1. New golf shop: Tenders for the building of the new golf shop are now closed and the Committee is expecting to sign off on the successful tenderer by the end of May. The interior design is also finalised with a digital walkthrough model now available. Features include a swing studio with Trackman technology, complementing existing technology used by our teaching professionals. Other key features include a spacious member service area, improved staff facilities and equipment storage area.
2. Driving range utilities work: Boring is substantively completed from the practice tee to the southern border of the Club land as well as under the railway line and across Tennyson Memorial Avenue.  The team is currently working on the pit beside the 1st tee and is boring towards the practice fairway pit. The work is expected to be complete by mid-late May, depending on weather conditions and the work remaining on schedule.
3. Driving range restoration and upgrade: Once the utilities work is finished, a further 6 weeks (weather dependant) is required for fencing, concreting, seeding, turfing and growing in of the turfed areas. The re-opening time will be dependent on how quickly the turf grows in.The Centenary Gardens gazebo will be relocated to the back of the practice tee on the driving range in the next few weeks.
4. Course Superintendent transition: The Committee is working through the transition plan previously circulated to members. David Lunardelli (Director Agronomy and Operations, Troon International) has been contracted to provide agronomy advisory services. He is a member of the recruitment panel who will be interviewing candidates shortly. Existing staff members, Justin Wells and Alex Blakely have been appointed as interim Course Superintendents until a new course superintendent commences work at the Club.
5. Green improvement plan: The greens will be oversewn with Poa Trivialis on Monday, 29 April. Matt Legge, Course Superintendent at Brookwater Golf Club will assist our course staff with this task. We are advised that we should have full grass cover through winter with some patches on the worst affected greens. Some additional sand will be visible on the greens, applied to protect the seed over the first 10 days. The greens should not be overly affected and play will not be interrupted. After the initial 7 days the Poa will gradually become denser in its coverage every week.
6. Course surrounds: The Committee endorsed and welcomed the return of the Volleys to the course. The team of 10 Landscape Work Readiness Program students will commence work on Monday 13 May, focussing on weeding the course surrounds. The students will be supervised by Astra Group Services at no cost to the Club and will be working in areas specified by the management team, in consultation with the Committee.
7. New maintenance shed: Options scoped by Ralph Heading (project manager) were discussed. The Stay Put option requires significant investment to comply with current safety requirements, without reducing the risks associated with flooding. The move to Curzon St is still considered ideal. The development application will now be finalised.
8. Buggy Shed Renewals: The Committee considered feedback from private cart owners and will continue work on the revised 2025 agreement to ensure we comply with Golf Australia recommendations and recent changes in Club insurance conditions.
9. New Finance Manager: Claire Rush will commence work on Monday 13 May. Claire is currently the Finance Director at The Brisbane Club and is a Chartered Accountant who brings 30 years’ experience across corporate finance and not-for-profit organisations as well as recent experience using Northstar. A recruitment process is also underway for a new accounts team member.
10. Temporary Club Storage: Clubs can be stored in our temporary buildings. Members will need to organise appropriate insurance coverage with their insurer.
11. BGC app: The old BGC app will remain available until the end of September to assist members transitioning to the new Northstar app. A guide to downloading the app is available to support the transition.  Contact Geoff Kuehner via geoff@brisbanegolfclub.com.au with any issues or see staff in the Garden Room or Office.
12. 2024 Pro-Am: The Pro-Am, originally scheduled for July, will not be held this year because of construction on the golf shop should be well underway and driving range grass may still be growing in at this time.
13. Australian Golf Digest Course Ranking 2024: BGC came in at 78 in the top 100 courses, down from 87 last year. We are one of the most improved on the list.
14. Latest news articles: Read all the April news here.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact me or our CEO, Geoff Kuehner, at geoff@brisbanegolfclub.com.au or on 0411 412 666.

Regards

Deb Kember
President
The Brisbane Golf Club