Your update on what's happening at Cooroy Golf club
Issue 1 - January 2023
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CLUB VISION
More people playing more golf at Cooroy in the Noosa Hinterland enjoying the most memorable golfing and social experience.
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CLUB MISSION
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We provide a distinctive golfing, recreational and social experience as part of the sporting, tourism, and cultural experience of the Noosa Hinterland.
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2023 - A YEAR OF EXCITING PROSPECTS
As we start a new year it is appropriate to introduce the new Management Committee.
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President: Keith Harkins
Vice President: Peter Piggott
Secretary: Jeff McDonald
Finance Director: Rod Booth
House Director: Andrew Dick
Greens Director: Grathan Leatherbarrow
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As you read through this update you will see we have a very busy start to 2023.
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Cooroy Golf Club has a long tradition of getting work done through volunteer effort. That tradition continues today. We have a very active group of volunteers assisting in all areas of operations. There are opportunities for volunteers to learn new skills so don’t be surprised to see ‘volys’ operating sophisticated machinery - ask Garry Menyweather about the experience but don’t mention the wheel.
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We are always looking to add to our pool of volunteers so if you are interested speak to Warren or Peter Piggott. Volunteering is very rewarding.
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GEMLIFE PROJECT UPDATE
As you may be aware Noosa Council rejected the GemLife Development Application to construct a seniors' living community on vacant land adjacent to the golf course and deliver to the Cooroy Golf Club a new golf clubhouse and associated facilities. The project provides significant benefits for Cooroy Golf Club.
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GemLife appealed the decision. Since then the matter has been going through an intensive appeals process in preparation for a hearing by the Appeals Court. The matter is expected to be listed for hearing in April 2023.
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We are organising information sessions for members in February and early March to bring you up to date on the latest position and designs. More details shortly. The project is about securing the future of Cooroy Golf Club so we strongly encourage members to attend and actively participate in these sessions.
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At the conclusion of these sessions, we will call a Special General Meeting of members in mid-March 2023 to vote on the latest position and designs.
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We have engaged a lawyer of our choice to provide specialist advice and assistance with documentation, with that cost to be borne by GemLife.
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GemLife has reconfirmed its commitment to The Club to deliver the project subject to Court approval.
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If you want to follow court progress click on the button below.
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NOOSA DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL
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The engagement with Noosa District High School continues to produce positive outcomes with very good feedback from the school and parents.
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When you speak to Warren you are left in no doubt about his enthusiasm for green-keeping. The positive reaction from a group of students to a talk by Warren was not surprising with several putting their hand up to participate in work experience and expressing interest in the school-based Traineeship Program planned for this year.
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The students involved all display a good work ethic and willingness to learn. It is very satisfying for staff and volunteers to see the students develop and learn through active participation in course and other work. This is a very important initiative for the club.
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HOUSE ACTIVITIES
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The Christmas period is a busy time for the staff with breakup functions, the Club Christmas party and of course the influx of holidaymakers and locals looking for a game of golf. This holiday period was our busiest ever.
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During the year groups play on different days with little opportunity to interact with each other. This year, for the first time since COVID, we returned to the tradition of a ‘club Xmas party’ where all members get together and have some fun. A twilight chipping contest on the 18th added a bit of a competitive edge.
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A shout out to the clubhouse staff as their job is quite varied from handling golf bookings, getting social players on the course, cart hire, bar work, bistro food, stock deliveries, cleaning and looking after the clubhouse, new membership, and lots more.
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The cart boys are also an important cog in the service wheel and are there every day cleaning and making sure the carts are all charged and ready to go for the next day.
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We are relocating the smoking area from the veranda to the garden which will allow better utilisation of the veranda area for patrons to sit and relax.
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FINANCIALS
Good weather and very strong visitor activity saw our best holiday period trading for many years. The first six months of the 2023 financial year produced an overall profit of ~$193,000, a profit in each month bar one, and a net increase in cash of ~$45,000. We had $479,307 in the bank at the end of December 2022.
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As expected the holiday season activity is slowing but with the momentum of golf participation post-pandemic and 2022 weather events forecast to continue we are cautiously optimistic for 2023 notwithstanding the challenging economic climate.
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The strong financial performance and an improved cash position allow us to progress important course improvement initiatives.
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The management Committee recently signed off a review of the 2022-2023 Course Plan and Budget which lays out priorities and improvement initiatives for the first six months of 2023.
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Maintenance: $143,200 (29.7%)
Improvement Initiatives: $114,100 (23.7%)
Employment Costs: $224,200 (46.6%)
Approved Operational Budget: $481,500
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Approved Capital Budget: $90,207
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Fertilising fairways relies on timing the activity to coincide with rain making the process uncertain and difficult to plan. Acquisition of a new travelling irrigator allows course staff to better control fairway watering and fertilising and reduces the extent of staff involvement. The irrigator runs on a stainless steel wire and turns itself off at the end of a preset run freeing up staff for other work. After the extensive wet of last year, we may be heading into a dry spell so the irrigator will be invaluable.
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The selected Improvement Initiatives support the following priorities:
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- Weatherproof the course as far as practical
- Upgrade staff and volunteer work environment and amenity facilities
- Lower the cost of course maintenance
- Course aesthetics and playability program
- Tree Management Plan
CONCRETE CART PATH and BRIDGE UPGRADE PROGRAM
A Government Grant of $59,200 provides funding to upgrade to concrete cart paths with the objective of reducing the need for cart restrictions during wet weather. The expected annual income of ~$8,000 from Course Cart Usage fees supplements the Grant and adds to the extent of the concrete cart path we can complete.
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The priority is a concrete cart path between the 2nd and 16th with extensive drainage to move water away from the area and through the profile during weather events. The path will connect to a new concrete cart path at the 3rd tee. If we get a dry spell concrete cart paths can ease wear and tear on fairways.
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The program will look at the feasibility of installing new bridges on the 7th and 15th to better handle traffic in this area.
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Budget permitting, the program will include a concrete cart path from the 1st Tee staging area to the new cart path and bridge at the water culvert crossing the 18th fairway. The new path will service both the 1st and 18th.
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GREEN KEEPERS PRECINCT
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Significant changes are happening in the Green Keepers Precinct.
A new staff and volunteers amenities building incorporating a lunch room, office and covered deck has been approved. The building will be fully fitted out thanks to the generosity of Orchard Joinery. If you need a custom solution to fit your individual joinery needs, whether it be something for your kitchen, bathroom or office, have a word with Jeremy Orchard at 0409 392 252.
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The layout of the existing greenkeepers shed is being reorganised to provide a dedicated workshop and maintenance area and a more efficient flow of machines in and out of the shed.
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Volunteer Tony Foster is providing dedicated maintenance support to keep our fleet running in good working order. We have just provided Tony with new coveralls because the ones he used before he retired have shrunk and don’t quite fit anymore. Implementation of MEX asset management and maintenance tracking software is allowing us to better manage and schedule maintenance work.
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A new covered concrete pad will provide a machinery wash-down facility as well as an outside machinery maintenance area.
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Security is being upgraded in the Precinct.
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TEE IDENTITY PROJECT
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The player shelter at the 4th Tee is undergoing a major transformation. The paving work is complete thanks to Grant Smallacombe.
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The Landscaping Team led by Grathan Leatherbarrow will shortly add gardens to the area around the shelter. Another team led by Gary Menyweather will clean and paint the shed and accessories. We are in discussion with the Noosa District High School Arts Group about designing and painting a themed mural on the storage shed behind the 4th Tee.
The creek area around the 4th tee, 3rd green and crossover to the 5th tee is visually very attractive and home to a diverse array of flora, fauna and aquatic life so the plan is to remove the cut timber behind the 4th tee leaving the natural habitat and create an enhanced the view of the creek line. You regularly see turtles sunning themselves on logs and water dragons scurrying around the creek bank.
The work of strategically adding gardens around the course continues.
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TREE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
Trees are an essential part of our course landscape. Individually and collectively trees contribute to the character and challenges of the course, and add to the quality of wildlife habitat, and the urban forest that is part of the community green space.
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We are committed to responsible management of our environmental footprint. The objectives of this initiative are to:
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- create a vision for course tree and vegetation management that addresses course presentation, strategic hole design, player and public safety, wildlife habitat, aesthetics, environmental issues and regulatory compliance.
- create a framework for tree management actions, including priority setting, time frames and accountability for compliance with the plan and regulatory requirements.
- Achieve a shift in approach from dealing with trees on an individual ad-hoc basis to managing trees and vegetation on the course as an urban forest that is part of the broader community green space.
- explain how the Tree Management Plan will be implemented and identify specific actions the club will take in managing trees and vegetation in the future.
- create a systematic approach to the identification, analysis and evaluation of the risks associated with the whole of tree or branch failure.
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An Arborist Assessment Report has been commissioned as the first step in putting together a Tree Management Plan.
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VETS (Wednesday): Results for 25/01/2023
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POST TITLEVETS (Wednesday): Results for 25/01/2023 EVENT DATE:25/01/2023 GAME TYPE:4 Man Ambrose FIELD:102 SPONSOR/PRIZE DONOR/sJohn Butler WINNERSPat Allen, Frank Hansen, Andre Smit, D avid Attrill 54 2nd PLACEDerek Wood, Tony Hayes, Kelvin Brittain, Richard Gibson 54.37 RUNDOWN TO:55.75 TEAMS in Rundown:Noble Team 55.12 Carty Team 55.25 Lenske Team 55.5 Agerbeek Team 55.75 NTP - 1st HolePeter Buchbach NTP - 4th …
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FROM THE SHED - January 2023
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Happy new year to all. What a festive season it has been for our club. Golf numbers are through the roof and the condition of the course is fantastic. The greens have come through the major renovation late last year exceptionally well. The speed of the greens has been put to me by a few “Ghosts”. This time of year, …
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New Amenities Block at Marty's Hut Opens
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The new amenities block at Marty's Hut is now open. Pictured: Rod Booth Finance Director, Chris Michael Women's Golf, Mark Woolway Project Coordinator
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