Happy New Year
I hope you all had a great Christmas and wish you a happy New Year and great golfing.
I am sorry I could not get a Christmas edition out; I foolishly took on some work on Nauru Island in December. I did make time to visit the Nauru Golf Club; see the later article.
Help!
My failure to get a Christmas edition out reminded me I should have backup to ensure that the Pukeko Pages is published regularly. Is there some literate person out there willing to help and provide backup? Ideally they could compensate for my shortcomings in layout and graphics. Please phone me on 2933393 or better still, talk to me in the club house. (John McConway)
Aces
Kath Peters and Terry Owen scored holes in one, both on the 4th on consecutive days, the 11th and 12th of January. Congratulations! What a great start to 2012. Kath, I am sure you will exact due reverence from Rod!
Strokes for years
Congratulations to Bob Randal. On the 12th of January, one day before his 72nd birthday Bob shot a 71 (par). Well done Bob; a follow up 72 should be no trouble!
Welcome
Welcome to new members including a group of 8 young Korean golfers and their 3 pro guides. They arrived late December and will be with us until the end of February.
2012/13 Subscriptions
Subscription Accounts and Club Programmes are currently being prepared for pick-up/mail in the first week of February. As has been done in the past two years, all members (other than non-playing) who pay their account in full by 29th February 2012 will receive two vouchers for a 50% greens fees discount for use during the 2012/13 year. These are intended f or members to bring along a friend, relative, colleague or neighbour for a round of golf at half the normal price and ideally to encourage some of them to join our club.
Payment of subscriptions can be made by cash, cheque, eftpos, credit card or internet (details on your account), or by monthly automatic payment through your bank account. Monthly payment will incur an administration fee of 10%.
Club Captain’s Corner:
Club Captain’s Corner
- Welcome to the 2012 golfing year. There’s no better time than summer to get out there and enjoy your game and our facilities. Club Opening Day starts the weekend programme off with a mixed-gender, multiple-tee start, day that kicks off with breakfast at the clubrooms – we hope to see you in the clubhouse that day to get our season off to a flying start. Note: you don’t have to be a regular weekend player to enjoy this day – all are welcome (see Notice Boards for details).
- On Wednesday, 1st February, we are hosting the Quinovic-Waikanae Pro-Am tournament – an Order of Merit event for NZ’s top professionals. This is a day when our club shines! With the course in tip-top condition and all holes sponsored, 31 amateur teams, each with a professional will vie for an extremely generous prize table. You can be part of this event on the day by offering an hour or two of your time as a volunteer – in particular, spotters and starters are required. If you can help, please append your name to one of the lists in either of the change-rooms, or see (or phone) Richard Starke, our volunteers coordinator. Every little bit will help to make this, once again, our top day of the year.
- As previously signaled, the 2012 – 2015 Rule Books have been received and are now ready for uplifting from the office. We will not be posting them out because of the cost of mailing.
Captain Ed
Course information
The December weather was a mixed bag; there was 61.5mm of rain at the start of the month and apart from during the early wet spell, very dry with most days over 20 degrees and some strong winds. The good weather has resulted in income from green fees being a little above average.
- Early in the month a power cut disrupted the irrigation system resulting in dry patch on some greens. It has been treated and is showing signs of recovery.
- The greens were sprayed with ETHREL to stop the Poa annua from seeding to create a more even ball roll.
- They were also sprayed with a wetting agent, fertiliser and fungicide to help prevent ponding and disease with the humid weather.
- We were also hit with a disease called Waitera patch, which is a disease that is new to golf course greens originating from pine pollen. This was treated and has recovered well.
The long rough
The long rough on the hill areas has been allowed to seed to encourage growth of the fescue; the long wispy variety of grass. These areas have now been sprayed to eliminate most of the thick, lush grass varieties and the margins will soon be mowed. The wet conditions delayed spraying and mowing resulting in heavier rough than is ideal. The objective of this change away from frequent mowing is to reduce the ever rising costs of mowing due to fuel prices and equipment wear and tear. The more we mow the thicker will be the growth which will demand more mowing. Our objective is to have sparse open growth, as is already evident on the upper hill areas, which will permit balls to be found easily but will not necessarily be easy to play from. The lower margins which receive runoff from the hills and some irrigation will be a challenge which we are working on.
From the Match Committee
Vets
The 2011 Waikanae 4 day Vets was held on the 14th – 18th November with some 60 entrants playing in the best 3 from 4 games of Stableford competition.
Players had travelled from such far places as Rakaia, as near as Otaki and Kapiti, a strong contingent from Mornington and the Hutt Valley completed the field. Old friends re-visited and new friends made during the week were in the best tradition of this annual tournament.
With the weather being fine and the wind gaining in strength as the tournament progressed, golf was anything but easy. Although the tales in the clubhouse would make you believe otherwise.
Winners
Ladies winner – Dale McLaren, Waikanae with 120 Points
Mens Div 1 – Howard Ellis, Waikanae 118 pts
Div 2 – Graeme Foster from Judgeford 124 pts
Div 3 – Bill Norton, Waikanae 121 pts
From the left – Bill Norton, Graeme Foster, Howard Ellis and Dale McLaren.
We cannot speak too highly of the organisations that helped put together our magnificent prize table. Thanks indeed to New World Waikanae, Stone Cold, Coq-Au-Vin and Tegal chickens. Lastly we must also thank the Waikanae Motel and Amcal Chemists for their generous donations to the spot prize table Check this out !!
Lastly, without the help and advice from the organising committee none of this would have been possible. Jill Bolland, Ed Isaac, Ian Douglas and Richard Starke thanks for doing such a great job.
Les Buckley, Chairman, Organising Committee.
Vets 2012
The vets 2012 programme is now under way.
Kapiti Vets events for the next month are:
- 30 January at Otaki
- 13 February at Kapiti
- 27 February at Waikanae
Golden Coast Vets:
- January 26 at Manawatu
- March 1 at Waikanae
Mid Week Men
Dave Ward set the pace for MWM 2012 on 17 January with 41 stableford Points.
Summer Cup
The Summer Cup was contested on Sundays 8 and 15 January. The winner was Isaac Raika. A great start to the season Isaac.
2012 Match Programme
The 2012 programme is now on-line
Where: The 2012 programme is now available on the club’s web site (waikanaegolfclub.co.nz) as a calendar; look for the new calendar tab to check on upcoming events.
View: When you first open the calendar, all scheduled golf at our course will appear.
Once there:
- You can choose a monthly, weekly or agenda view (check them out to see which is best for you).
- The various different programmes on display are colour coded – click the down arrow at the top right (next to Agenda) to see the key.
- If the view is too crowded for your needs, you can simplify your view by eliminating those aspects of the programme that you don’t need.
- To eliminate a programme, click it off against its label in the drop-down menu;
- To retrieve a programme, click it on against its label in the drop-down menu.
- You can click on an event to see an expanded description.
If you are a user of Google Calendar you can also add any, or all of the club’s programmes to your own calendar by clicking the Google icon at the bottom right.
Nauru Island Golf
I worked in the tropical paradise of Nauru Island briefly last month but found time to visit the golf club. Apparently it was an interesting 9 hole layout but is now overgrown. The club house is derelict and there was not a beer to be had on the terrace but I did take a few photos. We don’t know how lucky we are!
Who mentioned long rough?
Siggy’s Café
Have you tried a Siggy’s Pie yet?
Our golf club café is home to our quietly becoming famous pies. Siggy provides a great range of pies, sandwiches, scones, muffins and cakes. You can also order pies to take home – 5 for $20.
Siggy does catering, at the club or in your home for any event, large or small. Call her on 027 281 6799.
Siggy and Heather hope you had a Merry Christmas and wish you a great New Year. Thanks for your support and custom throughout the last year.
Xxx Siggy
From the Pro shop
New Year greetings from the Golf Shop boys; Allan James and Ron Olivecrona.
New Year specials
Prosimmon Bags usually $220
Now $155
Footjoy shoes 10% off all shoes
The shop stocks most major brands including Titleist,TaylorMade, Ping, Srixon, Cleveland and Nike.
If you require any product which is not in stock just ask Allan or Ron and they will do their best to get it in for you.
Allan and Ron have 40 years golf industry experience; if you want help or advice just ask them.
Pukeko Pete
Pukeko Pete has been busy supervising the course over the Christmas break and was last seen chasing a stoat which had dared walk on the 2nd green. (inappropriate footware)
Pete requests that golfers please do not remove or discard hazard and out of bounds markers. If you are in the hazard; sorry – tough luck. If you are outside take a free drop.
Happy golfing for 2012
John McConway
