Solar Power Grant to cut costs and carbon footprint

Andrew Wallace with President Max Whitten

Maleny Golf Club will be able to reduce its energy costs and environmental footprint after receiving a $15,000 Federal Government Solar Communities grant.

Federal Member for Fisher Andrew Wallace visited the club last week to announce approval of the grant to fund the purchase and installation of battery storage and rooftop solar photovoltaic panels on the clubhouse and buggy sheds.

Maleny Golf Club President Dr Max Whitten welcomed receipt of the Federal Government’s grant which he said would help reduce both the club’s energy bill and carbon footprint.

“The club’s philosophy is all about sustainable development so to have solar power installed not only saves us money but reduces our environmental footprint as well,” Dr Whitten said.

“We’ve also done a lot of research to make sure we get the best products in order to get the best results.”

The club has been working with local expert Gary Phillips of Negawatts to design, supply and install the new system. The research involved installing a monitor on the club’s switch box to determine and analyse our current energy usage.

The Solar Communities program provides funding for community groups in selected regions across Australia to install rooftop solar PV, solar hot water and solar-connected battery systems.

Trading Update and Golf shop

Wet weather negatively impacted revenue growth in March – washing out the Men’s Monthly Medal (held on April 1) and social play on two weekends. However, total Golf Shop revenues were in line with takings during the previous March, after excluding membership payments.

We had a fantastic roll up for our Volunteers Workshop and Morning Tea – resulting in a number of new recruits including Stuart Patterson, Liddie Shaw, Clair Hickey, Jillian Jones and Beth Glover. We also welcomed Stan Toleman who is now working part time on the course with Mick under a Government-funded pension scheme for not-for-profit organisations.

There are still a number of vacant shifts on the golf shop roster each week and there is always someone away on holidays or indisposed for one reason or another creating a vacancy.

So if you have some spare time available and want to lend a hand, why not consider volunteering to work in the golf shop?

Taking on a shift need not be a commitment of more than a couple of hours plus some initial training. If interested in getting involved please get in touch with Richard Owen by phoning 5499 9960 or emailing shop@malenygolfclub.com.au.

Competition Golf – Monthly Medals

Liz Mellish (right) with Beth Glover

The Heavens opened up just as the field was turning for the second 9 holes of the MPR Ladies Monthly Medal – dissuading most from continuing.

However, three dogged competitors knuckled down admirably and should be applauded for completing their round despite the intermittent heavy rain.

Liz Mellish carded a net 71 to win the Glassware and a $30 Supa-IGA Gift Card provided by Maleny Property Rentals with Beth Glover the runner up on a score of 74. Penny Edwards was third with a net 81. Liz also picked up a ball for nearest the pin.

It was a particularly stern test of golf off the blue markers despite the preferred lie option to account for the somewhat soggy ground underfoot after the recent deluge that was Cyclone Debbie. The unmown rough was especially difficult to negotiate under the conditions.

Graham Shoebridge with Captain Marg Trigger and Dennis Brown

However, Graham Shoebridge shook free of the pack to win the overall best net and the C Grade Medal with a 69 on a count-back from Mal Ewing who was the runner up and the B Grade Medal winner. B Grade runner-up was Paul Viertel with a 71 and the C Grade runner-up was Dennis Brown, also with a 71.

Garth Bailo was our A Grade winner also with a net 69 while Jan Johnston got runner-up with a 71 on a count-back from Mike Finley. Tom Kennedy won “The Maleny Mug” with a 69 with John Hay the runner-up on 77.

The pins went to Greg Childe-Freeman on the 3rd and Jan Johnston on the 5th.

Junior Golf

The Glasshouse Mountains Zone Junior Golf Association held a special novelty parent and junior day at Maleny Golf Club on Sunday 9 April to augment the Junior Pennant Team finals won by Wantima.

Apart from the 10 pennant players some 10 parent and junior pairings played the course and a great day was had by all with plans being considered to hold a similar event later in the year.

 Sponsors sought

Maleny Golf Club’s sponsorship package has been well received by the local business community with all but two of the 9 available Tee Signs taken, as well as the Golf Cart fleet and the Sand buckets. There are still a few options left including the Men’s Championships.

The sponsorships have been designed to appeal to local businesses and create additional recurrent income streams to offset the cost of providing services and infrastructure.

You can access the presentation on our website and if you know anyone who might be interested then please send them this link. CLICK HERE

One of the sponsorship options include taking advertisements in our Fixtures Book which is now available at no cost from the Golf Shop.

Captain’s Corner with Margaret Trigger

We have a duty of care to all players who use our course and to protect the golf course and equipment from damage on wet weather days. Prior to cancelling, postponing or modifying a competition a representative/s from the Match Committee will inspect the course.

Players are advised to contact the club on 5499 9960 after 7:00am for an update. The Match committee will reschedule competitions if possible. No carts will be allowed on the course if the Match Committee deems it too dangerous to use then following consultation with the course Superintendent.

On Monthly Medal days, the competition may be altered to 2 Divisions, 0 – 19; 20 – 36. Five players will constitute a competition. Once a player has nominated and paid no refunds will be given. If a player has any doubts about the weather and its impact on play, please contact the golf club.

Happy Golfing, Margaret Trigger.

Night Golf

On Thursday 20 April, we will be holding a game of Night Golf for all those who like a challenge. Arrive for a barbecue at 6:00 pm to be followed by a fun game of night golf. Balls available on the evening.

Course Update – Superintendent Mick McCombe

From left – Jimmy Buyan, John Hay and Rob Bailo during construction

We’ve had some welcome rain recently and the course has held up remarkably well despite the deluge! The new front right bunker on the 3^rd hole will not be in play upon completion until the end of the month to give the turf around the edges time to settle properly. The second back right bunker will be completed as soon as we have the material available.

The fill from the bunkers has been used to construct the new Ladies Tee on the 1^st and this should be in play by the end of the month as well once the turf has settled.

The members have found the roughs a little long following the recent rain which interrupted our mowing schedule but we are now getting back on top of it. The greens have responded well following the recent renovation and are now back to their very best and should remain so throughout the coming winter.

 VALE John Oxenham -10.1.1942 – 4.4.2017.

John hamming it up on the 5th for a publicity shot about his Ace to promote the golf club.

The Committee and Members of Maleny Golf Club convey their sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of John Oxenham who passed away on the afternoon of Tuesday 4 April in the Sunshine Coast University Hospital. He was just 75.

John was a founder and former committee member of the Maleny Golf Club. He will be sorely missed and fondly remembered by those who knew him for his friendship, joie de vivre, and contribution over many years toward the establishment and development of both the golf club and the course.

John is pictured here in early April 2016 on the 5th Green where he scored the first Hole-in-One on the new course during a competition round – a feat immortalising him as the first to have his name recorded on the Terry Lee Memorial “Hole-in-One Club” honour board which now hangs in the clubhouse.

He was always pitching in to help do one thing or another around the club and loved getting out on the course for an early morning round on Thursdays with some good mates.

R.I.P. John Oxenham -10.1.1942 – 4.4.2017.

The Committee and Members of Maleny Golf Club convey their sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of John Oxenham who passed away on the afternoon of Tuesday 4 April in the Sunshine Coast University Hospital. He was just 75.

John was a founder and former committee member of the Maleny Golf Club. He will be sorely missed and fondly remembered by those who knew him for his friendship, joie de vivre, and contribution over many years toward the establishment and development of both the golf club and the course.

Council approves Stage 2 lease amendments:

President Max Whitten with Gary Tronc finalising the lease boundary surveys for registration of our lease expanded lease.

The Sunshine Coast Council unanimously approved our amended lease boundaries at their meeting in late February, returned a Licence to Use area and endorsed plans for restoration of the Southern Wetlands.

Maleny Golf Club President Dr Max Whitten welcomed council’s approval of the amended golf course lease boundaries, enabling final survey work and documentation to be completed for lodgement and legal sign-off.

“We want to thank all the council officers involved in assisting with the preparation of the extensive reports to council and to Councillor Jenny McKay for her indefatigable support in achieving such a great community outcome, including plans for the restoration of the southern wetland,” Dr Whitten said.

Once the lease is signed and registered, council is expected to favourably consider our request for access the first tranche of funds from the remaining $550,000 originally pledged to assist with construction.

Construction of the next three holes is expected to get underway in the second half of this year. CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Trading Update and Golf shop

Some very hot weather and heavy rain curtailed both social and competition golf on occasions during February, most notably on the day we had a full field of District seniors. However, February’s trading result was very encouraging with golf revenue (net of membership payments) up almost 20 per cent on the previous February. We are getting busier and the figures are reflecting this, but we still have a long way to go.

We continue to encourage members to become involved as golf shop volunteers and this month welcome and thank two new recruits – Derrick Strother and Tony Allison – for generously donating their time.

Scott Alexander deploying his green thumbs to help beautify the golf club precinct.

We also extend a special thanks to member, Day Lilly expert and skilled gardener Scott Alexander (pictured) for establishing and continuing to improve the lovely garden in front of the Clubhouse. It’s looking a picture Scott!

There are still a number of vacant shifts on the golf shop roster each week and there is always someone away on holidays or indisposed for one reason or another creating a vacancy. So if you have some spare time available and want to lend a hand, why not consider volunteering to work in the golf shop?

Don’t forget we are holding a Volunteers Workshop and Morning Tea next Monday 27^th March at the Golf Club at 9:30am. Taking on a shift need not be a commitment of more than a couple of hours plus some initial training. If interested in attending the workshop or getting involved please get in touch with Richard Owen by phoning 5499 9960 or emailing shop@malenygolfclub.com.au.

Competition Golf – Monthly Medals

Blake Wellington slices 3 shots off his own 2-month old course record!

It’s always a stern test off the Blue Markers, but not for young Blake Wellington who carved 3 shots off his own course record to card a score of 67 off the stick including an eagle on the Par 5 4th! His net score of 65 was also good enough to secure the TFM-sponsored men’s A Grade medal this time, much to the lament of Mike Finley who had to settle for runner up after losing to Blake on a countback!

John Clayton won the B Grade Medal with a score 67, with Bill Reynolds the runner up on 71. Niel Cronk took C Grade honours also with a score of 70 on a countback from Dennis Brown. John Hay shut out Joe Walters in the over 70s battle to win the Maleny Mug. Nearest the Pins went to Bill Reynolds on the 3rd and Dennis Brown on the 5th.

Strong winds made the approaches a little tougher than usual during the Maleny Property Rentals’ Ladies Monthly Medal but not for last year’s Medal of Medals winner Christine Lemon. Christine triumphed over the conditions to card a winning net score of 67 – 4 clear of runner up Robin Hay.  Liz Mellish came 3rd a further 3 shots back on 74. Pins went to Christine on the 3rd and Robin on the 5th.

Thanks again to our sponsors Rod and Joe Eccles from Trophies, Frames, Medals and Karen Worcester and Isabel Bruderlin from Maleny Property Rentals.

Sponsors sought

Maleny Golf Club has developed a range of sponsorship opportunities designed to appeal to local businesses and create additional recurrent income streams to offset the cost of providing services and infrastructure.

You can access the presentation on our new website at the link below and if you know anyone who might be interested then please send them the link below as well.

CLICK HERE

 New Website

The golf club has invested in the redevelopment of our website and we would like to thank Edwina Kelly for a first class job. The new website is fresh, functional and worth a look – just CLICK HERE.

Ladies Let’s Golf & Junior Golf

Don Portway demonstrates some of the finer points of chipping during the Ladies Level Clinic at Maleny Golf Club.

The golf club, in conjunction with Golf Queensland held another Ladies Let’s Golf Level 1 course.

It was very encouraging to see another seven ladies participating and hopefully continuing on to Level 2 and playing regularly.

Maleny Golf Club in conjunction with Maleny Primary School successfully delivered a junior golf program over the last 6 weeks. Thanks again to the school’s Physical Education Teacher Shane Turner and MGC member and high school teacher Mike Railton for helping to deliver this much needed program.

Captain’s Corner with Margaret Trigger

A steady roll up of members are participating in our Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday competitions and our Veteran’s Day on the third Tuesday of each month is steadily also growing with a $5:00 Green Fee, $10 competition fee.

A full field for our Glasshouse Mountain’s Senior’s event on Monday 27 February was welcome, but unfortunately it was rained out, however, another has been scheduled for Monday, 11 September. Competitors who were rained out on the 27^th will enjoy a discounted $5 competition fee and pay a cart hire fee for 9 holes.

The District Association has also schedule a Sunshine Coast versus Glasshouse Mountains Masters Match play tournament at Maleny on 17 October.

Acknowledgement of Eagles is to be made at a presentation in future. Our call for members to donate to competition days has been encouraging, but there are still plenty of opportunities available.

In 2017 there will be two grades for the Women: A Grade 0 – 25; B Grade 26 – 45. Men: A Grade 0 – 12; B Grade 13 – 20; C Grade 21 – 36.

For all the Honour Board Events, members must have been a Golf or Silver Financial Member for 3 months prior to close of nominations and have played three competition rounds in that time.

Two special events have been planned for March and April, firstly St Patrick’s Day on Friday 17 March, Chook Run, 2 Clubs and a putter.

On Thursday 6 April, a game of Night Golf for all those who like a challenge. Arrive for a barbecue at 6:00 pm to be followed by a fun game of night golf.

Happy Golfing, Margaret Trigger.

Course Update – Superintendent Mick McCombe

Construction of the drainage system within one of the two dreaded new pots on 3rd hole.

The greens have responded well following the recent renovation and will be back to their best after a couple of light top dressings.

The rain has been fantastic for us and freshened the course up nicely. You will notice construction of the two revetted bunkers on the 3^rd hole has commenced. All going well they should be in play by the end of the month.

Fill from the bunkers has also been deployed to shape and construct the Ladies’ Tee on the 1st hole and this should be in play within a few weeks as well.

Just a reminder to please take and use sand buckets at all times to repair divots and don’t forget to attend to any pitch-marks on the greens.