tees for all members and guests. This is to help keep the blue tees in good condition during the “apocalyptic” weather that we are experiencing .

The Proshop have been notified, so to assist please keep all social play to the white tees.

You may also notice that during competition play over the next few weeks that blue tees may be brought forward to preserve the worst of the blue tee boxes.

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