News

December ENews

NEWSLETTER

Wednesday 18 December 2024

SANTA VISITS CUMBERLAND

Last Sunday we had a special visit from Santa and his helpers so some of our members kids could come along and have a photo and receive a Christmas present from the man himself

Our club will provide the photos to the respective families free of charge

BOARD UPDATE:

With recent changes to the Board, we have decided to fill the vacant position by appointing Gary Stephens as our new Director.  He has been appointed under section 35.3 of our Constitution and will hold the position until our next elections in July 2025.

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Gary brings a wealth of experience to the Board having previously served as Captain of Fox Hills Golf Club and as a Director of the Seven Hills RSL.  Since joining Cumberland, he has represented and captained our Warren Pennant Team. His inclusion further broadens the experience and knowledge base of our Board of Directors and we look forward to his contribution.

DIGGERS DAY                                                                                    

Once again, we had a very successful Diggers Day raising $7000 for the worthy cause of Legacy.  Although they couldn’t play on the day we had a pleasant surprise visit from two former members of the Diggers Day Committee, Gordon Timmins and Frank Jackson.  A lot of new faces including two current navy service personnel who have vowed to return next year with a team of sailors.

A big thank you to the kitchen and bar staff especially to Josh and Lachlan who were rostered on the outdoor beer stations due to RSA requirements.  However, a special thank you goes to our volunteers who gave of their time to make the day a huge success, Patrick Pepin, Les O’Neill, Jeff McGeorge and John Kenyon.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR CEO AND TO OUR OPERATIONS MANAGER

Earlier this month we attended the NSW Golf Industry Awards and we’re very proud to say that our Operations Manager Matthew Lamerton received the Future Leaders Scholarship.  It was a very competitive field and the award is a great credit to Matt as an acknowledgement of his commitment to our club and the golfing industry in general.

In another piece of good news, our CEO Andrew Laplain has been announced as the Club Manager Association of Australia 2025 Bursary Recipient.

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How good is it for a club of our status to have our CEO, Operations Manager and Head Professional, all acknowledge through various awards as leaders in their field.  Well done.

As we approach the end of yet another challenging year, I reflect on the achievements for 2024.  We continued to address the seemingly endless requirements for our development approval with countless meetings, briefings, reports and written responses to various agencies and authorities.  I don’t think we could have done any more to give it the best chance for approval, so now we wait for an outcome.  Despite the challenges of weather, increased costs for goods and services etc. we continue to maintain a strong financial position, a quality course and all looks good for the future.

I am really encouraged by the continuous comments I hear about the quality of our course from members and visitors alike.  I know we are the envy of a lot of other clubs and this is a credit to our Management, Greens Committee and of most of all Matt Turner and his Course Staff.  All other parts of our operation are also doing a great job and I refer to our CEO, his Bar and Admin Team, the other Andrew and his team in the Restaurant and of course Joanne and her excellent team in the Pro Shop.  Thank you all.

I also want to acknowledge my fellow Directors and say it’s a pleasure to lead such a committed team.  Much of their work goes unnoticed but I can assure you the commitment to governance and strategic focus of this group is as good as any I’ve seen.

Finally I want to again thank you, the members, for your support of our club.  You make it a great club to be part of.

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On behalf of the Board may I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Merry Christmas members!! I’d like to say thank you to everyone who wished me well in my new role as Captain. It means a lot to me to be so well supported by you all.

Congratulations to Lee Dunks who took out this year’s Medal of Medals. Lee returned a score of net 70 to be crowned this year’s Champion.

The Major Pennant has been selected with the following players representing the Club for the 2025 season

Josh Russo (Captain)
Isaak Pemble
Chris George
Adrian Welsh
Sean Moylan
Hayden Smith
Josh Madeline
Bailey Leafe
Liam Sherry
Peter Takla

The competition kicks off February 2. Our opponents this year are Royal Sydney, East Lakes and Camden. Our team is always well supported and I’m sure this year will be no different.

I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you all a safe, happy and prosperous new year!!

Did you Know?

The average number of ball marks made on a green per round is 8 per golfer. Assuming only 130 rounds are played each day at Cumberland, our greens receive 1040 impressions daily. 31000 per month and more than 374 000 per year.  And you’re wondering how to make a putt under these conditions.  Please do your best to remember to repair your ball marks when on the course.

Course update

Temporary greens cutting height have been further reduced and are now being mown at 6 mm.

The Poa Anna (winter grass) in our greens is adapting to the current change of season, which has been visually noticeable lately as the germination of the plant appears on the greens (Seed heads are light green to whitish).  Our plan remains constant and to manage this grass variety however this plant is a cunning one and our strategy will need revision constantly.  The current strategy is to live in harmony with Poa Anna as have some of the best courses in the world.

Notables

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

Treatments are ongoing on all dams to reduce surface algae; the 9th dam continues to show evidence to the success of this program.

November’s weather has been constant, and only 55 mm of rain was received during the month, however evening storms are to increase. BOM has indicated a warmer but wetter summer season than 2023.  Suggest we all slip and slop and slap in preparation for all varieties of weather.

Course Enabling Works

In the coming months, I will again provide an update on the makeup of the 3 temporary courses and the playing program during the Course Enabling Works construction.  With the introduction of MI Score, the ability to set competitions on each variation of course is a simple process.

Lastly, I’d like to acknowledge and thank the Ladies Gardening club who each Friday attend to areas of the course that sometimes go unloved.  Your work does not go unnoticed, Thank you.

Merry Christmas and Happy Golfing            

LADIES PRESIDENT REPORT

Since the AGM we’ve had a couple of successful events with our Hams Day in November and our Last Day when Santa Claus paid a visit to the Course.

Our Christmas Luncheon had 91 ladies booked in and a great day was enjoyed by all.

The Ladies Committee would like to wish all members a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  We hope to see all our Lady Members in the new year for more fun times at Cumberland.

Merry Christmas

Barbara Cocks

Lady President

LADY CAPTAIN’S REPORT

As we wrap up another golfing year for the Ladies, November has been full of celebrations and great golf.

Congratulations to the 2024 Ladies Matchplay Champions.

Division 1 – Won Kim

Division 2 – Hyun Joo Jung

Division 3 – Lisa Kim

Our Christmas Hams Day on 26 November was a big success, despite the intense heat keeping our field numbers to lower than usual. Well done ladies for getting into the Christmas spirit! Congratulations to all the winners!

The Nett winners – Jenny Choi, Angela Shim, Susan Lee & Won Ye Joo – 96 points

The Scratch winners – Phyllis Angus, Diane Morgan, Nell McDonald & Rhonda Magnar – 42 points

Runner up Nett – Monica Lee, So Young Lee, Jinny Jeon & Tracey Hilton (as swinger) – 94 c/b points

2nd Runner up Nett – Lisa Hong, Jin Choi, Myoung Soon Yoo & Soon Ok Kweon  – 94 points

Merry Christmas wishes!

Tracey Hilton

Ladies Captain

Wishing you a Merry Christmas !

From everyone here at Banners Golf, we hope you have a joyful and relaxing festive season.

Thank you for your continued support and we can’t wait to see you in the New Year.

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

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

 

Pennant News

PENNANT NEWS

Cumberland Junior Pennant Report
Sunday 3 November vs Massey Park at Campbelltown
Cumberland 3.5 – Massey Park 2.5
 
Looking to bounce back from last week’s loss to competition-favourites Campbelltown, the boys travelled to a hot and muggy Campbelltown to take on Massey Park in Round 4 of the Junior Pennant season.
 
Through 15 holes, the team was up in five of the six matches, prompting a late surge from the Massey Park squad. Fortunately, the early hard work paid off and it was enough to secure a well-deserved victory.
 
As has been the trend for most of the year, the final result was incredibly close, with Cumberland winning 3.5 to 2.5.
 
Gabriel, despite being down at the turn, fought back valiantly to secure half a point for the team. Riley, unfortunately, peaked a week early and couldn’t replicate his great 8&7 win against Campbelltown at Pennant Hills.
 
Kudos to Angus, who displayed great character in his courageous yet dominating win. Edwin played strongly and fought hard all day but regrettably fell victim to the treacherous 18th hole.
 
Roger was his usual charismatic self, chatting and laughing with his playing partners all day, reminding us all that the objective of the game is to have fun. Harry seized the rare opportunity to play scratch matchplay against his opponent, delivering a commanding win.
 
Individual results were:
 
Riley lost 2&1
Harry won 4&3
Roger won 3&2
Angus won 5&4
Gabriel halved match
Edwin lost 1 down
 
The season has now effectively concluded as this Sunday our team has a Bye. With no points awarded for Bye rounds, the team will finish on 2 points, currently sitting 2nd out of 5 teams.
 
While they can’t make the finals, the boys should be incredibly proud of their achievements this year. It has been an honour managing such a great squad.
 
Thank you to all of the parents and supporters who came out to cheer the boys on throughout the season; it is greatly appreciated.
 
Special thanks also to the Cumberland administration and Board, Joanne Bannerman, and Matt Andrew, for their unwavering support.
 
Josh Russo
Team 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

Meet Our Staff

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Jeff McManus started as an apprentice at Cumberland Country Golf Club straight from school in 1992.
Jeff completed his Turf Horticulture certificate lll and progressed to become third in charge and for the past 8 years Jeff has held the position of Assistant Superintendent.

July 22nd, 2016

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2nd Green Bunkers
Shaping of the bunkers is almost complete. Unfortunately 38 mm of rain this week has slowed progress. Drainage, Bidum cloth and sand will be added to the rear bunker next week. Bidum cloth is a fabric that helps to stop clay particles infiltrating the bunker sand.

Meet Our Staff

matthewMatthew Lewis joined Cumberland Country Golf Club as an apprentice in 2012. Matthew, along with 4 other apprentices from other New South Wales Clubs were interviewed to compete for the NSWGCSA Apprentice of the Year. We are extremely proud of Matthew’s achievements.

He is currently completing the Certificate IV in Sports turf Management.

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