Do you want to challenge your club captain?

DIRECTOR'S REPORT

Night Golf
On Friday, the 22nd January, the inaugural Night Golf Challenge was hosted and with 51 players participating on a perfect summer’s evening, great fun was had by all.

With the positive feedback received from all that played we are sure to host one again in the near future.

Have a look at some of the photos taken at the event:

UPCOMING EVENTS

Club Championships:
A reminder for all members that next weekend the 6th and 7th February, is the annual Club Championships and with entries closing on Monday, the 1st February, please don’t delay in entering.

I have been receiving questions with regards to tee boxes. To confirm, club championships are off one tee box and no forward tee will be allowed.

Senior Club Championships:
This is a new event on our calendar and to clarify, this event is for members of 60 years and older who will be playing on Saturday, the 13th February in an 18 hole Strokeplay competition.

As per Club Championships there are divisions i.e. A, B and C for Men, Silver and Bronze for Ladies!

Director & Captain Challenge:
To follow on with the tradition that myself and Frank started in his tenure as Captain which was a successful event from participation. Congratulations must go to the members on coming out on top, the challenge against the members has been continued with Dean and I.

We are ready and waiting for challenges from members and there is a list up on the notice board for members who are up for the challenge.

G’Zunder Trophy
It is traditional that each couple donate a prize consisting of something that they have been dying to give away (Excluding Partners), or an inexpensive fun item.

The prize should be wrapped up and delivered to Pro-Shop when registering on the day. The prizes will be handed out randomly to each couple after prize giving.

Good luck to all players and we trust you will have a great experience.

Regards,
Gavin

Internationals vs Locals, The Rivalry Continues...

DIRECTOR'S REPORT

This weekend is the 2nd edition of the Internationals vs Locals, and an event like this brings out the comradery and competitive spirit in representing your country. It has been in the spirit to get in each fourball 2 players from each team and I am sure there will be lots of banter and fun.

For the Internationals and Locals, we appointed Captains and they have the following messages:

Message from the Internationals’ Captain
Last year’s challenge was hotly contested and ended with a very close result. The Locals won 19: 17. This year we will try our utmost to win this prestigious competition. Not only our results, but our appearance should also, we are a strong team! Therefore I ask all players to wear a white shirt and black (dark) pants, shorts or a skirt.

I wish all players a good day of fun and many scores won.

Yours,
Franz Seibold
International Captain


Internationals vs Locals trophy

Message from the Locals Captain
Franz has given some detail on last (the 1st) years competition. The competition will be a betterball stableford and the aggregate will determine the winner. We would like this comp to become one of our important events of the year and improve even further, the very good relationship the locals and the internationals enjoy at present. This does not imply that we, the locals, will let the internationals win this year.

To demonstrate our team spirit, will the locals please wear light blue tops with beige shorts, trousers, and skirts... whatever?
And remember the most important point is to enjoy the game.

Good luck,
Jim Almond
Locals Captain

Club Championships
A reminder that Club Championships are being played over the weekend of the 6th and 7th of February and entries for the event close on the 31st January, so please don’t delay in entering.

Access to the Golf Course by Non-Players
Non-playing Members and guests, Homeowners and tenants, guests and invitees are all encouraged to use the designated walking trails on Erinvale in preference to walking on the Golf Course. The walking trails are safer and conflict with golfers is avoided. However, it is understood that this is not always practical. Access to the Golf Course is therefore permitted as a general rule at the following times:

High Season (November - April) before 07h00 and after 19h00
Low Season (May-October) before 08h00 and after 18h00

• Not withstanding the times given above, non-players may walk ahead of the first players booked for 18 holes in the mornings and behind the last players booked for 9 holes in the afternoon, provided that they maintain at least one hole between themselves and the players. The times of these bookings can be obtained by phoning the Pro Shop.

• During times when access is permitted to non-players, there may be players on the golf course and non-players must be vigilant for their own safety.

• It is advised that walking over the blind rises on the 1st, 13th, 15th and 17th fairways by non-players could be dangerous and should be avoided, because they may be unsighted by golfers whose shots are in range from the 13th, 15th and 17th tees.

• Non-players are encouraged to walk against the normal flow of play (i.e. 9th to 8th to 7th etc.) as a safety precaution.

• During times when access is permitted, non-players may use the cart paths, the rough and out-of-bounds areas and may cross the fairways when golfers are not playing or readying themselves to play their shots. No non-player may walk on any green or tee or in any bunker or water hazard on the Golf Course.

• No person shall walk their dogs on any green or tee or in any bunker or water hazard on the Golf Course. Dogs shall be kept on a leash and any droppings shall be removed immediately.

• Children under 10 years of age may not enter the Golf Course unless accompanied by an adult or playing golf with the Club's consent.

NB
The ownus of responsibility lies with homeowners to inform tenants, invitees, domestic workers and all others associated with their property of the rules pertaining to golf course access. The golf club will not accept any responsibility for injury to person or damage to property when accessing the golf course.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Festival of Golf
The Festival of Golf 2016 is fast approaching, and a reminder that this year we have put together an action packed 4 days with golf, dinners and evening entertainment from the 16th to the 19th March 2016.

We do have opportunities for members to be involved from a sponsorship/partner perspective so please contact me if you are interested as it is a great week to support your club.

Bookings open on the 1st February 2016, and be sure to not miss out on this great week.

More information about the Festival of Lights is availablehere.

Regards,
Gavin

Welcome Back and Happy New Year

CAPTAIN'S CHAT

This is my first communication of the year so a warm welcome to 2016 and I trust that you all had a wonderful festive season with family and friends. For those of you who were away over this period, welcome back. The good news is that in spite of the very hot weather and lack of rain, the golf course is still in magnificent condition and for this we owe our gratitude to Greg and his team for their efforts in maintaining the standard of Erinvale while many others are struggling.


The New Year’s Day Hangover 9 hole challenge was a huge success with 110 players participating on the day. It was very festive with the deck overflowing with players and their families eating and drinking after the game.

Other activities were the Tailgating run by Andrew Georgiou and a chipping competition over the sluit onto the 18th green where Keith Colley showed up the pros by being the closest.

The challenge was hotly contested with some very good scores being posted and was won by Terri & John Taljaard, pictured below, on a score of 26 points.


Club Captain Dean Milbank Making his Announcments


Festivities at the New Year’s Day Hangover 9 hole challenge


Players and their families celebrating after the New Year’s Day Hangover 9 hole challenge

Drought:
I am sure you are all very aware of the severe drought we are facing that is now the worst in living memory. The Cape has gone to level two water restrictions so we need to reduce our consumption by a minimum of 10%. It is our ecological, social and financial responsibility to do so. Notices have been put in the toilets and change rooms to remind members and guests. Please do your bit to help us reach our objective. There are simple ways to achieve this especially while showering if one is conscientious of the issue.

Pitch marks:
Of late I have noticed so many unrepaired pitch marks. This is your golf course so please repair yours and any others you see when walking around the green. This is even more critical now with the hot dry weather as the longer they are left the worse they become and will take weeks re-grow. Our greens are the envy of all courses around us so please do your bit to protect them.


The incorrect way to rake a bunker Bunkers:

This is one area of our beautiful golf course that is under continual discussion.

We are going to be looking at ways to improve them and you will notice work being done on the right front bunker at the 14th green.

The team will be removing the sand, and once that is done, determine a strategy on how we can improve our bunkers, as that particular one has been marked as priority.

Please bear with us while we undertake this trial. Having said that one of the issues we have had for many years now, but seems to be getting worse, is the poor etiquette of some members not raking the bunkers after having been in them.

On the left there is a picture I took recently on members only competition day. I guess the picture speak for itself and your shot. There is a right and wrong way to rake a bunker so if you are not sure of the difference please ask one of our professionals to show you.

If the situation does not improve we will be forced to take action against the offenders.

Please consider the players behind you as it is grossly unfair should their ball end up in a deep footprint as they are not allowed to drop out of it and you would have just spoilt their game. 

 

The poor etiquette of some members not raking the bunkers after having been in them

Ropes:
In front of every green there is a rope across the fairway that is there to indicate that you may not drive a golf cart past that point. This is there to protect the front of our greens which is generally where many golfers land with their approach shots. I have noticed an increasing occurrence of these ropes having been moved. Besides looking unsightly it is against the rules to do so. At Erinvale we have declared these ropes as immoveable obstructions.

If the rope interferes with your shot then you are entitled to a free drop one club length away from the rope not nearer the hole. If you move the rope you will be penalised by two shots in stroke play or loss of hole in match play under the rule for immoveable obstructions in the rules of golf. Please take note of this as we certainly do not want to have any unpleasant consequences should you be caught doing it.

Announcements:
With immediate effect there will no longer be announcements calling you to your tee off time. We have had numerous complaints from homeowners close to the clubhouse with the continual announcements disturbing their day. I must say that I sympathise with them and have long debated the need for this. We should also all be aware of our tee times so there is no need to be called to your tee. We all know the rules of golf that states you need to be on your tee 10 minutes before your time.

We have Marshall’s at each tee and forthwith they will be instructed that any person who fails to be at the tee on time will not be allowed to tee off. In the case of a better ball or alliance competition they can go to where their partners are playing and join them. In an individual game they will have to wait and only if there is space will slot in or go to the back of the field. Please do not place us in the unenvious position to have this rule invoked.

Well that is all out of the way so now we can go out and enjoy this wonderful golf course of ours with our friends and have fun. Life is just too short not to.

All the very best & happy golfing
Dean
Captain

DIRECTOR'S REPORT

Happy New Year!
Compliments of the season to all, and I hope 2016 is a great year for all.

Club Committee
A few have enquired as to who is on the current Club Committee so I have put together the list so everyone is aware:
President Errol Ferriman
Vice President Frank McDonogh
Club Captain Dean Milbank
Vice Captain Willem van der Merwe
Treasurer Brigitte du Plessis
Ladies Captain Christine Storey

Additional Members
Brad Manson
Johan Mostert
Karin Haliwax
Nick Penstone
Nico Kooij

UPCOMING EVENTS

Festival of Golf
Festival of Golf 2016 is fast approaching, and a reminder that this year we have put together an action packed 4 days with golf, dinners and evening entertainment from the 16th to the 19th March 2016.

We do have opportunities for members to be involved from a sponsorship/partner perspective and please contact me if you are interested as it is a great week to support your club.

Bookings open on the 1st February 2016, and be sure to not miss out on this great week.

More information about the Festival of Lights is available here.

5 Owls Perched atop a branch Owls:

Most have noticed that we have some new residents on the left of the 17th green in the tree, namely Owls.

This is a program in conjunction with the Bird Control Company that we use on the golf course whom has an Owl rescue programme, and they approached the Golf Club if we would be interested in assisting with their release program of rescue Owls, which we gladly agreed to.

These owls are placed in a closed, suitable enclosure and fed on a daily basis.

Within a few weeks the enclosure is then left open for the Owls to explore the outside environment. With time the Owls will no longer return to the enclosure as they would make a home in the surrounding natural environment.The proposal from them is that we assist on a regular basis as accordingly to them they receive 200 rescued owls on an annual basis.

Regards,
Gavin