Around the Club

Long Island Update

Further to submitting our planning application almost 12 months ago to the day, the subsequent approval process for the Long Island project has been frustratingly protracted. Two hurdles remain – sign off from DEECA and Melbourne Water – and the conversation with both bodies appears to be drawing towards a positive conclusion.

Once this process is resolved, the project will move forward to commencement and the course design will not be compromised in any way, regardless of these or any future (unexpected) delays. What may be more difficult to control is the impact on course access for members throughout the project, particularly if delays continue. As of this moment, we are still aiming for completion by late 2025.

Guided course walks for members will be scheduled for as early as possible in 2024. Updates will continue to be provided via the website.

Strategic Plan Values

Members have been emailed the Strategic Plan for 2024-2028. In addition to the many exciting initiatives contemplated in the years ahead, we encourage all members to review the values identified in the Plan:

Innovative, Respectful, Welcoming, Inclusive, Passionate and Ambitious.

The Committee will be guided by these values in its approach to running the Club. The 2024-2028 Strategic Plan can be found here.

Battery Charging Announcement

A number of members have written to the Club regarding the recent decision that prevents members from charging buggy or vehicle batteries on site. This was a necessary response to the fire at Eastern GC and one that has regard for existing insurance provisions. We are now taking the opportunity to identify and review the extent to which any acceptable alternatives exist at either location, particularly in relation to EVs.

Coaching Survey Outcomes

Recently members were asked to provide feedback in relation to the coaching services at the Club. With over 1,000 responses, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with over 90% of respondents suggesting that their coaching experiences have been positive or very positive. Those who have taken part in coaching at the Club highlighted that the standouts were the quality of advice and professionalism of service.

Of those who responded, 64% of respondents had accessed coaching services. Of those who have not accessed coaching services at The National, 43% indicated they were likely to access these services in the future.

Feedback from this process will continue to inform the ongoing internal review of improving member experience.

To book a lesson with one of our fantastic coaches, Tim, Andrew or Wendy, please visit the lesson bookings section of the website/app or phone 5988 5217.

AGM Follow Up

The AGM was held on Sunday 19 November and attended by over 70 members, with others taking advantage of the streaming option. The minutes of the meeting and the questions raised will be posted to the website shortly. The Club would like to thank all of those who took the time to attend and the positive manner in which discussion was conducted.

The Board and Committee will review the AGM feedback in coming weeks and take any necessary or agreed actions as may be required.

A planned trip in the weeks ahead by Bruce Charlton, representing The Old Course designer Robert Trent Jones, that was announced on Sunday has now been postponed until February due to an unexpected Charlton family matter. Our Strategic Plan states that review by our respective course architects, at least every four years, is a key aspect of maintaining the integrity of the courses.

Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club

Members should note that one of our two Hong Kong reciprocal Clubs, The Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club, has recently reached out to its partners seeking to transition existing reciprocal arrangements with them to an affiliation agreement with charging of National members at guest rates. The Club has not pursued that option, as a result of which the arrangement with Clearwater will expire at the end of the current year.

The National places weight on being able to provide opportunities to members to play quality courses internationally and is continuing to explore future opportunities in this space.

Our Coaches in the Community

Recently Wendy, one of our Club PGA Professionals, conducted a community coaching session at Quarantine Station (Point Nepean National Park). The 4 year-old “Green Possums” class of Sorrento Preschool has Bush & Beach Kinder at Point Nepean each week. This initiative came about because the kids had been finding golf balls and using sticks to hit them (led by Wendy’s son Albi).

We used the Club’s Snag Modified Golf Gear (tennis balls, large-headed clubs and fun velcro targets) and set up some chipping/putting stations and greens with flagsticks. This was the first golf experience for most of the kids and they had a ball!

These community engagement activities with young children are a great opportunity for growing our game and giving back to the community. Many children do not get introduced to golf until the later years of primary school or in secondary school (especially young girls) and by that time they have often selected their chosen sport(s).

Bump & Run

Safety Around The Clubhouse

Members are reminded of the importance of exercising caution when driving carts and using remote-controlled buggies, particularly in high-traffic areas around the clubhouse.

Bookings and Last-Minute Cancellations

Late cancellations, most particularly when the Club is not notified, or late shifts of players on the timesheet, are inconsiderate at best and often result in a member (who is acting faithfully) being stranded.

Our ambition is for all members take responsibility for their own activity in this regard, rather than the Club having to manage repeated instances of thoughtless booking activity with individuals directly.

The Mysterious Missing Ball-Scoop

Earlier this year, the Club placed a ball scoop near the lake on the 4th green of The Old Course. This was to assist in safely collecting your ball if it trickled into the water off the bank, assisting in speeding up the process associated with retrieving your ball. The ball scoop has had to be replaced after “vanishing” on a number of occasions. If anyone can shed any light on the disappearance of the scoop, please chat to Golf Operations.

Tee Options - Long Island

Members and Guests playing at Long Island now have the option of playing from different tees when playing the second nine (holes 10-18). Tee options for 18 holes will include:

• Black/Black (Holes 1-18)
  
• Blue/Blue (Holes 1-18)
  
• Red/Red (Holes 1-18)
  
• Blue (Holes 1-9) / Black (Holes 10-18)
  
• Blue (Holes 1-9) / Red (Holes 10-18)
  
• Red (Holes 1-9) / Blue (Holes 10-18)
  

If you have any questions about the change and options to play from the different tees, please see the friendly Golf Operations team.

Local Rules - Using The MiScore App

As part of a broader review of signage, both in the clubhouse and on the courses, one important change is currently being introduced via the MiScore App. In future, all Local Rules will be communicated via the MiScore App, making it possible to reference that information on the course when the need arises (e.g. confirmation of whether preferred lies are in play).

Members are advised that signage highlighting any temporary local rules will be removed in the next fortnight.

We encourage all players to make it a habit to check the app for any updates before commencing their rounds.

Phone Use and Devices in Clubhouse

Under By Law 1-24, the use of mobile phones for the purpose of making or receiving telephone calls is prohibited in the Clubhouse/s. The discreet use of mobile phones (for the above purposes) is, however, permitted outside the Clubhouse/s, or in the car park and locker rooms. Mobile phones may be discreetly used on the courses as long as it does not cause disturbance to other players and the use of the mobile phone does not breach general etiquette requirements. The silent enjoyment and use of electronic devices including laptop computers and mobile phones (in silent mode) is permitted in the Clubhouse/s at the discretion of the Committee as long as other patrons are not adversely affected.

Responsible Use of Golf Carts

For the safety of all members, guests and staff, and to protect our courses, there are rules for the correct use of golf carts at The National Golf Club. Please take a moment to remind yourself of the golf cart rules that all users must adhere to. The Club’s hire golf carts at Cape Schanck are installed with GPS units. This assists in identifying areas on the course where carts are generally not permitted. In addition, the following rules must be followed on all courses:

• No carts within 20 metres of a green or tee (unless on a pathway).
  
• Carts should remain out of the roughs and on the designated paths and/or fairways
  
• Avoid all bare ground, steep slopes and excessively wet areas
  
• Carts must not be driven by persons under 18 years under any circumstances. Juniors may only ride in golf carts as a single passenger with an adult driver.
  
• Under no circumstances should two adults share a cart with a child (riding three (or more) to a cart).
  
• A maximum of two bags and two players only per cart.
  
• Do not stand on the rear bag area of the golf cart.
  
• Start and stop gradually.
  
• Report any cart damage and faults to Golf Operations staff on completion of your game.
  

Thank you for your co-operation.

54 Hole Challenge

Golf Operations have opened up more spaces for the 54 Hole Challenge, which is being held on Tuesday 5 December. Spaces are limited, so please book your place now to avoid missing out.

Water Dispensers - On Course

Water dispensers providing still and sparkling water have now been installed in the halfway huts at Cape Schanck. Members are encouraged to fill their drink bottles and remain hydrated, particularly as we approach the warmer months.

National branded drink bottles can also be purchased from Golf Operations.

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.

On Course

We have had an incredibly busy month on course with a range of fantastic Club, board and social events.

Richard Launder Trophy

The Richard Launder Trophy is a two-round Canadian Foursomes aggregate event played on the Gunnamatta and Moonah courses. This trophy is named in honour of Life Patron Richard Launder, a long-serving Board member and Deputy Chairman. Richard also played in the event and is pictured alongside his wife, Janet, Cathrine Dalton and Peter Jonson.

Congratulations to the winners, Lisa Woolmer & Simon Woolmer (pictured on the left) with a great score of 139.125 across the two rounds.

F.D. Haward Trophy

The Final of the F.D Haward Trophy was played recently on the Gunnamatta Course. The F.D. Haward Trophy is a 4BBB Mixed Stableford event played over multiple rounds, with the top 8 teams qualifying for the finals.

Congratulations to the winners James Chrisp & Jan Bayley who defeated Phillip & Robyn Gleadhill 4&3.

Veterans Trophy

The Veterans Trophy was played on 14 and 21 October with the best aggregate stableford score across both rounds for players 70 and over determining the winner.

Congratulations to David Knight for taking out the trophy with a great aggregate score of 75 points.

Seniors Championship

The 2023 Seniors Championship final was played between Neil Fredman and Mark Limon. Mark Limon was victorious with a final result of 3&2.

Well done to all competitors and congratulations to Mark Limon on being the 2023 Seniors Champion.

The National Goblet

The National Goblet was hosted on the Moonah Course on Monday 13 November in excellent conditions. With the origins of the event going back to 1990, 35 teams from 32 different clubs competed in what turned out to be a great day of golf and comradery.

Eastern Golf Club proved too strong, securing the Goblet with a team score of 97 stableford points.

Melbourne Cup Day

The 2023 Melbourne Cup Ambrose event was played for the first time since 2019 with a full field. Cameron Gray, Martin Ross, Stuart Wilson and Ashley Johnstone were the victors with a score of 55.25.

Competitors and their families and friends joined in the festivities after golf, with an amazing buffet lunch and all the action on the screens.

Well done to all those who were involved in the Melbourne Cup sweeps, with special mention to Gerry Tuddenham on walking away victorious in the $100 sweep.

Women's Muster

The Women’s Muster was played on Friday 3 November on the Gunnamatta Course. Entering the event as pairs, random teams of four are then formed by Golf Operations. The format for the event is a Four Person Waltz.

Concluding the event was the retail fashion parade, which showcased the latest fashion pieces of the season demonstrated by volunteer models (members and staff).

The winners of the day were Jodi Micari, Katie Stewart, Joanne Dinsdale, and Di Otter with an excellent score of 92 points.

2023 Composite Course Challenge

The 2023 Composite Course Challenge was played on Tuesday 31 October over 18 holes across the three courses at Cape Schanck.

Holes 1 – 4 & 17,18 on The Old Course, holes 1- 6 on the Gunnamatta Course and holes 13 -18 on the Moonah Course.

In wet and windy conditions Ray Evans prevailed with a score of +2 and became the 2023 Composite Course Champion, with Stuart Glen taking out the competition from the Blue/Green tees.

Holes-in-One

Congratulations to the following members for achieving an ace over the past month:

• Grant Boyle
  
• Ian Wright
• Mark Fehervari
• Roy Cotton
• Jeremy Charlton
• Adrian Wischer
• Alison Mitchell

Twilight

Nine

Join us at Long Island for 9 holes &

a special Twilight BBQ on the following date.

Wednesday 13 December

$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

Course Renovations

Members will be familiar that this time of year is scheduled for maintenance, with the three courses at Cape Schanck undergoing significant work throughout November and the start of December in preparation for the busy holiday period.

The Old

The Old Course has undergone typical dethatching of the fairways and tees. The greens have been lightly aerated and top-dressed with a light dusting of sand, which will help repair existing damage from pitch marks.

Selected greens have also been treated for Poa after a late spring germination.

It is expected that the recovery will take approximately 3-4 weeks, with conditions improving every day.

Moonah

The tees and greens have been heavily sanded and brushed to remove the grain and promote upright leaf growth.

GUNNAMATTA

Works on the Gunnamatta Course commence on Monday 27 November. Fairways will be terra-raked against the grain which will assist in standing up the couch grass. The greens on the Gunnamatta course will be vertidrained and fairways mown at 6mm to ensure tight fairway conditions which lead to increased playability.

Photos courtesy of Brad Owen - Assistant Superintendent - The Old Course

Moonah 19th Hole

Construction works are in full swing on the Moonah Course as the team continues its work on the 19th hole. The concept of a 19th hole for Moonah is consistent with our strategic objective to spread wear on all the courses, particularly as playing numbers rise, and to provide greater flexibility to take individual holes out of play for more substantial works on an ad hoc basis.

Bob Harrison (Harrison Golf) was briefed to develop the concept for a 19th hole on Moonah at one of his two recent visits to the Club. At the time of writing, Bob is again on-site to finalise the green-shape, bunkers and tee positions.

In the coming weeks the team will fumigate, to kill off the Kikuyu and fine-tune the shape of the hole.

The hole is adjacent to the path that connects the 3rd green to the 4th tee. The space and contours readily lend themselves to the creation of an exceptional par 3.

The appointment of Harrison Golf to undertake this project is consistent with the Club’s objective to maintain ongoing engagement with our course architects, particularly on changes of substance, noting how critical their involvement is to preserve the integrity of the respective designs.

‘’On many courses, a 19th hole is just an add-on, but that’s not the case here – the par 3 19th we are building is an attractive, interesting hole which certainly belongs on the Moonah course.’’ - Bob Harrison

Moonah Cart Restrictions

Effective Friday 1 December, summer cart restrictions will apply on the Moonah Course until further notice. Players will need to meet the following criteria to use a cart on the Moonah Course.

• be 70 years of age or older
  
• provided the Club with a current medical certificate
  

No restrictions for cart use are in place on The Old, Gunnamatta or Long Island courses.

Gunnamatta - 11th

The Red and Green forward tees on the 11th hole have been constructed, which include the installation of irrigation and wintergreen couch laid on the tees. The tees will be open in the first week of December.

The distance of the green tee will remain at 123m and the new red tee will be 148m.

The Old Course - Toilet

Work has recently started on the new toilet facility which will be situated next to the current toilet just before the 7th tees on The Old Course.

The existing toilet facility will still be available for use during this time. We ask for all members and their guests to take some care when driving through this area as there may be partial path closures due to various construction related vehicles and deliveries.

With the building industry shutting down through most of January, we anticipate a completion date in February.

Returns over the summer break

Bookings opening soon

Golf Ops

24 Days of Giveaways

It's a very Merry Christmas to everyone with a huge giveaway throughout December.

The deal is simple. Spend $150 in the pro-shop (excluding food and beverages) and you will go into the draw to win daily prizes throughout December.

With more than $11,000 in prizes, get your hands on a full set of Callaways, a Ping putter, FootJoy and Ecco shoes, golf lessons, Adidas & Callaway Golf Bags, Travis Mathew clothing, plus heaps more.

Keep an eye on the website and members Instagram page or ask the friendly Golf Operations team for further details.

Ex-Demo Clubs

A range of TaylorMade, Callaway and Ping Clubs are on sale at Long Island and Cape Schanck.

Ex Demo Stealth 2 Plus Driver $700

Ex Demo Stealth 2 Driver $650

Ex Demo Stealth 2 Plus Fairway $350

Ex Demo Stealth 2 Fairway $300

Ex Demo Stealth 2 Plus Hybrid $300

Ex Demo Stealth 2 Hybrid $250

Ex Demo Paradym Driver $600

Ex Demo Paradym Fairway $300

Ex Demo Paradym Hybrid $250

Ex Demo ping glide 4.0 $200

Upcoming Fitting Days

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

• Ping - Thursday 30 November - Long Island
  
• Titleist - Friday 8 December - Cape Schanck

Bookings can be made via the Club website or app

Any questions should be directed to the Golf Operations team

New Stock in Store

We have a range of new stock in store, just in time for Christmas, including clothing from Callaway, Donald Ross, FootJoy and JLindeberg as well as all the latest rangefinders and GPS gear from Bushnell and Garmin. Check it out next time you are in store.

Coaching Corner

Indoor Simulator

Members are reminded of the indoor simulator at Long Island, with many taking the opportunity to make full use of it for coaching, club fitting, ball fitting and providing some really informative data.

A number of members have also gone through the bag-mapping process, providing them with an average carry and total distance for each of their clubs as well as the relative shot dispersion and common miss for each club, which can be caused by incorrect club setup or swing fault.

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.

This month's tip looks at that dreaded downhill lie!!

From the Restaurant

Restaurant Opening Hours

Many members will be aware that the restaurant hours have been extended during the warmer months.

At Cape Schanck, breakfast is available to coincide with the first tee times and remains open for food orders until 7pm. The last order for drinks is taken until 8pm. The specials menu is available from 12pm - 3pm daily.

At Long Island, the restaurant and bar area is open from10am to 5pm Sunday to Friday and remains open until 6pm on Saturdays. The specials menu is available from 11am - 3pm daily.

After Golf Treats

The perfect after-golf treats are now available to purchase from the bar at Cape Schanck. Pick up some of the incredible Gin or Fever Tree mixers for your next dinner party, or perhaps treat someone special (or yourself) to the Only Mine chocolates - available exclusively at The National.

Gluten-Free Options

Separately, the new menu at The National has been updated to reflect 7 gluten-free options, and numerous other items which can be modified to accommodate the gluten-free option. These dishes have been denoted on the menu as GF and MGF respectively.

View the current menu here.

Looking Ahead

DECEMBER

Monthly Medal

Saturday 2 December

Christmas Ambrose

Sunday 3 December

54 Hole Challenge

Tuesday 5 January

Sandra McCaw Qualifier

Wednesday 6 December

Bill Britten Qualifying

Thursday 7 December

Junior Club Championships

Saturday 9 December

Sunday 10 December

Women's Christmas Function

Friday 15 December

Founders Cup

Sunday 17 December

Nine & Dine

Friday 29 December

JANUARY

Hangover Cup

Monday 1 January

Sandra McCaw Trophy Play-Off

Wednesday 3 January

Sandra McCaw Qualifier

Wednesday 3 January

Nine & Dine

Friday 5 January

Friday 12 January

Friday 19 January

Monthly Medal

Saturday 6 January

Summer Cup

Sunday 7 January - Round 1

Sunday 14January - Round 2

Sunday 21 January - Round 3

Sunday 28 January - Quarter Final

Sunday 4 February - Semi Final

Sunday 18 February - Final

Bill Britten Trophy Play-Off

Thursday 11 January

Bill Britten Qualifier

Thursday 11 January

Michael Hamson Chairman's Trophy

Saturday 13 January

CaNine & Dine

Sunday 21 January

Australia Day Ambrose

Friday 26 January

To view the 2023 Programme, which highlights each of these events, including the format - please click here

Young Guns

Term 4 Junior Clinics

Junior Golf has been thriving at The National GC, with 22 boys and 17 girls (39 children) participating in weekly lessons with our PGA coaches Wendy Dragojlo and Liam Reaper. Sundays at Long Island have been buzzing with 30 children (ages 4-12) attending classes between 11am and 3.30pm.

This term we introduced an all-girls class for 6-12 year olds off the back of a very successful Junior Girls Come & Try Day in the September school holidays. This initiative has seen a very positive increase in the number of young girls learning to play at The National GC and it’s been great to see so many enthusiastic children and their families at the Club.

Our current weekly Junior Program includes classes for primary age children at Long Island (Sundays and after school Wednesdays) and Cape Schanck (Mondays after school).

Participants in the Term Program receive a National Junior Academy Cap and a US Kids Golf player pathway booklet. Throughout the school term, children learn basic technique across the various skills (putting, chipping, pitching, bunkers, full swing, scoring, etiquette and rules) and coaches support them to earn badges for each skill, which they pin to their cap. Children start in level 1 or 2 and progress towards level 5 where they will be considered very competent golfers.

Junior Club Championships

Entries to The National Golf Club 2023 Junior Club Championships are now open. The event will crown both a Scratch (Gross) and Handicap Champion. Could it be you?

The two-round event is open to all National members under 23 years of age as at the commencement of the Championships (that is, at 9 December 2023). Entrants must also hold a GA handicap to participate.

Two rounds will be played:

• 1st Round – Saturday 9 December – Moonah (from 1pm)
  
• 2nd Round – Sunday 10 December – Gunnamatta (from 10.46am)
  

Snacks and presentations will immediately follow Round 2 in the Cape Schanck Clubhouse, in the upstairs function room.

Entries

Players can book directly onto the Junior Championship Entry Sheet. This can be found under Cape Schanck Bookings for Saturday 9 December. As this is two-round event, please only enter if you can commit to playing in both rounds.

Further Information

For further details and event conditions, please see the Junior Championships information sheet.

Junior Pennant

Our Junior Pennant teams recently competed in the Golf Australia Junior Pennant competition, which consisted of five rounds against clubs from their respective regions. Many of the players were competing in handicap matchplay for the very first time. The teams performed really well overall, finishing in 3rd position in their pool, with two wins, one tie and two losses.

To see the results from The National Pin Seekers, please click here.

To see the results from The National Eagle Flyers, please click here

Young Stars Shine for Victoria

From 12 – 16 November, School Sports Australia held the 12 & Under Boys & Girls national golf championships in Perth WA. Teams of eight boys and four girls from VIC, NSW, QLD, ACT, SA, & WA competed in two individual stroke rounds and one Ambrose day. Junior members from The National, Fuyu Yang, Louis Inifer and Jack Wilson represented Victoria.

After two individual rounds the combined scores of the Victorian boys and girls earned them a silver medal in the Craig Parry Cup. The Victorian boys also played better than their handicaps winning the gold medal in the boys nett division. In the Ambrose event the girls team shot an amazing 8 under and the boys had 6 under, both taking home prizes on the day.

A wonderful effort from some of The National’s youngest members.

NYE Gala Event - Nearly Fully Booked

There are very limited spaces available for the Gala New Year’s Eve Event!

Guests will enjoy a spectacular three-course dinner set amongst beautifully themed décor at the Cape Schanck Clubhouse. Dress to impress as we dance the night away to live music from Baker Boys Band. The night will begin at 7:30pm and tickets are $145 per adult.

With only 10 spaces remaining, book now by emailing our Functions Coordinator Lynda at functions@nationalgolf.com.au.

Previous Editions