The Colonial Golf Course

DUSTING GREENS

Aug 17

mhauff@playmoregolf.com.auCourse Maintenance No Comments

Dusting is a practice of applying a thin layer of growing medium to turf.  It is an important management operation, especially for heavily used turf.  Dusting was first carried out at St Andrews, Scotland some 300 years ago! The benefits of dusting are: creates a smooth surface, biological control of thatch, improved infiltration rate, through improved texture at the top of the root zone, creates a tighter turf sward and finer leaf texture and firms the surface especially during wet periods.

HOW EFFECTIVE IS RAINFALL

Aug 11

mhauff@playmoregolf.com.auFrom the course No Comments

Maintenance schedules are immediately effected by excessive rainfall including mowing frequency, green speed, fairway quality etc.  Normally the more often turfgrass is mown the better their overall quality, but once areas are saturated mowing is ceased.  Once mowing is recommenced there are two-three days extra growth that needs to be cut which causes scalping and reduced quality of cut.  When hours and days of course maintenance time are lost they cannot be recaptured, but the work that is required to meet golfer expectations does not change.  Repairing the golf course after excessive rainfall requires overtime and unplanned expenses that stretch budgets.  Excessive rainfall keeps putting greens soft but being wet doesn’t necessarily mean they are slow.  Often we are reluctant to implement aggressive mowing, rolling and grooming practices on wet greens because of the potential injury to turf soil and leaf structure.  In many instances excessive rainfall leads to severe bunker washouts requiring 40-60 man hours to repair all 78 course bunkers.  Washouts also lead to sand contamination with soil and rocks once the bunker faces are exposed, further impacting long-term appearance and playability of bunkers.  You hear most people say “Nothing beats rainfall” for turf health but how beneficial is excessive rainfall!

Club Championships Update after round 2

Aug 11

bwood@playmoregolf.com.auNewsletters, Pro Shop No Comments

The 2010 Club Championships are through two round with some very trying conditions meeting players.

The current standings in each grade are:

A Grade

Gross- Matt Nichols & Tom Westerman 148, Nick Smits 149.

Nett- Craig Schubert 148, Nick Smits 149.

B Grade

Gross- Glen Thomson 173, David Gavin 175.

Nett- Glen Thomson 142, David Gavin 149.

C Grade

Gross- Mark Gray 194, Michael Speight 198.

Nett- Ray Johnsen 151, Mark Gray 154.

Ladies

Gross- Vai Johnston 186, Kerrie Kearney 187.

Nett- Vai Johnston 150, Kerrie Kearney 154.

Good Luck to all Players in the final 2 rounds.

Wedding Open Day Sunday 8th August

Aug 05

adminEvents, Weddings events, special offer, wedding open day No Comments

Come along and view our wedding ceremony and reception setting at The Colonial Golf Course click here for details

GM Talks Frankly about 09/10 Year

Aug 04

BrianFrom the General Manager, Newsletters 4 Comments

Difficult Year for the Golf Industry

This has been a difficult year for Tourism and for the local golf industry and sadly Palm Meadows, one of our direct competitors, closed their doors after 25 years. By comparison, this year we have again advanced the quality and playability of the golf courses, and shared resources and staff to improve the quality and consistently of service in all areas.

Thanks to our Staff

We are very proud to have survived the GFC without reducing our very loyal and most trustworthy 95 employees who directly inject 4 million dollars into the local economy. That said we have continuously reviewed our costs and prices and compared them to others on the coast to maintain market dominance despite this putting additional pressure on us to achieve cost controls.

Infrastructure, Investment and Improvements : 

Fire control communication systems replacment, Cool rooms reticulation replacement Batteries across the fleet of golf carts replaced, Extention our Liquor License hours, Monthly payment schemes for members, Specials/promotional activities on line,

Golf range improved, New turf nursery, Aquatic weed reduction in the lakes, New outdoor furniture,

Business Strategies

• promoted sponsorship opportunities with our local clubs membership bases
• We have formed alliances with various industry partners and cooperate in joint marketing activities with Go Golfing, Australasian Golf Academy, Sensational Golf Tours, Radisson Hotel Resort, Royal Pines Resort, Conrad Jupiter’s.       
• We have implemented new software to develop new visitor business externally. 
• We have developed special packages that compliment the brand positioning. Eg our Charity and Executive Golf packages.
• We have maintained and developed a member base in a declining member market.
• We have developed new membership packages  
• We are continuing to look for ways to develop our website with online facilities.   
• We have developed our sales collateral for Weddings and we attend trade exhibitions in the Golf and Wedding markets.
• We are involved with local organisations including, Commerce QLD, Restaurant Caterers, Central Chamber of Commerce, and Robina School, and others.

Finally our staff members are advisors to PGA International Golf institute, The Industry Advisory Board of Tafe, Central Chamber of Commerce Committee Members, Industry advisory council to Bond University and the Gold Coast Sport Task Force.

Happy Birthday to…..

Aug 04

adminNewsletters members, newsletter No Comments

July’s Results

Aug 04

adminMembers Results, Newsletters members, newsletter, results No Comments

Please click  HERE  for July 2010 winners

August’s Member Profile

Aug 04

adminMeet a Member, Newsletters No Comments

 Name:  Warrick Duck

Profession:  Finance consultant  

Nickname:  Ducky

How you got it: Not sure how I got it! Maybe because my ass is so close to the ground!

Partners Name:Wife Emma

Do they mind you playing golf?: Emma doesn’t mind me playing golf. For some reason she only asks how I went when I have played a poor game! Never after a good one!

Handicap: 14 went out a couple with the new scramble, love it!

Hole in One? Where?: Never had a hole in one,

ARU / NRL / AFL Team/s: Geelong, Auckland blues u8’s, Burleigh bears u10’s

Funniest Golfing Moment: Playing Rooster (Bruce Reardon) in a club match play event and on the 3^rd that is now the 12^th his buggy and bag rolled down the hill and into the drink. I didn’t laugh on the outside but was roaring on the inside. I went onto defeat the competitive Rooster..

RICK’S RULE OF THE MONTH – AUGUST ’10 THE PUTTING GREEN – Rule 16

Aug 04

adminNewsletters golf, members, newsletter, Rule of the month No Comments

With the number of palm trees on our course it is not uncommon for a berry or seed to find its way onto the green. If someone was to step on it and it embeds into the green and subsequently interferes with the line of a player’s putt, can the player remove it as a loose impediment ? If so what about the hole it leaves in the green, can that be repaired before the player putts?

Provided the berry is not solidly embedded and can be removed easily it is permissible to remove it but if you repair the hole it came from it is a breach of Rule 16-1a (Touching Line of Putt ). Penalty : Stroke Play – 2 Strokes. Match Play – Loss of hole. Decision 16-1a/7.