Dear member,

The Management Committee completed a further review of our constrained operations today, taking into account developments with the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two weeks.

I am pleased to announce competition golf will now re-commence on Saturday 9^th May 2020. It will be a gradual return, initially limited to Saturdays only, and will involve introduction of a modified scoring system using a special app on your smart phones. This is being done to avoid a need for the Match Committee to handle score cards and face exposure to associated COVID-19 risks.

These new scoring arrangements will be a big shift for many of us, and for everyone to become comfortable it is felt best we steadily ease back into our full competition program. In this regard feedback from members will play an important role in shaping the way ahead.

All of the safety protocols outlined in earlier newsletters will remain in place. Captain, Robin Hay, will shortly write to you in more detail about revised plans for running the competitions, including arrangements for those members who do not have a smart phone for recording their scores.

The Management Committee’s decision today is a start toward normal life again at our golf club and, without wanting to dampen the moment, progress with the pandemic will remain under close watch.

With everyone continuing to observe all the safety measures, for which we thank you, let’s hope earlier limitations imposed on our sport will gradually become a thing of the past.

As always please continue to take care.

With kind regards

Jeff Kruse

President

29 April 2020

Perhaps the only upside of the COVID-19 pandemic for Adam Scott is getting to come home to Australia and spend some time relaxing with his family and friends away from the pressures of the PGA Tour.

And so with Queensland’s regulations allowing golf to be played, albeit under strict conditions, Maleny Golf Club pro, Wayne Perske, finally got his wish for his old mate to come up and play his course in the Sunshine Coast hinterland.

45-year-old Perske, a winner on both the Australasian PGA and Japan Tours, and Adam Scott are only six years apart and grew up in much the same era with Perske in Brisbane and Scott’s family moving from Adelaide to the Queensland’s Sunshine Coast when he was nine before settling on the Gold Coast a few years later.

This story first published in Golf Grinder and is available here www.golfgrinder.com/news/AdamScott

It will probably come as no surprise to you that the operational changes that we have had to make to allow play to continue has had a severe financial impact on the Club.

Whatever happens over the next little while we need to maintain our course so that when the Covid-19 situation ends we are ready to go straight back to full playing conditions. Whilst we believe we may be eligible for some Government support for part of our wages we still have fuel, fertilizer and all the other costs that go into maintaining the course to cover.

To assist us continue to meet our costs we have developed an Art Union with a first prize of $10,000.00 and 10 prizes of $50. In summary tickets are $50 each or 3 for $120. There is to be a minimum of 500 tickets sold and a maximum of 600 tickets. If at the date of the prize draw we have not sold the minimum number ticket purchasers will be offered a refund.

Tickets are available for purchase in the shop and you can order tickets by email to treasurer@malenygolfclub.com.au.

A new bridge approaching Maleny Golf Club’s first green has been named the Steve Porter Crossing, forever celebrating an historic link with one of the pioneering families on whose land the golf course now sits.

The Porter family land was combined with the adjacent Armstrong farm to create the 128 hectare Maleny Community Precinct, incorporating the 18-hole golf course.

President Jeff Kruse said gaining access to a large portion of Steve Porter’s former dairy farm within the precinct had been absolutely essential to accommodate the 18-hole, Par 68 course designed by Graham Papworth.

“Steve originally had no intention of selling his farm to the Council and took some persuading to agree, so we’ll be forever grateful that he did,” he said.

Getting rid of all the weedy trees, lantana and rocks to convert the Armstrong portion of the precinct to fairways, tees and greens, was an enormous task.

“Steve proved a tireless volunteer during this time with his tractor and slasher, to help convert the wilderness into the lovely picturesque golf course we have today,” Mr Kruse said.

Steve, 72, and now a keen golfer who usually plays twice a week on the course he helped create, has been humbled by all the fuss and honour of having the bridge linking the two properties named after him.

“As far as I’m concerned the people who should really be getting all the recognition are our greens director Rob Bailo and the great team of volunteers who helped him build the bridge,” he said.

Naming of the Steve Porter Crossing featured as part of the official opening of the final six holes of the golf course by Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson in mid-February.

The course, serviced by a top-drawer maintenance facility, is comprised of two Par 5s, 10 Par 4s and 6 Par 3s featuring unique revetted greenside bunkering, Tiffdwarf Bermuda Grass greens and Kikuyu fairways within a peaceful, scenic hinterland setting.

MALENY GOLF CLUB, QUEENSLAND

Maleny is a hidden Queensland gem in the Sunshine Coast hinterland that recently went from a 12-hole fun course to a very good 18-hole layout. With next to no budget the club has incorporated the holes into the land and not the other way around, the elevation changes, blind shots and short par 4s all making for interesting shot selections. What is now the 11th hole features a drive over a hill with a green that sits adjacent to a small wetland and the long par 3 that follows is both visually appealing and a challenge to make par. This is pure golf, where the community has ownership of the club, from raising money to volunteering their time and equipment. It’s just the perfect little course you can play, have fun with your golf buddies, forget the world and have a nice cold beer and laugh at the end of the round in a gorgeous setting. – Richard Maxwell

Full article: www.australiangolfdigest.com.au/theyre-top-100-in-our-hearts