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November 2023

Captains Desk

From your Club Captain, Men's Captain and Women's Captain...

The course is now back to the original 18 holes, and we expect this to be in place for the majority of the wet season with the irrigation replacement project anticipated to restart after the rain eases. The Match Committee has decided to introduce the affectionately known 'Wet Season' rule from this Saturday 11 November until 31 March 2023. This rule has previously been used during the heavy rain season so that mud can be cleaned off the ball, but given the ever growing influx of Magpie Geese and resulting waste they leave behind, this rule will allow the waste to be cleaned off the ball. Please read the Rules Education section further down in this newsletter to ensure you are applying it correctly, as it is NOT preferred lie.
Presentation Night was held on Saturday 28 October 2023 with some fantastic achievements by our members. Keep an eye out for the 2023 Annual Report which lists all the winners and will be available soon.
Bring a Friend 2 person Ambrose, sponsored by Andrew & Suzi Hullick, was held on Sunday 29 October and had a great turnout. Thank you to all the members who participated and brought a friend with them, to experience our club and the great game of golf. Congratulations to the following teams:
1st Nett - Andrew Hullick & friend 63.5
2nd Nett - Lachlan Morgan & friend 64
3rd Nett - Tim Watkins & friend 64.75
The Women's Closing Ambrose, sponsored by Lyn & Cali Heap, was held on Saturday 4 November. In addition Doug & Ima Core (Core Traffic Control) sponsored a special 'larger than usual' hole on the 17th green that teams donated money to be able to putt into. $603.10 was raised, which was doubled by the Core's to raise $1,206.20 with the chosen charity being PAWS Darwin. Winners on the day were:
1st Nett - Kyra Caird, Giorgia Stroud, Jade Longstaff, Carla Khasakhala
2nd Nett - Anna Pescatore, Shannon Pope, Amy Griesbach, Joanne Schmidt
1st Gross - Toni McCormack, Rachel May, Skye Lampton, Leah Atkinson
2nd Gross - Holly Trembath, Sue Gardiner, Sian France, Christine Wakefield.
The Men's Closing Ambrose, sponsored by Channel 9, was held on Sunday 5 November with the following winners:
1st Nett - Jared France, Scott Goetze, Daniel Lewis, Jonathan Bennett, Hemi Poutu, Shane Crowley
2nd Nett - Nathan Batten, Luke Petersen, Leighton Schultz, Tony May, Jamie Chadwick, Kevin Whiteaker
3rd Nett - Scot Cheeseman, Nick Ferteklis, Damian Butler, Steve Skinner, Stuart MacDonald, Dave Russell
1st Gross - Chris Hook, Paul Dellow, John Robins, Claudio Di Somma, Evert Van Der Steeg, Ron Dunn
2nd Gross - Lachlan Morgan, Brandon Morgan, Lee Morgan, Rhys Trembath, Matt Allen, Jamie O'Brien.
External pennants is well into the season with current leaderboards below. We hear the DGC Men's team is making a comeback with a good win last round, so keep it up. The DGC Women's Team Frillies is currently on top of the ladder, with the DGC Kingfishers not far behind.

Internal pennants is due to kick off this weekend, and we wish all teams the best. There is an updated DGC Internal Pennants Terms & Conditions, along with the draw and upcoming results posted on our webpage here.

It has also become known to us that one of our members, Judy Herring, who has been involved with the club for many years and always offers her time as a volunteer as well as coordinator of the Senior Ladies, is leaving Darwin. We wish you all the best Judy and hope to see you back every now and then for a game.
We also welcome our new General Manager, Tony Treeve, to the club and understand he was a gun golfer back in the day, so look forward to seeing him out on course.
As we our now into our off season, this newsletter will have a break for the next few months and will be back in March 2024. Wishing you all a safe and merry Christmas and New Years xx

Personal Cart Users

A reminder to personal cart users of a few guidelines in relation to parking your cart on the mounds near the greens, which tends to particularly occur when spectating at our major events, at pennants matches, and during Ambrose events. Just because you are now spectating does not mean you can park your cart on the mounds around the greens. If you want to be closer to the action, park your cart appropriately and walk to the mound. The DGC carts are unable to be this close to the green for a reason, it has the potential to cause a lot of damage. Please respect our course and note in future there may be action taken against those who continuously disregard a reasonable direction from the club.

Thank you to the carts that are now parking in the correct area beside the 18th green, over near the hedging and practice bunker (as seen in below picture). A reminder to not park in the area beside the practice putting green / back of 18th green, as you can tell from this picture the damage this causes.

Golf carts close to greens

Golf cart parking near 18th green

Superintendents Course Report - October 2023

October saw us spraying the whole course, around trees, fence lines, swales, bunker faces etc. We have also sprayed all tees and surrounds for crows foot nutgrass and sedges and now hitting fairways for the same, these are very stubborn weeds that have a high germination seed bank! so I will then apply a pre emergent spray, spartan prior to the rains so the product will filter into the profile where the seed bank will be targeted. A growth retardant has also been applied to all fairways to get a nice tight sward for a great ball lie.

Our greens are in terrific health at the moment, my aim is to get the root system as healthy as possible prior to the wet so mini tines will go over these again in the next fortnight with a verticut dethatch Monday 9th Oct. The root depth is at the bottom of the hole changer ATM which I’m very happy with, a root stimulant spray with NK soluble has been applied with great success the colour is also a stand out . Some spot spraying is now due to eradicate some hybrid crows foot from greens and blue couch encroachment.

We have had some new pieces of machinery delivered, such as a contour deck; this will be used for around bunkers and greens semi rough and a tough deck for outer roughs, and a cylinder cut for tee surrounds and carries. Members will notice some very pretty striping up will take us next level for presentation although I cant guarantee to take few strokes off your handicap. A new roller, bunker rakes ,spray unit, and I am still waiting on 2 fairway mowers toro roughs cutters.

The new irrigation is up and running on holes 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, & 8. The areas that are running look terrific and the coverage is great the course looks better already on them holes, no missed areas with water pressures . Thanks as always to Tod, Michelle, Jack, Typan and Jordy for their ongoing committed efforts. Enjoy the course and the 19th.

Happy golfing!
Damon Quigley Course Superintendent DGC

Members Achievements

City Tyre Service 2023 AFL Ambrose winners: Mark Coonan, Daniel East & Sam Greygoose (Wade Bliesner not pictured); with DGC President Paul O'Brien, Sponsor Stu Palmer & DGC Men's Captain Leighton Schultz.

City Tyre Service 2023 AFL Ambrose Runners Up: Lyn Heap, Andrew Clark, Craig Curby & Tod Lillicrap; with DGC President Paul O'Brien, Sponsor Stu Palmer & DGC Men's Captain Leighton Schultz.

2023 Women's Closing Ambrose Gross Winners: Toni McCormack, Skye Lampton, Rachel May & Leah Atkinson.

2023 Women's Closing Ambrose Nett Winners: Giorgia Stroud, Kyra Caird, Jade Longstaff & Carla Khasakhala.

Fantastic to see some of our Junior Girls put in a team for the 2023 Women's Closing Ambrose. Pictured: Sienna David, Sophie Minchinton, Summer Dellow & Allegra Di Somma.

2023 Handicap Improvement award recipients; Yianni Siriotis and Songhwa Chae. Yianni's handicap improved this year by 12.9 and Songhwa's by 13.4.

Rules Education

Wet Season Rule - temporary local rule

The Wet Season Rule is a temporary local rule that the DGC Match Committee brings into effect during the rainy season, so that you are able to clean mud off your ball. We have introduced the rule earlier this year to allow players to clean off the increasing amount of Magpie Geese waste (poo) that may be stuck to your ball.

This rule will be in place from 11 November 2023 to 31 March 2024 inclusive.

Rule:
When a player's ball lies in the general area, the ball may be lifted cleaned and replaced without penalty. The player must mark the spot before lifting the ball (see Rule 14.1) and the ball must be replaced on its original spot (see Rule 14.2)

A couple of key points to remember:

This applies to the General Area only, ie fairway and rough. It does not apply to bunkers or penalty areas.
You must mark your ball first. If you do not mark your ball, you will receive a one (1) stroke penalty in accordance with Rule 14.1a
You must replace the ball on its original spot. This is different to 'preferred lies', which is NOT in place.
When marking and lifting your ball as a result of Magpie Geese waste (poo), once your ball is lifted the waste is defined as a loose impediment. You can remove the loose impediment before replacing your ball, but this must be done in a reasonable manner, ie using your club or towel is ok, but be careful not to improve your lie while doing this. Your ball must be replaced in the same spot.

Amy Griesbach

Golf Australia Rules Official - Level 2

Upcoming Events

11 November 2023 * Round 1 Internal Pennants
26 November 2023 * AGM @ 9:00am

2023 Women's Closing Ambrose, sponsored by Lyn & Cali Heap, had a great turn out with 67 women & girls participating. Thank you to our additional prize sponsors Core Traffic Control, Kate Worden MLA: Member for Sanderson, Songlines Arts Australia, Birds of Paradise Fashions and unique gifts, The Rugby Shop, Plants Direct N.T, Carlton & United Breweries, & AMY Commercial Services.

Darwin Golf Club: Links Road, Marrara, NT 0812
T: +61 8 8927 1322 E: admin@darwingolfclub.com.au
W: www.darwingolfclub.com.au