JANUARY 2024 NEWSLETTER

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Another year has passed us by and we are now well and truly into 2024.  I hope that the year brings lots of good fortune to the club we all love and to all members and families.  A special Cerberus welcome to all our new members who may have joined over the past month or so.  It is pleasing to see the new faces appear including those who may be new to the area.  There is plenty of information for all members located on the club’s website and I encourage everyone to take a look.  I have deliberately left some recent newsletter items in this edition for the benefit of new members.

Victoria’s summer season is proceeding as normal.  Yesterday, temperatures into the 30’s and on Wednesday, plenty of solid rainfall to quench the dry areas of the course – not to mention our yards.  Hand watering has been necessary over recent weeks as some of the greens have been showing the signs of drying. Many thanks to those undertaking the hand watering.

Rainfall: My home rain gauge tells me that about 10 mm has fallen today already.  December was 65 mm and for the month of January so far 71mm has fallen.  This replenishment should keep us in good shape heading into the rest of summer and is well timed considering the completion of irrigation works just this week.

Thanks to our Volunteers:  Huge thank you to all who help out around the course and the club house.  As said often, we could not survive without such loyal supporters.  Don’t forget, if you have time on your hands and feel like helping out either on the course or around the club house please let Pat Foy or our manager, Danny Shine, know. 

Volunteers of the Month – January:  Committee has chosen to recognise the efforts of the volunteers last Monday who facilitated the irrigation works on the 8th fairway.  The members were: Bruce Thompson, Kevin Anderson, Norm Schmidt, Murray Sells, Mark Duggan, Dirk Rynaard, and Geoff Bell.  Huge thanks to each of you – Bravo Zulu.

Equality Matters Update:  As many members would realise by now the long running VCAT matter that the club has been involved in was finally ended with the Senior Member’s judgement promulgated on 3 January.  The decision is in the club’s favour with the claims being dismissed.  The detailed judgement in full is available to read on the VCAT website.

Shop Bargains:  Good bargains a plenty in the golf shop.  Great shirts and jackets and plenty of golfing hardware for members to spend their hard won shop credits.  Danny does a Stirling job of sourcing apparel and all equipment.  Check out the shop and don’t forget if there’s something you need and it’s not in stock, speak to Danny and he may be able to get it in for you at a very good price.

Private Golf Cart Insurance:  The committee has a requirement that all private carts used on the golf course be fully insured by owners/users.  This is because the respective carts or incidents they may be involved in are not covered by the club’s insurances.  Most members have the carts added to their domestic insurances and this is reportedly a simple process. Members affected are requested to see Danny ASAP to provide evidence of annual insurance cover.

Consumption of Alcohol at the Club:  Committee has recently determined that NO PRIVATE ALCOHOL is to be brought to the club for consumption either in the clubhouse or out on the course.  Committee considers it a reasonable expectation that all alcohol consumed by members be sold by the club for the overall benefit of the club, and to accord with Responsible Service of Alcohol guidelines.  Members should be cognisant of the amount of alcohol consumed, including prior to and during competitions, so that other players are not adversely impacted.

Dress on the Course and Around the Clubhouse – Green Fee Players Only:  Committee has recently determined that green fees players are now permitted to wear shirts without collars. This will not be widely published and will not apply to club members.  Committee has decided to retain current member dress policy.

Non-Wearing of Caps Within the Clubhouse:  Members are advised that the long held tradition of not wearing caps while inside the clubhouse will be continued.  Non Navy personnel may not be aware that hat’s/caps are not normally worn indoors including in messes and some other environments.  The clubhouse is considered our ‘mess area’ and by not wearing headwear we are also paying a ‘mark of respect’ to those who have gone before us. Members are requested to continue to ‘politely’ enlighten green fees players and other visitors when they attend the club.

Holes in One:  Committee has decided that all ‘holes in one’ completed on the course during ‘any club competition’ – nine holes included will be recognised.  This will include suitable mounting of the ball at club expense and details recorded on the club’s honour board.

Repeated Important News – New Defence Housing for HMAS CERBERUS

As part of the most recent Strategic Review Defence recently confirmed intentions to construct an additional 60 new homes in the Cerberus married quarter areas.  This has been spoken about in very broad terms at the past two club AGMs.  The new homes will include an additional 15 in close proximity to the clubhouse, this includes eight homes in the two grassed areas adjacent the current children’s playground.  Parking around the clubhouse will be affected and all golfers will need to use the two formal car parking areas once works begin.  Housing works is expected to get underway sometime in 2024 and run into 2025.

New homes (5) will also be positioned alongside Cook Rd near the 8th green crossing track; some in vicinity to the 7th green (17) where housing was removed some years ago; and an additional (20) homes positioned either side of Cook Rd close to the Cerberus cemetery.  The committee has been informed that these latter homes will likely impact directly on the 16th tee and the green nursery areas.  Once the boundaries of the new homes are confirmed and the full ramifications known, the committee will initiate alterations to the course layout as required.

Repeated Important – Commonwealth Lease Arrangements Set To Change

Many club members will recall me referring to the current Commonwealth Lease that licences the club to operate a golf course.  The current lease was due to expire at the end of January 2024 but this will no longer occur, due mainly to a recently initiated Defence Review of all commonwealth land being used for recreational purposes.  There are nine Defence golf courses in total.  Defence has advised that the current terms of our present lease agreement will be extended for up to one year.  Committee is still awaiting the findings of the review which was due to be completed by end of last year.   

Finally, on behalf of all committee I wish you great golfing during the year ahead!

Regards,

Steve Wright
President CGC

MESSAGE FROM THE LADY PRESIDENT

Happy New Year to all. everyone involved with Cerberus Golf Club.  We wish you all good health, happiness and great golfing scores in the year ahead.

Tuesday ladies competitions begin in earnest from the 23rd January with the beginning of the Birdie and Ferret competitions as well as the eclectic.  Entry into the competitions is through OneGolf Cerberus.

We have had very good numbers playing throughout our summer golf and look forward to building on this throughout the coming year.

Thank you to both Dave Hilet and Margot Smith for organizing our inaugural Tuesday Summer Mixed 2-Person Ambros Event held on the 2nd January 2024.  This event was well supported and judging by the comments everyone enjoyed the day.  Congratulations to Margot and Dave on winning the day.

Our next beginner ladies clinic will start on Monday 22nd January.  This clinic is limited to 5 people per group and will be ran fortnightly for three sessions.  Spaces are filling up quickly, and anyone thinking of giving golf a try should sign up as soon as possible.  For more information go to cerberusgolfclub.com.au.

Margaret Wright is once again our Bowls coordinator this year and has been rapidly sending texts for expression of interest into the many Bowls from our local area that is on offer to our lady members.  If you are interested in playing in any of these events, please respond to Margaret’s text so that teams can be chosen.  For our newer members these events are great fun with the benefit of getting to play on different courses within our district and meet new people.  To be part of a winning team is something we all aspire to.

I notice that the golf shop still has some of our official club shirts available, these are the aqua blue Shark brand polos and are the shirts that most wear when playing in district events.

Cherry Ridout is this year’s lunch roster coordinator and will be asking our Tuesday playing lady members to place their name on the lunch roster from next week.  If we all lend a hand here it means that we will all only need to do this twice a year, so your help would be much appreciated.

Our annual Men vs Ladies Day is scheduled for 18th February and the Rainbow Trophy Event for the 27th February.  These are both fun days and we would love to have full fields on both days so mark on your calendar so you don’t miss out.

We are looking forward to a great year of golf at Cerberus.

Regards,

Vicki Rynaard
Lady President CGC

MESSAGE FROM THE CLUB CAPTAIN

We are thankfully getting plenty of green fees players over the course during the summer period so there is plenty of divots and other damage present.  Committee would appreciate all members taking the time to repair divots in the fairway and rough areas, and also attending to ball pitch marks in the greens.  The tees are a further area that can show signs of wear.  So if your group is waiting some time for the group in front to putt out some well-directed sand/soil placed into the divots would assist to improve conditions.  Of course this repair work should not impede the flow of play but will assist in keeping our primary assets in good shape. 

Good weather conditions and the support of volunteers alongside Pat Foy and Dave Hackney enabled the completion of irrigation works on the 8th fairway.  Over the next few weeks members will witness the next phase of improvements that will see extended drainage channels placed in the 8th fairway.  It may take approximately three days to complete and members should anticipate some disruptions to normal golf.  All members would agree that the many projects conducted over recent years have certainly proved highly beneficial to the overall condition of the course and playing conditions.  How good is the left side of number 3 and the top of the 5th/14th fairways now?

Members are advised that program booklets for 2024 will be available shortly. 

Looking forward to a busy year of golf – good hitting. 

Regards,

Dave Hilet
Captain CGC

MESSAGE FROM THE CLUB MANAGER

The course has been nice and busy during the holiday season, which has been great to see.  I continue to get really positive feedback on the condition of our course from the many visitors who have enjoyed a round recently.  Well done to Pat, Dave and our volunteers on the way the course is presented on a daily basis – it is our biggest asset. 

We have welcomed several new members over the past month, some who will be joining us in competition play and others who are just enjoying social rounds.  Please join me in welcoming them to the club. 

Junior golf clinics will return on Sunday 4th February with the assistance of Instructor Jonathan McGee.  Places are limited and the program is best suited for kids ages between 8 – 14 years.  Please contact myself for more information. 

Current Golf Shop Specials:  $50 OFF the price of all New Balance Golf Shoes.  15% OFF all Footjoy Golf Shoes.  Polos ANY 2 for $89 from Rack.  Taylormade Premium Cart Bag $310.

See you all around the club.

Regards,

Danny Shine
Club Manager CGC

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