The Directors and Staff of Jamberoo Golf Club wish a very merry Christmas to all our members and their loved ones and wish you good health, blessings & happiness in 2024.
The 16th hole.
As we were in the lead up to Xmas the opportunity presented itself to lodge a grant application to rebuild the retaining wall on the 16th hole. Two problems, time (3 weeks) to get the grant application lodged was short, and without a DA either approved or lodged, an application would be rejected.
Luke Oborn came to the fore offering to get the application done if we could get the DA lodged, with quotes and other supporting documentation done. As I have reported previously, we have consultants engaged to work with a Board sub-committee on preparing a staged DA to cover a multitude of works and improvements identified in our Masterplan process. Fortunately, the required survey work and a geotechnical report had already been done related to these works and with a little bit of pressure Glenn Debnam, Plannex, and Ashley Bond, Principal engineer footprint were on board and a DA lodged just a few hours ahead of the closing time on the grant application on 18 December 2023 (thanks Glenn and Ashley).
To Luke’s dismay when he lodged the grant application it was rejected as ineligible (no DA)!! There was a timing issue, a few frantic phone calls and our access was restored and the grant application relodged. Phew!! Many thanks Luke.
The DA seeks approval to rebuild the retaining wall as well as some ancillary works including the raising of the eastern end of the bridge, cleaning out of the 16th and 17th dams, and the construction of a cart path from the western end of the bridge up to the 17th tee estimated cost $150,000.
Other Course/Club News:
Applications for tree removals and pruning have been submitted to Council.
Neil Lewis has been appointed as a full time groundsman. Neil is a very keen golfer and a good clubman, he had been working part time. Welcome aboard Neil as part of our full-time staff.
While on recruitment we have been endeavoring to find an apprentice greenkeeper, unsuccessfully to date. If anyone knows of someone who may be a potential candidate, please contact one of our Board members.
Young Quincy Crockford has taken over cart cleaning, after school Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Welcome Quincy.
Golf Australia is changing its provider of handicapping services and as a consequence the Slice system (our golf management software) will be shutting down sometime in the new year and we will have to move to a new system. The Board is still researching and analysing the various options and costs/benefits.
The 4th hole lease area is still a work in progress, and I hope to progress this matter early in the new year.
Finally, as I raised on the deck at yesterday’s post vets Xmas barbecue, Jamberoo Golf Club is a ‘NOT FOR PROFIT’ club averaged over a period of years we look to ‘BREAK EVEN’. To provide a well-run club at the cheapest possible rate to our members is the goal and in doing this we rely heavily on the input of our members as volunteers (shop, footgolf, gardens, working bees, bar attendees, grant applications etc.). Board members are also volunteers responsible for management of the club. If you have skills, that may be useful, a willingness to get in and help please let me or one of our board members know of your availability.
Board members and volunteers provide a free and valuable service to your club, to your benefit. We are not above criticism, but please be respectful and polite in raising any concerns. What’s that quote “any fool can criticize, complain and condemn and they usually do” Dale Carnegie I think, is apt. To the contrary in the true spirit of Xmas and community take the time to say thank you to staff, volunteers and board members, they appreciate it and it sustains them.
To all members, Board members, staff, and volunteers I wish you all a merry and safe Xmas and new year.
Phil Hahn, President
