Course Update

I’m pleased to provide this report to Members on key course tasks and projects that have happened over the first four months of 2022, current ongoing works and upcoming actions and items for throughout this year, and strategic directions planned for beyond.

As this is my first course report as Course Chair, on behalf of the Club Committee and the Course Sub-Committee, I would like to extend a sincere thank you to our previous Course Chair; Paul O’Callaghan, who provided many years of dedication and leadership in the role and achieved great success throughout his tenure through to late 2021 with the management and advancement of the course.

Paul’s commitment to the course is greatly appreciated and his contributions and guidance position the Club very strongly as we continue to move ahead with our ongoing and future initiatives.

Key Appointments

It’s very pleasing for the Club to have been able to secure the services of our two new key appointments; David Mason as our Course Superintendent, and our new Course Architect; Paul Mogford of Crafter + Mogford Golf Strategies.

We’re excited at the prospects of what the tremendous skills, experience and collaboration of this new team brings to the Club. We are very much looking forward to them working closely together and with us to help the Club achieve its strategic objective and desire to elevate our course layout and golfing experience to the next level.

We would also like to thank and acknowledge Assistant Course Superintendent, Peter McNamara for his considerable and much appreciated efforts during his time in the role of Acting Course Superintendent.

Flood 

There have already been several Member communications to give thanks and express our enormous gratitude to all those involved with the massive clean-up effort after the flood.

On behalf of the Course Sub-Committee, I would, however, like to take this opportunity to acknowledge again and extend our huge thanks and appreciation once more to the entire Club staff and our incredible team of volunteers for generously giving so much time and for their determined and highly valued efforts in the flood recovery process. This tremendous work assisted enabling David Mason and his course team with their task through difficult circumstances in having the course back in play and in remarkably good condition and presentation so soon after the flood.

The current priorities now that the full assessment and verification of the flood damage has been completed, are with finalising the insurance claim process, and focussing on getting everything back in place to ensure we are fully operational again to deliver the course maintenance program.

We are also evaluating our current procedures and plans, and as we’ve experienced two major floods with significant disruption and impact to the course in the space of just over 11 years, we’re also looking ahead with the examination of options to ensure sound strategies are in place for future flood protection and mitigation.

Course Condition

Course Superintendent, David Mason has prepared a short video as an update of key matters for Member’s interest and information. In the video David discusses the current course condition and key points of note about greens, fairways, the rough, bunkers, tees and the course environment. He also provides a useful explanations about what is happening and what is planned. Looking ahead the intention is that David will prepare similar videos on a regular basis to keep Members informed and up to date with the latest course matters.

Click here to view the video.

Course Furnishings and Signage

We are currently rationalising our course furnishings and signage. This is primarily due to the loss of items during the flood; including a large number of bins, tee markers and some of the directional signage, however is also in line with the current desire and effort to reduce the visual clutter and number of different types of signage and materials we have previously had around the course. New rubbish and sand bins and cart directional signs are ordered, and we are expecting these to arrive and be installed around the course shortly.

Irrigation Project 

The contract works by our contractors are complete, and as Members will have seen our course team is continuing to finalise the ongoing fine-tuning remediation works such as the sand filling of any remaining minor low spots in turf that remain throughout the course. The incredibly wet summer and deep soil moisture levels (and flooding aside), it is pleasing that we are already seeing a positive difference and improvement in turf condition and the consistent benefits of the wider and complete playing surface coverage.

As many Members would have seen in the story on the website, thanks to the great efforts of Lloyd Cotterill the process of installation of the distance markers on the sprinkler heads is now complete and providing valuable guidance.

Course Work Priorities and Projects for 2122FY

Course improvement projects that are currently planned and budgeted for this year include:

• Turf nursery – establishment of expanded areas of our turf types for both Greens and Fairways to ensure adequate supplies are readily available for future works.
• Lake edge erosion/stabilisation and visual enhancement works on 2^nd, 4^th/17^th,
• 5^th tee area precinct – pond and surrounds enhancement works,
• Hole 12 creekline clearing works downstream to the west of the green,
• Hole 3 flood management – design solution.
• Cart hardstand area in the current grass area to the northern end of the Pro-Shop – for the secure overnight parking and charging of the new fleet of carts.
• Practice Facility upgrade works; including pro-teaching tee area enhancements, range “fairway” improvements and target “green” upgrades.
• Tee levelling works

The course work priorities and projects for the 2223FY are also currently being considered, and these will be finalised in the coming months for inclusion in forward budget planning and scheduling.

Course Architect

As recently announced the Club has appointed Paul Mogford of Crafter + Mogford Golf Strategies as our new Course Architect to provide his expertise and consultancy services for the design and delivery of high-quality improvement works into the future. Paul will assist David Mason and the Committee with both the delivery and implementation of the immediate upcoming priority 2122FY project works and develop strategies to improve our current layout through the preparation of a Course Enhancement Plan.

Volunteers

A schedule of monthly anticipated works for our tremendous team of Vollies over the remainder of 2022 has been prepared, including a balanced range of activities under the direction of David Mason and expert co-ordination of Lloyd Cotterill. The program has a weed management focus, as well as assisting to deliver some of the planned Landscape Masterplan works that have been allocation for completion in the 2122FY Budget.

General Course Items

• Post the flood and due to the ground still being heavily saturated we have substantial areas of creek line and pond edges with bank instability, erosion and slumping. In the interest of safety, we ask Members to please take extra care near these edges, and for motorised carts to please avoid driving within three metres of any waterway or pond.
• Members who are uncomfortable using the stairs to tees on Holes 3, 8 and 13, are advised to access the tee via the turfed frontages to these tees.
• The steep bank area between the 21^st tee and the 11^th tee has an old set of steps which we will be looking at soon and considering opportunities to enhance the area as a focal point of historic interest.
• Finally, a reminder as always to call “fore” when you hit an errant shot, and please maintain awareness of errant shots while on the course.

Please direct any questions or comments to our CEO, Geoff Kuehner via geoff@brisbanegolfclub.com.au or 0411 412 666.

Good golfing.

Kind regards

Richard Garnham, Course Chair