Around the Club

Longest Day

The Longest Day event was held on Tuesday 12 December with 31 players putting themselves through the rigorous test of 72 holes on the one day. Those teams and members who supported the fundraising aspect of the day raised over $25,000 for the Cancer Council. A special note of thanks must go to Judy Dean, a survivor of cancer, who raised more than $5,000 individually in support of the event. Unlike the previous year, when it rained for every one of the 72 holes, the weather was considerably more favourable this time.

Members can view the teams and individuals who raised money for this fantastic cause by following this link.

Undercover Car Parking

The Club has resolved to allocate the undercover parking at Cape Schanck to members only. We will be replacing and updating signage around the building and in the car-parking area in February to reflect this change in policy. We ask that, in addition to the signage references, members notify their guests of this prior to their arrival at the venue to ensure that this change translates into practice.

On a related note, members who park after 2pm are encouraged to park in the outside bays. The undercover parking roller-door is locked from the earliest time of 6pm, preventing members access to that area. The admin team is exploring a possible solution to enable access beyond the closure of the main facility.

Long Serving Members Morning Tea

In early December, our long-serving members from Long Island met for a morning tea in the Jewson Room to recognise John Graham on his 50 years as a member. The members were joined by several staff who are primarily based at Long Island, as well as Matthew Corby, Meredith Ramadan and Andrew Davis.

Member Satisfaction Survey

On Tuesday 17 January, members were sent a link to complete the member satisfaction survey. We are seeking your feedback to identify members’ views and their satisfaction about being a member of The National Golf Club.

The Club places importance on gaining the feedback of its members, and by completing this survey it allows the Club to benchmark satisfaction and identify opportunities for improvement to member services.

This anonymous survey will take approximately seven to ten minutes to complete, and provides the Board, General Committee and Management important information in regards to improving member experience and the strategic direction of The National Golf Club.

We are asking members to complete the survey by Wednesday 7 February. If you are yet to complete the survey, you can do so by following this link.

Liam Reaper Completes the PGA Associate Program

Congratulations to The National’s Associate Professional, Liam Reaper on completing the PGA Associate Program.

Liam has successfully passed all playing and academic requirements, highlighted with seven wins and 40 top 10 finishes. Liam also finished in the top 10 of PGA Associates in Australia for his playing and as a result will receive Tour status for next year.

Liam will continue to work full time as well as playing some tournaments on the PGA Tour of Australasia. We wish Liam all the best!

Bump & Run

Dress Standards

With many guests visiting the clubhouses members are reminded it is their responsibility to ensure their guests comply with the Club’s dress standards; it’s embarrassing when staff have to ask visitors to change or leave the Club.

The membership sub-committee is reviewing the dress standards and will make any recommendations in the coming months.

Cart Bookings

We remind members of the importance of booking golf carts when booking their round of golf, particularly during the busy period. All members can pre-book carts at both Cape Schanck and Long Island by clicking on the ‘+’ symbol underneath your name on the booking sheet and selecting a cart, or by contacting Golf Operations.

Members wishing to use a cart without having made a prior booking will still be able to do so, but this will be subject to availability.

Lost Property

If you come across an item in the Club that another member has lost/left behind, please hand it in to Golf Operations. If you’re searching for a lost item it’s handy to know that lost property is passed onto the Cart Barn after a week of being unclaimed.

Long Island - Guest Access

As previously communicated, playing access at Long Island will remain under constant review. Playing numbers have highlighted some flexibility and availability with guest access at certain times. As a result, members can bring three guests during the following times:

• Monday (all day)
  
• Wednesday (PM)
  
• Friday (all day)
  
• Sunday (PM)
  

Green fees are at a reduced price of $70 for 18 holes or $40 for 9 holes.

The change in guest access at Long Island remains subject to change.

Also, a reminder that online guest bookings need to include guests’ Golflink details. In the absence of a Golflink number, the booking will need to be phoned in. This requirement has been in place since September 1st 2023.

Members are also reminded that, as per the By-Laws, the same person may not be introduced as a guest of the Club to play golf on more than six occasions in any one financial year.

Golf Genius

Many members will be familiar with Golf Genius through past golf events/competitions, or for those who have recently signed up to the Summer Cup or Tribal Challenge.

Golf Genius is Tournament Management Software used by many golf organisations across the world. The National is using the software initially for management of Matchplay events as it enables:

• Online Entry
  
• Live Scoring
  
• Live Leaderboards (online and in the Clubhouse)
  
• Automatic update to draws, and
  
• Automated communication.
  

The Summer Cup is the first event the Club has used the Golf Genius software to manage, from entry through to final results.

The Golf Genius app is free and can be downloaded using the following links:

• App store for Apple and iOS devices
  
• Google Play for Android devices
  

More detailed information about Golf Genius is available at https://www.golfgenius.com/tm

Phones in the Clubhouse

Members are reminded of the rules for mobile phone use in the Clubhouses. Under By-Law 1-24, the use of mobile phones to make or receive telephone calls is prohibited in the Clubhouses. The discreet use of mobile phones (for the above purposes) is, however, permitted outside the Clubhouses, in the car park and in locker rooms.

A copy of the By-Laws can be accessed via the website or by following this link.

Welcome Day

The new member induction process has changed from a monthly induction day to a Welcome Day which is held every three months.

The first two Welcome Days occurred in September and December and were a terrific opportunity to welcome our newest members to the Club. New members are treated to a welcome presentation with light refreshments, followed by a round of golf, finishing the afternoon in the Clubhouse with a drink and some post-round snacks.

The National Tournament

The National is once again hosting the season-ending event of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia from 11-17 March, 2024.

Members should be aware of the following changes that will be in place prior to, and during, the event. The Pro-Am event will be conducted on Wednesday 13 March. The field will comprise selected professionals, official sponsoring partners, and various stakeholders associated with the PGA and the Club.

Patrons attending the event will have access to the Clubhouse, subject to satisfying our dress standards. A live broadcast into the Clubhouse will be screened across the weekend. Members, players and officials will be permitted to use the car parks, both external and underground. Overflow parking for those spectating the event will be located off Medallist Court, which is close to the action on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 17th and 18th holes.

The practice facilities, including the chipping area in front of the Clubhouse (towards Moonah), will be closed from Tuesday 12 March to Sunday 17 March. Members will have access to the rooftop putting green and warm-up nets throughout this time. The Moonah course will be closed from 1pm on Monday 11 March to Sunday 17 March. Unlike 2023, The Gunnamatta course will remain open throughout as will The Old Course and Long Island to support member play.

The National is proud to host this event and we hope to see you there. If you are unable to make it, you can catch the weekend’s action live on Foxtel and Kayo.

Partnerships

It’s not too late to partner with us for this fantastic event. If you would like to chat further about the different opportunities that exist, including opportunities for broadcast integration, please don’t hesitate to contact our Partnerships Manager, Ben Hall – Ben.Hall@nationalgolf.com.au or 0403 640 800.

To view the different opportunities for partnering with us for this event - please click here.

Volunteers

We are currently seeking approximately 120 volunteers to undertake a range of tasks across the four days (14-17 March) and to assist with the professional conduct of the tournament.

A primary objective of our involvement with the PGA Tour is to use the platform of this event, and particularly the weekend broadcast, to showcase The National and our courses to a local and international audience of golf (and general sports) fans. Our ability to recruit a sufficient body of volunteers is a critical factor to the success of the tournament and the quality of that broadcast.

In return for your time and assistance, you will receive a tournament shirt, cap, refreshments and the best seat in the house. Volunteers who assist for two or more days will also be invited to a dedicated 'Thank You Day' on Monday 25 March, which includes lunch and an opportunity to play the Tournament Course with the pins in the same position as the final round.

Willing members should lodge their interest by emailing National member, Jan Bayley, at thenationaltournament@gmail.com.

Billeting Opportunities

The Club is taking expressions of interest for billeting players participating in The National Tournament.

Many of the professional golfers participating in the event are self-funded, meaning travel and accommodation drain their financial resources.

If you have available space and are willing to support a player during the tournament, please contact National member, Jan Bayley, at thenationaltournament@gmail.com.

Get Social!!!

Don't forget to tag @ngcmembers when out on course, so that we can share what's happening around the Club.

If you haven't done so already, members are encouraged to follow the member-exclusive Instagram page.

Search @ngcmembers or click on this link to follow.

In the Know

Relief from the Windmill on Moonah

The famous windmill on the 10th hole of the Moonah Course is as unique as it is a daunting obstacle off the tee. Often providing a fantastic photo opportunity from the tee box, the windmill also happens to be an Abnormal Course Condition and falls under the category of an Immovable Obstruction.

Under this rule, a player may take relief when any of the following is true:

• The player’s ball touches or is in or on an abnormal course condition,
  
• An abnormal course condition physically interferes with the player’s area of intended stance or area of intended swing.
  

Taking relief

In this instance, the player may take free relief by dropping the original ball or another ball in this relief area (see Rule 14.3):

• Reference Point: The nearest point of complete relief in the general area.
  
• Size of Relief Area Measured from Reference Point: One club-length, but with these limits:
  
• Limits on Location of Relief Area:
  
• Must be in the general area,
  
• Must not be nearer the hole than the reference point, and
  
• There must be complete relief from all interference by the abnormal course condition.
  

To view more about Rule 16 – Relief from Abnormal Course Conditions – please visit this link

On Course

The Christmas/New Year rush has officially been and gone with a whopping 10,858 players heading out on course between December 27 and January 14. We thank the course team for its tireless work in ensuring exceptional playing surfaces, despite the high amount of traffic we have seen in such a short period of time.

Michael Hamson Chairman’s Trophy

The Chairman’s Trophy comprises a field of all medal winners from the 2023 calendar year. There are individual fields for both men’s and women’s medal winners competing in a stroke format from the Black and Red Tees.

Congratulations to Emma Heale for securing victory in the Women’s field with a great score of +1 to par., and to Craig Radford who secured victory in the men’s field with an excellent score of -4 to par.

Ken Spencer Order of Merit

The Ken Spencer Order of Merit Trophy is awarded to the most consistent golfer of the year through a points-based formula. Points are given for both qualifying and final positions of board events throughout the calendar year.

Congratulations to Fiona Law on being the order of merit winner for 2023. Out of a possible 25 scoring opportunities, Fiona scored in 11 events which included a win in Club Championships, a win in the Trent Jones Trophy, and placing runner-up in three monthly medals. Having previously won in 2010, this is Fiona’s second order of merit win.

Sandra McCaw Trophy

Bill Britten Trophy

The 2023 Sandra McCaw Trophy playoff was held on Wednesday 3 January at Long Island.

The 12 winners from the monthly competition that was played throughout 2023, then played off for the prestigious board event.

The winner for 2023 was Jann Higgs. Jann had a Nett 68 (-2) to win by two shots from Michelle Pragt.

Congratulations to Ethan Boal on winning the playoff for the 2023 Bill Britten Trophy. Much like the Sandra McCaw Trophy, players qualify for the playoff after winning a monthly event throughout the year.

With a score of 41 points, Ethan was good enough to win over runner-up Nicholas Stavrakis.

Hangover Cup

The Hangover Cup is a mixed 4BBB Club event played on New Years Day. This year, 72 players took to the Gunnamatta Course with many sore heads in sight.

Congratulations to winners David Shen and Shuxi Wang, who scored a total of 49 Stableford points.

Founders Cup

54 Hole Challenge

The inaugural Founders Cup was played on 17 December. The Old Course is used for this event, which follows the traditional routing of The Old Course. Every golfer starts on the 6th hole and finishes on the 5th. Those who participated in the event enjoyed a delicious BBQ before and after their round.

Congratulations to Adam McCallum on his great score of 42 points and winning the inaugural Founders Cup.

The 54 Hole Challenge, an event unique to The National with members playing all three courses in the same day, was played on Tuesday 5 December with a field of 90 players.

Well done to all members who participated in this event. Our overall winner, with an impressive 118 points, was Jack Jenkins.

Christmas Ambrose

The annual Club Christmas Ambrose event was held on Sunday 3 December on the Gunnamatta Course. The Christmas Ambrose is an entertaining opportunity to form a team and work together to navigate the course, followed by an excellent buffet lunch and presentation.

The overall winners of the day were Paul McRedmond, Greg Carr, Michael Ryle & Judith Dean with an excellent score of 54.625 nett on a count-back.

Len Jewson Trophy

Congratulations to Joanne Dinsdale & Belinda Masters on winning the Len Jewson Trophy.

Joanne and Belinda combined for 80 points to beat Nick Currie and Mick Ryan by 1 point!

Guest Day

The National Golf Club’s Guest Day was held on the Gunnamatta Course on Thursday 23 November. The Guest Day is an excellent way to introduce a friend or family member to the Club for golf and then enjoy a buffet lunch.

The format of the Guest Day is a 4BBB Stableford event with one member pairing with one guest. 42 pairs competed with member Barry Stott and his guest Noel Hutchison winning the event with a great score of 46 Stableford points.

Holes-in-One

Congratulations to the following players on achieving an ace since we last published Through The Green.

• Johnson Tang
  
• Daniel Kofoed
  
• Andrew Davis
  
• Kean Flanagan
  
• Bruce Godfrey
  
• Jim Koravos
  
• Melissa Glenn
  
• Claudio Salce
  

Women's Invitational

Volunteers Required

We are again calling for volunteers to assist with the 2024 National Invitational.

From March 4-6 this year The National will host the ninth 'National Invitational', a three-day tournament for women which promotes and celebrates women in golf. This event has quickly gained momentum around Victoria and interstate and has become a premier event in the women's golfing calendar.

In 2024 participants will play each of the Cape Schanck courses. Most players are not familiar with our courses and feedback confirms that we can increase their enjoyment by having National members on the courses directing players to tees, spotting balls and generally being available to answer questions.

We are seeking volunteers, both male and female, who are willing to be at the Club between Monday March 4 and Wednesday March 6 to assist on the course or in the Clubhouse.

• Monday 4 March - Cape Schanck Trophy (Moonah Course) – 11.15am to 4pm
  
• Tuesday 5 March - National Invitational (The Old Course) – 11.15am to 4pm
  
• Wednesday 6 March - Lady Nelson Bell (Gunnamatta Course) – 8.15am to 1pm
  

If you would like to assist, please email volunteers@nationalgolf.com.au. Any time that you are able to offer will be greatly appreciated.

The Journal

Members are invited to read the latest piece in The Journal, where we take an in-depth look at the ambitious renovation underway at our Long Island course.

Can a reimagined design and innovative routing transform this understated layout into one of Melbourne’s premier Sandbelt experiences?

Find out more, and view some notable progress photographs and video, by following this link.

Additionally, the most recent update regarding Long Island that was sent to members in late December can be viewed here.

Twilight

Nine

Join us at Long Island for 9 holes &

a special Twilight BBQ on the following date.

Wednesday 14 February

Wednesday 13 March

$23 includes stableford competition and a delicious BBQ

before or after your round.

Tee times from 3.30pm - 5.30pm

BBQ from 3pm - 7.30pm

Bar open until 8pm

There is no green fee for guests.

Book your place via the online timesheet today

Course News

The renovations which took place throughout November and December have provided the members with great playing conditions throughout the peak period over the summer. Without going through this process, the courses would likely be spongey underfoot, with fairways prone to scalping from the mowers.

We thank the members for their patience during the renovation process.

Greens at Long Island

During the past couple of weeks, the humidity associated with the stormy, overcast weather has briefly presented some unique challenges for the Poa annua greens at Long Island.

Since early December, the greens have been treated with preventative fungicide to protect them against Pythium and other diseases. Unfortunately, this hasn’t worked as well as we had hoped. Recently we have continued to see perfect weather conditions for turf disease at Long Island, with high humidity and storms that resulted in 18mm of heavy rain saturating the greens. This sort of weather is fantastic for couch grass but the worst possible conditions for Poa annua greens.

To help the greens recover, the mowing height has been raised from 2.25mm to 3mm.

The greens will continue to be closely monitored and regular disease tests will be undertaken to observe the results of the fungicide.

We expect to see continued improvement in the greens during coming weeks.

Kikuyu Eradication at Long Island

Whilst work has paused on the Long Island renovation our staff were able to dig out patches of Kikuyu that have been sprayed on the fairways. Kikuyu is one of the hardest grasses to eradicate and, as the picture demonstrates, even after multiple sprays the grass keeps trying to re-establish.

The best way to eradicate Kikuyu is to dig out the affected area, removing the Kikuyu roots with our Mini Excavator.

Poa Eradication on Moonah

With the above-average late spring and early summer rainfall, the Poa growing in the Moonah fairways has been more aggressive.

The recent heat has finally started to dry out the Poa, causing it to yellow off and hopefully die. In these areas, we will start to see the couch/fescue mix dominate and we will also overseed selected areas to encourage more fescue.

Please Repair Pitch Marks

With the stormy, humid weather and an above-average amount of wet days for this time of year, along with a high number of golf rounds, it has been extremely difficult to firm up the greens and lessen pitch marks.

Extra time has been spent by the ground staff topping up the depressions left by the pitch marks with a sand-seed mix.

The example to the right shows a fresh, unrepaired pitch mark (blue circle), and examples of pitch marks that have been left unrepaired after several weeks (red circle).

Pitch marks that are left unrepaired can take several weeks to repair and give us that smooth putting surface that we all love.

By spending just a few seconds to fix your pitch mark ensures that we have fantastic putting surfaces year-round.

Moonah 19th

Works on the 19th hole of the Moonah Course are progressing as planned. Fumigation has taken place and the next steps are to focus on the tees and turfing of the fairways and surrounds, with seeding to take place in the first week of February.

The Club will continue to provide updates as the work progresses.

What's wrong with these photos??

Email your answer to info@nationalgolf.com.au to go into the draw to win a National cap.

please keep carts to the path

National Golf Club and the Environment

Golfing at the National is a wonderful experience. Not only do we have fantastic golf courses but they are in such magnificent surroundings. The beauty of the trees and bushes provide a habitat that is full of life and forever changing. Some of this change is seasonal and some more permanent. Over the course of the next year we hope to provide a series of articles that will raise awareness of what is around us as we play the courses. As always we welcome feedback and questions which can be directed to heritage@nationalgolf.com.au We would also like to have any photos or items of interest that members might have that can be shared.

This month we are covering the seasonal arrival of the lorikeets. Lorikeets are one of Australia’s most colourful birds and we are truly lucky to have two varieties of lorikeets flying around the National at this time of year.

The rainbow lorikeet is the most commonly known lorikeet in Australia - also the biggest (25-30 cm) and brightest. Whilst mainly staying within a region they do have some nomadic movements in response to seasonal flowering or fruiting plants. It is the flowers of the Moonah and Banksia trees and the fruit of the bearded heath which bring them to the National in their flocks. They can be seen chattering away in the trees all around the four courses but particularly on the Old course at Cape Schanck.

Another recent visitor is the musk lorikeet. A little smaller (22-25 cm) than the rainbow lorikeet and not quite as colourful . This lorikeet is mostly green with a bright red forehead and band through to its eyes. Again flying in flocks and like mini jets fighters racing through the air they seem to be always having a happy time going from one feeding spot to another.

We have also had supplied the following photo from club professional Andrew Kloprogge taken at Long Island golf range showing just how friendly the lorikeets are!

Thanks must go to Peter Dent, for the wonderful photos.

Golf Ops

Summer Essentials

Treat yourself to these fantastic Men’s Polos, embroidered with The National logo. There is a wide range in store for only $99.

.

Keep hydrated on course with these brand new National logo water bottles.

ECCO women’s shoes are now on sale, starting from as low as $199; selected styles- only while stocks last.

New Era Caps have also just landed in store – step out in the latest headwear today!

Have you checked out our Junior Corner? Featuring a range of polos and caps, your kids will be looking sharp next time they are out on course.

Callaway Great Big Bertha

Take advantage of these prices on Callaway Great Big Bertha clubs

• Driver - $799
• Fairway Wood - $549
• Hybrid - $479
• Irons - $450

Upcoming Fitting Days

The following club-fitting opportunities are available for our members:

• Callaway – Thursday 25 January – Cape Schanck
  
• Titleist – Thursday 25 January – Long Island
  
• TaylorMade – Wednesday 31 January – Cape Schanck
• Callaway – Thursday 8 February – Cape Schanck
• Callaway – Friday 9 February – Long Island

Bookings can be made via the Club website or app.

Any questions should be directed to our friendly Golf Operations team.

Tip of the Month

with Nick O'Hern

We are back again with a fantastic tip from former European and PGA Tour player Nick O'Hern.

Check out this month's tip - aim small, miss small!

Looking Ahead

FEBRUARY

Bill Britten Qualifying

Thursday 1 February

Nine & Dine

Friday 2 February

Please note that the Nine & Dine scheduled for February 9 has been cancelled

Monthly Medal

Saturday 3 February

Summer Cup

Sunday 28 January - Quarter Final

Sunday 4 February - Semi Final

Sunday 18 February - Final

Alma Jewson Shield

Wednesday 7 February - Round 1

Wednesday 21 February - Round 2

Sandra McCaw Qualifier

Wednesday 7 February

Tournament Week

Saturday 10 February - Tribal Challenge

Sunday 11 February - Summer Mixed

Monday 12 February - Champagne Open

Monday 12 February - Men's Elimination Ambrose

Tuesday 13 February - Composite Course Challenge

Wednesday 14 February - Member's Day

Thursday 15 February - Guest Day

Friday 16 February - Presentation Dinner

Peninsula-Kingswood Swap Day

Saturday 17 February

National Heads Trophy

Friday 23 February (Barwon Heads Hosting)

Trent Jones Trophy

Saturday 24 February - Round 1

Sunday 25 Febriary - Round 2

GA Men's and Youth Pennant

Sunday 25 February

Gunnamatta Course Closed

Silver Spoon

Wednesday 28 February

Young Guns

Junior Club Championships

The 2023 Junior Club Championships were played in early December, featuring challenging conditions during Round 1 on the Saturday, followed by improved weather for Round 2 on the Sunday. This shift resulted in impressive scores across the field of 28 players.

Hamish Farquharson emerged as the Junior Champion, showcasing remarkable scores of 71 and 67, totalling 138, finishing 6 under par.

Oscar Tuddenham secured the Handicap Championship with an outstanding 75 stableford points.

The Junior Golfer of the Year was awarded to Jack Vickers.

A huge congratulations to all participants, and a sincere thank you to the dedicated volunteers and staff whose efforts contributed to the success of the event – with special thanks to Marlies van Herwerden, Paul O’Sullivan and Tony Briers for their dedication to the junior program.

To view the full stableford results, please click here.

To view the full stroke results, please click here.

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