April 2023 Club Newsletter

General Manager’s Update

The first three months of 2023 seem to have disappeared just like that. That we are now off Daylight Saving just adds to the feeling this year will be over before we know it.

Hopefully you have a good knowledge of what the Club is doing from the weekly newsletters. This quarterly one is an opportunity to provide more detail. A crucial aspect of what we do is communication – the more you know, the better you will support the Club. I would also add to this, please fell free to contact me directly if you have any matters you would like to discuss.

The Club is in very good heart. We have a good team, and financially we are tracking well. Our membership has grown to just under 560 and this number provides a great balance for members being able to access the Club, accommodating green fee players (often future members) and allowing us to host outside events. There is considerable comment around some Canterbury clubs where the member experience has been compromised by the total focus on adding new members.

The Club continues to invest in areas to improve the experience of members. Following the refurbishment of the Clubhouse over winter and investment on the course in spring, our future projects will include addressing the 18^th fairway and a motorised cart shed. The planned cart shed has been deferred as we have been able to accommodate more carts under the Clubhouse. Of course, we will continue to make improvements to the Clubhouse and Course.

All the best to members for their next period of golfing at Waitikiri.

Rod Templeton

General Manager

Out on the Course

The first quarter of 2023 has been a very busy time out on the course. Not only does the grass grow very quickly but we also had four major tournaments to prepare for – Waitikiri Open, National Seniors, Canterbury Matchplay and National Lefthanders. Plus the weather was a mix of very hot, very wet and the odd bout of very cold.

Ricky and his team of Naomi and Will continue to present the course to a very high standard, appreciated by members and visitors alike. The National Seniors were very complimentary of our course – and clubhouse. The team can focus on the course as our three volunteers (John, Dean and Dave) do a great job mowing the rough.

The remaining major project out on the course is fixing the 18^th fairway. While it is playable over summer, in winter it is susceptible to regular flooding. This is due to drains being obsolete or broken, the peat soil base and the thatch that has built up. We have commissioned Sports Turf Institute who have provided a detailed plan to address a permanent solution. It is likely this work will begin in spring of 2023/4

In January we had delivered a new John Deere greens mower. This is hybrid powered so will reduce fuel consumption and is much quieter than our old mower. The cost of the new mower was supported by Mainland Foundation, Pub Charity and Air Rescue.

Will - first to drive the new John Deere greens mower

Women’s Committee Report

We have entered a very busy phase in our calendar with LGU, Shootout, Jess Paton, and Kath Thompson, SJL, McKillop Cup and Waitikiri competitions all underway.  Club qualifying rounds are being contested and we have completed the National Home Links and National Teams competitions. Our All Irons winners were Ali Ouwekerk (Audrey Brown) and Barbara Anglem (Moffat Cup).  It has been a challenge to programme all these events!

Home Links Competitions Congratulations to the winners - Naomi Wallace returned the Best Gross 80, Barbara Anglem won the Aotearoa Cup/Marjorie Brown Trophy as well as the Veteran’s Cup with her net 67. The Coronation Medal went to Jane Naylor with 72 net.

National Teams Fay McCarthy, Jane Naylor, Ann Jordan, and Lynley Thompson were the top qualifiers, with reserves Sharon Taylor and Kathryn O'Donnell. The Teams District Final will be held at Weedons on Friday 28^th April. We wish you well.

National Women's Masters Congratulations to Naomi Wallace, Kim Moggach and Chris Marple (non-playing reserve) who represented Canterbury in the National Women's Masters at Otaki from 31^st March to 2^nd April. Your great score of 74 last Sunday surely justifies your place in the team, Naomi. Well done to you all.

Interclub Silver - led by Pam Ellis, are in the semi-finals to be played at Weedons GC on Sunday 16^th April

Weekend - led by Jen De Boer ended in seventh place.

18 Hole (4s) - led by Kathryn O'Donnell, rank third out of 10 teams, four points behind leaders Tai Tapu 1. Two matches remain.

18 Hole Women's Team Event. Planning is well underway for our annual Teams event which is being held on Thursday 20^th April.

Anne Hill

Women’s Club Captain

Men’s Committee Report

2023 has seen a fantastic summer, arguably the best summer in Canterbury for 20+ years.  Long hot days and evenings has seen plentiful amount of golf played with the course well patronised.

The Club co-hosted the New Zealand Seniors Open in February. Feedback from the players was the course presentation and facilities were superb.  Scoring was difficult as visitors had to carefully navigate their way around Waitikiri.

The Waitikiri Open was held in January with the Open Winner (Best Gross) being Josh Smith with 143,

Best Nett was Maadi Kirikiri with 134. Waitikiri members that featured:

Woo Bong Kim : 2^nd Open Div 1 Gross

Jason Van Wyk : 1^st Open Div 2 Nett

Aaron Forsyth: 1^st Master Div 1 Gross

Simon Marshall: 3^rd Masters Div 1 Nett

Scott Sibley: 2^nd Masters Div 2 Gross

Jeramie Neaves: 3^rd Masters Div 2 Gross

Blair Potter: 2^nd Masters Div 2 Nett

Evan Williams: 3^rd Masters Div 2 Nett

Inter-Club Presidents team lies mid-table with one round remaining. Thanks to Peter Yock for managing the team. It’s great that we’ve had a regular team led by Peter over the past 5-6 years.

Metro A season has concluded for the season. Whilst the team didn’t get the results we wanted, the team never gave up with a lot of games decided on the last hole. Thanks to Alan Dyer for managing the team.

The Emersons Twilight Golf series has drawn to a close. We had 1,000 rounds over the series.  Thanks to Mike Davies, John Thompson, John Barnes, Tony Thomas, Nikki (bar), and Shirley and her team (catering).

Stuart Turner

Men’s Club Captain

Nine Hole Report

2023 is looking good from the 9-hole ladies’ point of view.  At the end of 2022 we had 12 to 13 members.  Following the great efforts of certain people we are now looking at 21 plus members.

Special thanks must go out to Rod with local mail outs and Facebook posts on our theme “Its Fine to Play Nine” and Steve for his contribution with lessons and coaching support.

Also major thanks to Pat Barwick and Sue Orpwood for spending time with the new ladies with course management and etiquette.  The ladies nearly all have handicaps now and are rearing to go.

A fond farewell and presentation was held recently for Helen McCartin.  Helen was one of the original ladies to join the group when it first started out some 25 years ago.  She is now enjoying Retirement living out at Rangiora.

Interclub is off to a great start having won three out of the five games played to date. Included in the five was our bye. We are sitting forth on the ladder.

We have started play for our Handicap Championship in two flights of eight which made for some very tight matches.  Hopefully, weather permitting, we should see the semifinals and final completed before Easter.

Pat Barwick

9 Hole Convenor

Hosting Tournaments and Events

It is a reality that members access to the course and clubhouse can be interrupted by our requirement to host Golf NZ and Canterbury Golf competitions and tournaments, and various corporates holding events. The allocation of Canterbury Golf competitions is to all clubs who have teams entered. We do check the Canterbury Golf calendar at the beginning of the year, and most major clubs will host 10 to 12 such competitions. After discussion, Canterbury Golf has moved its start times so that our course will not (usually) be closed to members. Corporate events are a significant income source for the Club, which does add to the very reasonable subscriptions we can offer. We do identify all events being held at the Club in the weekly newsletter.

Want to Install Solar?

After inviting four companies to propose for installing solar, we appointed Renewable Solutions to undertake this major project. Stuart MacWilliam and his team have done a great job installing panels on the green shed and connecting the system to the Clubhouse.  The system uses European inverters, high quality REC solar panels and local qualified installers.

The web control panel allows us to see instantaneous results, including CO2 savings. Already the system is producing the power production anticipated (even in autumn) with the associated savings in our power bills.

Renewable Solutions are offering the Club an arrangement whereby any member who installs a Renewable Solutions solar system at their home, workplace or any other property in the next six months, will result in them paying $500 in the members’ name to Waitikiri Golf Club.

Simply contact Stuart on 027 3522603 or visit www.renewablesolutions.co.nz for more information about “how solar can save you money and make you greener than the final hole at your favourite golf club” r.

Professional’s News

Supporting the Pro Shop

As we move forward in 2023, and my 11^th year at the club, the Pro Shop is holding more stock than ever before to cater for the needs of members and visitors alike. The pricing at the Pro Shop is sharper than other stores and even online, as I have fewer overheads. Member support is vital to a successful Pro Shop, and I want to thank those who shop with us and encourage others to talk to us before purchasing elsewhere to give us the opportunity to look after your needs.

Fitting Days

Fitting Days allow you to get golf equipment fitted to your build and swing characteristics rather than buying standard length and lie clubs off the shelf. Custom fitting makes a huge difference to the ball flight and can save you some serious shots on the course.

Our suppliers are Wilson and Titleist, and I will make sure all members are told when these fitting days are planned.

Golf Coaching

My current offer to members is a 20% discount – a “6 for 5 package deal” allowing you to get 6 x 30 minutes sessions for just $200. We have recently obtained a short course software upgrade aimed at improving your short irons and reducing your scores - come to the Pro Shop to check it out.

Pro Shop Staffing

You may have noticed some new additions to the Pro Shop Team - Tom Davis (Grandson of John Morris) on a Sunday and Judah Watkinson on Saturday’s. Judah is a member, playing off a 2 handicap.

Going forward I will be taking on a new Trainee Golf Professional for the next PGA Professional intake which is August. More to come on this.

Steve Moye

Club Professional

Team Contact Details

• Rod Templeton (General Manager)

manager@waitikirigolf.co.nz /DD 383-1270 / 021 856 189

• Helen Satherley (Admin Manager)

 admin@waitikirigolf.co.nz / 383-1400 or DD 383-1128

• Steve Moye (Professional)

 waitikirigolfpro@gmail.com / DD 383-1271

• Shirley Brunning (Café)

cafe@waitikirigolf.co.nz/ DD 383-0729

Recent Happenings at the Club

2022’s CLOSING DAY/ MERCER TROPHY - A top prize table & competition organised by Allan Hughey with the results delivered by Men's Club Captain, Stu Turner.

WAITIKIRI OPEN – best gross winner Josh Smith with the Club Patron, David Browne.

BETH ANDERSON WINNERS – Anne Hill and Helen Smith
 

GRANVILLE CUP WINNER -  Richard Burgess (his partner Robert Newton having had to leave) with Club Captain Stu Turner,

CASBOLT CUP WINNER - Clarke Baldwin.

MCCORMICK WALSHAM TROPHY WINNERS – Anne Hill and David Baxter.

HOLE IN ONE - Congratulations to Tony Saunders who holed out on 17. Also, John Barnes did the same on 9 in the seniors competition.

NATIONAL SENIORS – Tony Thomas starting a group on the first day.