Author: cumberland

Pennant News

PENNANT NEWS

Major Pennant Report – Round 3 V Eastlake
 
Our round 3 match began on a chilly morning, with the team well aware of the formidable challenge posed by Eastlake.
 
The competition was intense from the outset, with both teams evenly matched on the front nine, each leading in three matches and one match squared. The high level of play continued into the back nine, initially favouring Cumberland. Sean Moylan secured a decisive 6&5 victory, while Peter Takla achieved a commanding 5&3 win.
 
Bailey Leafe, despite being five down, fought back to be square through 17 holes, only to lose to a birdie from the Eastlake player. Hayden Smith, trailing for most of his match, managed to square it in the end. Josh Russo, in a closely contested game, made a birdie on the 18th to win his match, bringing Cumberland’s total to 3 1/2 matches. Isaak Pemble, who was down for most of the round, needed a half on the 18th to secure victory for Cumberland. Unfortunately, the Eastlake player played an exceptional second shot and birdied the hole, resulting in a 1-up win for Eastlake.
 
The final result was a draw: Cumberland 3 1/2 – Eastlake 3 1/2.
 
The team extends heartfelt thanks to all the family, friends, and members who came out to support us; your presence is greatly appreciated.
 
Our next match is against Eastlake on Sunday, 23 February at Eastlake, with a tee-off at 7 am. As always, your support is invaluable, and we encourage you to come out and cheer on the team!
 
Individual results:
Isaak Pemble lost 1 down
Josh Madeleine lost 5&4
Josh Russo won 1 up
Hayden Smith Square
Peter Takla won 5&3
Bailey Leafe lost 1 down
Sean Moylan won 6&5
 
Matt Andrew
Manager

 

Women’s Grade Pennant – Round 1 at Woolooware V Mona Vale

A disappointing day for our ladies today both weather wise and golf wise. The result was a 4:1 loss to Mona Vale. Well done to Diane NAM on her 6:4 win.

Next week the team will play at Moore Park against Castle Hill. Good luck ladies!

February ENews

NEWSLETTER

Monday 3 February 2025

DEVELOPMENT RELATED GOLF COURSE WORKS

We are pleased to announce that following an extensive tender selection process the Board has appointed Flemming Golf as the company to undertake the Golf Course Enabling Development Works.  Flemming Golf is one of Australia’s leading golf course construction specialist contractors.  They have previously undertaken works at The Australian, Ellerston and Vintage Golf Clubs as well as courses in Queensland and Victoria.  We are in the process of finalising Contracts and Work Schedules so they will be ready to start the works once our DA is approved.

I want to thank Vice Captain Martin Smith and his team for the hours of work they put into the selection process.

BEER PRICE INCREASE

There has been a lot of talk in the media about yet another increase in beer prices expected for this month.  Our situation is that we are at the mercy of the government when they increase the excise on alcohol twice a year and then by how much breweries decide to pass on.  Trust me, it is never an easy decision for us to impose an increase.  We will wait and see what happens and make a decision that is in the best interests of the Club and Members.

DAMAGED NETTING

As you no doubt know, we incurred damage to both the 1st and 13th hole netting during recent storms.  Since the initial assessment, we were hit with a further windstorm that caused even more damage.  As a result, the damage bill has climbed to over $62,ooo and we are now waiting on an assessment of an insurance claim.  Due to the high number of claims from around the State we have no idea how long this will take but we will keep you updated when we get further information.

AUSTRALIAN FLAG

I want to thank Jeff McGeorge for donating the Australian Flag that is now mounted in the foyer.  This will be a permanent fixture and used for special events such as Diggers Day.

Following the introduction of the MiScore, the House and Finance Committees have been monitoring the affect the App may have had on players coming into the clubhouse after their round.  The data shows that there has been little to no change in bar sales since the App has been in use.  Of interest, there has been about a 70% take up of the App by members.

Strategic Planning:

In anticipation of our DA being approved and us having a new clubhouse, we are starting to look forward to what that might look like.  We are already working on layout plans for each of the clubhouse floors and would like to give members an opportunity to tell us what you would like to see, particularly in the new members lounge area.  Obviously, we will not be able to include everything, but we are open to all ideas as we continue with the planning process.  We will send you a survey shortly to ask for your ideas.

CAPTAIN’S REPORT

Members, happy New Year to you all.  I hope you all enjoyed a relaxing holiday period and more importantly enjoyed some good golf.  The first month of the year is done and dusted and scoring has been great!

Winners for January were as follows:

A Grade Medal (Guzzlers Cup) – Nathan Sarlog (12) 66

B Grade Medal – Nicholas Khouri (13) 65

C Grade Medal – Dru Gillan (28) 66

Summer Cup – Campbell Blue (5) 67

Australia Day Medal – Eric Kim (22) 41 & Leah Jin (23) 40

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Winners for February to date are:

A Grade Medal  –  Alani Piukala (6) 66

B Grade Medal (Guzzlers Cup) – David Martyn (18) 64

C Grade Medal – Lachlan Roser (36) 60

Congratulations to you all!

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The Major Pennant team have commenced their campaign for 2025. They celebrated a convincing 6-1 victory over Camden at Home.  The return match will be played Sunday the 9th of Feb.  I encourage you all to get out and support the team.

Upcoming Events
February will see some exciting changes to our playing schedule with the launch of the Cumberland Challenge Cup.  This is our version of the Fed Ex Cup with players who choose to opt in playing a designated round every month to accrue points.  The person with the most points at years end will be crowned the Cumberland Challenge Cup winner.  Entry is $75 and I wish you all the best of luck.

MiScore App
As our Vice-President has noted, since the introduction of MiClub golf, we have seen a very positive uptake in the use of the MiScore App. If you havn’t yet downloaded the app, please visit the guide in the online members portal or speak with any of our staff.

In addition to the 70% overall usage, Saturday’s are showing particularily strong usage, above 90% each week.

Since its introduction, there have been some questions from members about the app and how it is used. A few of those are listed below.

Using the App, I am submitting my own score. Is this allowed under the Rules of Golf?
Yes, in June 2023 the R&A announced that they had approved self-scoring to be permissible under the Rules of Golf. Whilst players are submitting their own score, the app still requires a score comparison in order to submit a score. Self-scoring also allows a redundancy for instances where a player within a group abandons their game mid-round.

Can the app be used as a measuring device?
Absolutely! In your App settings, navigate to Location Settings and ensure that they are enabled. Make sure you also do this in your phone’s device settings. Once both are enabled, the distance to the centre of the green will appear in the top right-hand corner for each hole.

How can I improve my phones battery life when using the app?
Try setting your device to ‘Low Power Mode’. Closing other apps in the background will also help preserve battery life. Otherwise, ensure you are fully charged prior to play or carry a power bank or solar charger device to charge your device as you play.

If you have any other questions regarding the App’s functionality, please speak with office staff.

Course update

· Freshwater dam on the 12th is at 90% capacity.  The 2nd dams are at 50% capacity, while the 5th dam is at 80% capacity.

· The New Year weather has been unique, with 112 mm of rain received during the month, with evening storms increasing.  Is La Nina coming back?

· The humid weather has seen an increase in fungi activity, with the green staff addressing it through the use of a chemical program.

It is disappointing that some members continue to disrespect their fellow members and the course by not repairing their pitch marks.  The golfing gods are watching you.

Course Enabling Works

The Tender Review Committee has now forensically examined each Course Enabling Works tender and assessed each against a weighting structure of cost, timing and capability. Each of the tenders submitted was professional prepared and each met the requirements.

As Chair of the Committee, I wish to thank each company that submitted a tender and also my panel members for their time and energy in assessing.  Each company had merit and capacity to undertake the works and while there was varying consideration to award the contract to any of them.  The Board has had an opportunity to review the Tender Committee’s recommendation, the successful tenderer is Flemming Golf.

Work is forecast to commence April 2025 subject to Development Approval.  The construction period is framed around 7 months plus a 4 month grow in period.  Meaning the new course may be in play by the first half of 2026.

In a staged program, construction will begin with the new creek on 2, followed by fairway earth works on the existing 4th, the expansion of the 9th dam, works will then begin shaping of the 4 new USGA greens.  These will then be seeded with Bent grass and grown in.  The Committee is investigating a number of new bunker liner bases, more to come on this in the coming months.

Did you know

Golf Australia has recently released their annual Participation report, interesting facts to note:

· National membership number across Australia for 2023/2024 is reported at 459,143 an increase of 5.6% from 2022/2023

· Membership in NSW across metropolitan and regional club grew by 5.6%

· Average age of membership has decreased in men to 54.9 years and in women 65.3 years

· The number of competition rounds has increased since 2021/2022 by 9.4%

· Average competition rounds per member increased in 2023/2024 to 30.9 an increase of 7.3%

In summary, the game of golf is growing.  Some pundits argue this is with the increased presence of YouTube and simulation golf.  Whatever is the contributing factors golf; is a game for all ages, genders and personalities.

LADIES PRESIDENT REPORT

We finished the 2024 season on a very pleasant and happy note with our Christmas lunch. A noisy affair, (which I hope was an indication of the enjoyment of all those present.)  Thank you to Andrew and the Harmony team for providing such a great meal.  It received many compliments.

I hope all our lady members had an enjoyable festive season with their family and friends.

Also thank to our friendly Pro-shop staff, office and bar staff people, for so gracelessly facilitating all our varied needs, thought the year and again, we have no doubt in this coming year. You are much appreciated.

Well, we certainly commenced 2025 in style with the hottest day for many a long time.  My car, as I drove home registered 45*.  Ladies, we must certainly love our golf!!  Or are we mad??

The course, despite the challenging and weird recent weather conditions tis looking great. Thank you Matt and the ground staff.

Best wishes to those ladies who have put their names forward to represent Cumberland in the various upcoming Pennant competitions. We wish you luck.

Thank you to those ladies who have offered to help, in no matter what capacity to facilitate the smooth running of our Tuesday comp and special event days.

I look forward to continuing to work with my fellow committee members, Tracey and Trish in the upcoming year.

For 2025, my hope and wish for all our members is that it is, a year of enjoyment, camaraderie, friendship, good scores, no matter what our handicap maybe, fine weather, and good health.

Good luck everyone. May 2025 be a good one for one and all.

Barbara Cocks
Lady President

LADY CAPTAIN’S REPORT

Our return to regular Tuesday Ladies competition golf on 28/1 was met with a 42 degree scorcher. Well done to all the ladies for battling on through the heat, and I’m sure you were glad it was an Ambrose event.

Ladies Pennants is about to commence for 2025, with Women’s Grade starting on Friday 14/2. The first match is at Woolooware GC against Monavale. Good luck ladies!

Our Grade squad for this year is-

Soon Lee, Eunmi Pyun, Jessica Kim, Diane Nam, Won Kim, Grace Kim

SuJin Yoo, KunJa Kim, Maria Golden (Team Captain)

Western Districts I pennant also commences this month. The first game is at Oak Point GC against Stonecutters Ridge on Friday 21/2.

The Western Districts I squad is –

Won Je Joo, Helen Cho, Rosa Oh, Seo Jeong Park, Tricia Johnston

Monica Lee, Jane Lavercombe

Good luck to both teams and hoping it’s a very successful year for Cumberland Ladies Pennants.

Wishing our 2024 Ladies Club Champion Soon Lee all the best as she represents Cumberland in the GolfNSW Champion of Champions event at Manly GC on Monday 3/2.

Tracey Hilton
Ladies Captain

Hello again viewers and welcome to 2025 at Banners Golf.

Wow – what a summer it has been with the new Callaway Elyte range now INSTORE and the Taylormade Qi35 along with it.  These two clubs are almost too hot to handle with amazing ball speeds and feel and already a huge tour presence for both clubs.

Fitting days are our focus this month with plenty to choose from.  Starting this Thursday with a Scotty Cameron and Vokey wedge fitting day from Titleist.  We have Ping on the 21st and Callaway on the 28th.  Next month both Taylormade and Mizuno are scheduled.  Make sure you book in quickly for all or any of these as spots are limited and filling fast.

Also, back instore we have a full range of golf balls from Callaway and Taylormade with some models having previously been sold out, 2025 sees both companies launching updated versions of their extremely popular Supersoft and TP5 golf balls.

A huge congratulations to our newest active Professional trainee Luke McSweeney who is doing us proud – make sure you give him your best when you see him as a couple of very positive early results bode well for a great year.

Tip of the month comes from the Feb birthday boy Myo who says –

If you are going to buy a new driver or clubs, make sure you get fitted.  We are all getting older and our physiques and swing characteristics certainly change over time.  Just because you could launch a stiff flex 3 iron back in 1987 doesn’t mean that club or that clubfit have any relevance to your game today.  Take advantage of the great fitting services for all manufacturers and get the right clubs in your hands! Thanks birthday boy Myo.

For any of your golfing needs call into the Pro Shop and talk to our friendly staff.Joanne, Matthew, Myo, Luke, Alex and the Juniors

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Thank You To all Our Sponsors for their support!

CUMBERLAND COUNTRY GOLF CLUB
248 Old Prospect Road,
Greystanes NSW 2145

Phone: +61 2 9631 0688
+61 2 9631 0111
Web: www.cumberlandgolf.com.au

A Message from Management – Nets Update

Transition to MiClub Golf

Dear Member,

Our new look and feature filled golf operation system will be available for practice from 31/10/2024 – 4/11/2024. Club management and staff have commenced training on the new system. This new ‘MiClub’ Online golf system is in use by over 640 clubs in Australia including, Royal Sydney GC, Riverside Oaks GC, Castle Hill GC, and Muirfield GC.

The new online golf system can be accessed through the Cumberland Country Golf Club website or by selecting the below link:

https://cumberland.miclub.com.au/security/login.msp

1. Logging on
Your username is your member number and your new temporary password is currently set to your birth day and month (e.g. “0705” for 7 May). Please contact the club if you have any problems with the initial login. Once logged on you will be prompted to change your password. Your new password must be a minimum of 7 characters including 1 lowercase letter, 1 uppercase letter, 1 number and 1 special character and cannot contain your username/member number. This password format is essential for the Club to provide a secure system for our users.
If you experience any trouble logging in to the new portal, please contact the Club office ASAP.
2. Update your details
When you first login please update your member details. In particular phone numbers and email address. This will greatly assist the club in keeping all members information up to date.Members will have the ability to search each other in the “Members Directory”, however all infomration is kept private unless a member opts to show their contact details.

3. Members page
Once logged onto the site you will be taken to your own personal welcome page. The home page will have ‘posts’ which you can view to see how some features work e.g. playing partners list.On this page you will see your contact details, a link to your golf bookings, golf competition results, a playing partner’s setup instructional post and a general Club notice board. From this screen you will also be able to navigate around the complete site including many pages which are only available to members of the club.

Members will also have access to a ‘My Information’ page which gives members access to live competition leaderboards, past competition results as well as ‘MiStats’ which tracks the performance of each member in competition play. This feature will display the members best and worst holes as well as birdie, par and bogey percentages.
4. New Online Timesheet System
Once logged in, navigate to the Timesheets area by clicking on ‘Bookings’ which will appear in the accordion menu on the left or via the ‘Members’ drop down option at the top.Practice timesheets are available on the new member’s online booking facility from 31/10/2024 – 4/11/2024. These practice timesheets exist for practice bookings only.

Please be aware that the first timesheet with the new system will be for Wednesday 13/11/2024. This timesheet will open for bookings on 5/11/2024 at 5pm on the clubhouse kiosks and 8pm online in the new members portal.

Timesheets exist for every day, please be sure to book, to avoid disappointment. Any course closures and or fixtures changes will be updated on the website.

Similar to making a booking, members can also delete their booking by selecting the red cross next to their name on the timesheet. It will remain the members responsibility to delete themselves for anytime timesheet as soon as they are aware that they are unable to play.

5. Timesheet Changeover Period
Timesheets up until 12/11/2024 will be booked via the existing system / method.Timesheets from 13/11/2024 onwards will be booked and processed via the new MiClub system.

6. Reminder Emails
Once active, the new live booking system will automatically send email reminders 48 hours prior to any golf booking. If you cannot play at this booked time, please remove yourself ASAP to allow an opportunity for another member to play.
7. MiScore App

With the implementation of the MiClub golf system we will also see the introduction of the MiScore App.

The MiScore app is now available for use for members. The Club has purchased a club subscription that allows members to use the MiScore app at the club at no charge. The MiScore app is available for use in both competition and social play. Please note that should you wish to use the MiScore app at other courses, then a user subscription would need to be purchased.

The MiScore app offers a number of features including:

  • Scoring as a club member or registered visiting player in authorised club competitions
  • Score social rounds at over 500 Australian golf courses.
  • Measure distance with the interactive GPS map at any registered venue.
  • Monitor pace of play with the MiScore round timer View live competition leaderboards
  • Track player statistics from competition events

For all subscribers, direct technical support is available via the main App interface.

Members can use the following links to access guides on how to download and operate the MiScore App. In person assistance will also be available to members on the go-live day 13/11/2024 and ongoing via Club staff.

Download & Install Guide
Create App Profile
Club Subscription Guide for Members

8. Additional Notes

  • You may have the old booking system book marked / saved on your browser. Ensure you delete it and book mark / save the new system.
  • When you login for the first time, please update your password and save it or make note of it. (It is required to be a minimum or seven characters with a combination of at least one lower case letter, one upper case letter, one number, one symbol, and cannot contain your username / member number.)

Whilst we anticipate a smooth transition to MiClub, the change to any new system can experience some “teething issues”. We remain committed to supporting our members and staff throughout this transition period. Should you encounter any challenges or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Club.

We thank you for your understanding and patience during this time. We are confident that MiClub will enhance our club’s golf operations and member experience in the long run.

Regards,
Matthew Lamerton
Operations Manager

 

Development Update – Construction of Temporary Greens

Dear Members,

I am happy to advise that the first construction works to facilitate the development are about to commence. As many of you are aware, we are embarking on an exciting journey to enhance our course and clubhouse, and I am thrilled to share an important update with you.

Construction of the temporary greens is set to commence on April 2nd. Once completed these greens will allow for uninterrupted 18 holes of play during the course enabling works.

These temporary greens will be located on the 2nd, 4th, 9th, and 18th holes and are indicated on the Map below.

During the construction phase and until the temporary greens are ready for play, it’s essential to note that the areas occupied by these temporary greens will be designated as compulsory ground under repair (GUR). This designation ensures the safety and fairness of play during this transitional period.

During construction of these greens, our spare Lake Johnson hole and temporary course ratings will be utilised. These adjustments are necessary to maintain the integrity and quality of your golfing experience throughout the development process.

We understand that these changes may bring some adjustments to your regular game, but we assure you that every effort is being made to minimise disruptions and ensure a seamless transition. Your patience and understanding during this time are greatly appreciated as we work towards creating an even better golfing environment for all our members.

Please stay tuned for further updates as construction progresses. Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm for our club’s growth and improvement.

Martin Smith
Chairman of Greens

Development Update – Golf Course Enabling Works

Dear Members,

With the latest news, our development partner Partier are on the eve of lodging a Development Application for the Independent Living Units. I thought I should take some time to highlight the pending changes to our current 2nd, 4th, 5th, 9th and 18th holes. These changes are displayed in the Clubhouse as well as in the body of this newsletter.

The back nine will commence on the existing 6th, there is no change to this hole. On completion of the hole, you will wander down to the new 11th hole, which is situated behind the new 14th.

The new 11th is the combination of part of the current 4th and 5th holes. It will traverse around the big gum which currently cohabitates with the fairway bunker on the existing 4th and then you will trek down to the area where the current 5th green is situated. The dam will be slightly enlarged, and the green side dam wall raised and beautified.

The cart path currently adjacent to the green will be removed to allow the green to flow into the dam. The path repositioned on the left of the green, will provide an access to the 12th (existing 2nd hole) which will remain as is but will have a small creek installed at the base of the gully heading up to the green. The creek in part is an architectural design feature but also to weatherproof the course in that area. As we all saw in the big wet of 2022, this area was impassable. On playing the hole, players will need to decide on the reward for risk aspect when approaching the shot into the green.

The 14th hole is utilising the first third of the existing 4th hole and has been designed with a small pond protecting the front left-hand side of the green. This pond will be the water source for the wee burn that will flow across the gully on our existing 2nd. The long hitters will question, reward for risk at 290 metres. There will be a number of ways to play this hole. The green will slope back to front and will have bunkering at the rear to catch any long shots.
The existing 9th will be shaped into two holes. The first a par 4 measuring 307 metres played from the existing 9th tees, the green will be guarded by strategically placed bunkers.

Utilising the remaining parts of the existing 9th hole, the new 18th will be across the enlarged dam, measuring 129 metres and protected by the dam and bunkers at the rear. The design incorporates a bail out zone located on the right for those not wanting to take on the water.

The clubhouse terrace will be situated between the 9th and 18th greens, so expect many an afternoon cheering as players challenge the 18th hole across the great expanse of water.

The new 9th will be played from the existing 18th tee and the new hole will play 449 metres. The existing 18th green will be relocated and new bunkers created.

The Par for the new course when opened will be 70 and will measure 5532 metres or 6050 yards. The course will see several dams enlarged, a new pond, new bunkers and 3 new USGA standard greens built. The course’s make up will be 3 x par 5’s, 10 x par 4’s, and 5 x par 3’s. The final design will be subject to approval under a Development Application.

In the first half of 2024, work will commence on the construction of the temporary greens required to ensure we have a full 18 hole golf course during the Course Enabling works.

Temporary Course Design in Three Stages

There will be some disruption to the course over the period of the enabling works, and all efforts will be undertaken to provide members an enjoyable experience while we transition to the new course.

Preparations are now underway to build the four (4) temporary greens so the enabling works can commence once the Development Application is approved.

Stage 1 – Par 71
A new temporary green is to be constructed on the 2nd fairway prior to the rise leading to the existing green, to enable the trenching of the wee burn. The hole will play as a Par 4. The construction of the wee burn is highlighted in green and blue.
Stage 2 – Par 68
A new temporary green is to be situated on 9th fairway prior to the dip, to enable the construction works to commence on Lake Johnson. The 18th will play as a par 5, the constructions zone is highlighted in colour.
Stage 3 – Par 64

New temporaries constructed on the 4th and 18th fairway, to enable the construction works on the existing 4th and 5th holes to be undertaken. The temporary on the 2nd to be reinstated and a par 3 to the existing 2nd green created. The 5th hole will play as a par 3, the shorten 6th hole will be played as a par 3. The 9th will play as a par 4 and on finishing the hole, players will walk across to the shorten 10th hole as indicated by the blue dotted line. The construction zone is highlighted in colour.

The Board wish to thank you for your patience and engagement as we watch the future of Cumberland Country Golf Club develop.

Martin Smith
Chairman of the Greens Committee
On behalf of the Board of Directors
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