Club Shop

Development of the club’s temporary headquarters progressed further during May with the addition of a paved surface for our covered terrace. Many thanks to members Richard Clayton and Trevor Fairley (pictured right) for undertaking this arduous work including the entrances and exits. What a fantastic effort and professional finish!

A collection is currently underway targeting $750 to purchase timber decking so the terrace can be extended from the embankment to provide additional room for outdoor tables and chairs. Thanks to John Hay and John Tytherleigh for the manufacture and installation of our new club house notice board which will end our reliance on magnets all over the wall.

Also thanks to David Trudinger for his generous donation of a state-of-the-art panel heater to help keep our golf shop volunteers warm during the winter months. Eve Beaman has also donated a little fan heater as well.

Staffing at the golf shop remains challenging at times, particularly when we have regulars away on holidays. June and July will be the months when extra help will be most needed.

Taking on a shift need not be a commitment of more than two hours plus some initial training. So if you have any time available and are interested in getting involved please get in touch with Richard Owen by phoning 5499 9960 or emailing shop@malenygolfclub.com.au.

Competition Golf

It was pleasing to see the Men’s Championships keenly contested over two Saturday’s (21 & 28 May – the latter also being a Monthly Medal) by a field of almost 40 players across A, B & C Grades. The Ladies Championships were also held over two Wednesdays (11 & 19 May) with the Monthly Medal the week after. Quite a few of our regular competitors were away during both events so this is great base from which to build for future years.

Karen Heading (pictured right) could hardly believe her good fortune when Vice Captain Margaret Trigger called out her name as the Maleny Golf Club’s inaugural 2016 Ladies Champion with a Gross Score over the two rounds of 193 (95 & 98).

Karen was just a shot clear of Club Captain Robin Hay on 194 with Penny Edwards on 195 coming in third. The net champion was Penny Edwards on 143, with Karen the Runner Up on 151 and Toni Bishop in third place with 153. Karen is pictured above with the magnificent perpetual trophy donated by John and Robin Hay.

Congratulations (again) to Liz Mellish who shot a net 72 on Wednesday 25 May to win the Ladies Monthly Medal and coveted glassware also provided by our sponsor Maleny Property Rentals. Runner Up was Anne Devane again with a net 73. Liz also bagged nearest the pin on the 5^th.

After the 36 holes Garth Bailo, playing off a handicap of 2, cemented a place in local golfing history as Maleny Golf Club’s inaugural Men’s Champion by carding a gross score of 151 (77 & 74 for a net 147). Brian Rickaby and wife Val, who donated the perpetual trophy in honour of Maleny golfing ancestor Ron Rickaby, were on hand to present the replica Old Claret Jug to Garth. (Brian on left is pictured here below presenting Garth with the Silverware).

“I want to thank my playing partners over the past couple of weeks and commend Superintendent Mick McCombe and all those who’ve been working on the course,” he said. “I’ve played on a lot of good golf courses over the years and Maleny is up there with the best in such a short time and will only get better from here.”

Garth joins Karen Heading as the club’s first Champion golfers. Garth is a proverbial chip off the old block as his father Rob Bailo, a Committee-man who was out on the course at 6:00am mowing the greens, was the A Grade runner up on 164 – one shot ahead of our esteemed Superintendent Mick McCombe. Rob still emerged though as net A Grade winner on 144 with Mike Finley the Runner Up at 147 on a countback.

Greg Childe-Freeman burst out of the pack to claim B Grade Champion honours after carding a gross score of 172, including a net 68 on the day which was also good enough to secure the Division 1 Monthly Medal for May. Garth was the Runner Up with a net 72 on a countback from Richard Clayton. Champion B Grade Gross Runner Up was Peter Gilbert with 178 on a countback from Alan Ward who still took out B Grade net honours on 144.

Richard Owen earned C Grade Championship honours after carding a gross score of 188 two shots ahead of Runner Up Paul Viertel who carded the best net score of 143 – four shots clear of Richard who was the net Runner Up on 147.

Our Division 2 Maleny Property Rentals Monthly Medal winner was Perry Garcia with a net 69 – two shots clear of runner up Noah Childe-Freeman with 71 on a countback from our illustrious President Max Whitten.

Max applauded the efforts of Mick McCombe and all the volunteers involved in maintenance of the course and the development of temporary clubhouse.

“Playing out here today was just magnificent and it is a tribute to a lot of people who’ve been involved over the years and particularly Mick who as you know recently won the Queensland industry’s Superintendent’s Achievement Award and we hope there are more awards ahead for Mick,” he said.

Maleny Golf Club would like to thank all our sponsors including Drummond Golf Maroochydore, Maleny Property Rentals, Maleny Jewellers, Simply Stylish – Fashion & Lingerie, Nans’ Seafood Café and Maleny Botanical Gardens for all their support.

Glasshouse Mountains Zone Seniors Golf Day

Maleny Golf Club is hosting a Glasshouse Mountains Zone Seniors Golf Day on Monday 13 June 2016. The 18-Hole Single Stableford Medley will involve a Shotgun start at 9:00am for a field of up to 64 (16 groups of 4).

There will be a BBQ lunch and prize presentation afterwards. Any members wishing to play are urged to book as soon as possible, however, the club’s fleet of 8 carts has already been booked out.

Club Membership Update

The Management Committee has recently determined to offer a discounted Pay & Play Silver Membership fee of $140 for the last six months of the membership year. This includes a fixed component of $115 to cover AGU Affiliation and administrative costs applicable to both Gold and Silver memberships. The pro-rata cost of a Gold Membership is currently $265.00 –comprised of the $115 fixed component and $30 per month X 5.

Cross Country Races

Following the successful running of the Sunshine Coast Cross Country Series event within the Community Precinct on Sunday May 22, Queensland Athletics approached the Maleny District Sports & Recreation Club and Maleny Golf Club for approval to hold the state’s cross country championships here on Saturday 30 July 2015.

Details are still subject to discussion, however, organisers have advised that they would need access to the golf course from 11am with a view to running the various races in the afternoon from 1pm.

Consequently, the Men’s Monthly Medal is likely to be brought forward to Saturday 23 July and social play by members and visitors will be significantly curtailed. Further details will be provided in next month’s newsletter.

Xmas Party

Planning is already underway for this year’s Golf Club Xmas Party. Given the club’s incredibly strong membership growth during this past year, Margaret Trigger and members of the organising committee are expecting attendance to well exceed 100.

Attendance in excess of 100 will necessitate a change of venue – most probably to Tranquil Park which can handle greater numbers. Dates now being considered on a Wednesday evening are the 7th or 14th of December.

Captain’s Corner with Robin Hay

We’ve enjoyed another month of delightful weather for golf and thankfully the rain stayed away during all our Championship rounds. Good consistent golf was played by the winners and again congratulations to all players, winners and runners up – well done!

The Championships will be bigger and better next year. We also plan to have improved and smoother operating systems in place so any suggestions will be welcomed and considered.

The Match committee would like to convey a big thank you to all helpers especially Garry Mayer, John Pottage and Jenny Oxenham for the hours spent helping run everything.

Have fun on the course during June and July as I will be away as will Tom Bertwistle. Jenny Oxenham is also off to hospital this month for knee surgery and will be then need time to convalesce so all the best Jenny.

Vice-Captain Margaret Trigger will be taking on much of the Match Committee duties in our absence so many thanks Margaret.

The Match Committee is keen to grow member involvement in Competition play and plans to organise a web survey of members in the near future to gather information to assist. In the meantime please feel free to raise any ideas directly with Match Committee members.

Course Update – Superintendent Mick McCombe

The course performed exceptionally well during the club championships as I‘m sure all those who participated will agree and the greens were in great condition with putts rolling well and true. At long last the new ladies tee on the 7^th hole is now in play so please enjoy.

We are approaching the end of the growing season, providing Mark, the mowing team and I with a welcome break during winter from the mowing before getting back into it to prepare for the next season.

However, we have already had our first frost on the course and I ask members not to go out and play while frost is on the ground as doing so will kill off any grass underfoot (or cart wheel). So please delay teeing off until the sun has had a chance to clear frost from the lower-lying areas as any damage will linger until the growing season gets underway in Spring.

I’ll be away in Melbourne during the week commencing 20 June attending the 2016 Australian Turfgrass Conference and been nominated for a national award so fingers crossed!