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HICKORY GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
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Local golfers Jason Norris and Kaleb Hamilton, the current Australian Hickory Golf Foursome Champions, played excellent golf again in the Queensland Foursome Hickory Golf Championships to be beaten on a countback by reigning Queensland Foursome Champions, Ilya Soldan and Bradley Taffnell, of Brisbane Golf Club.
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Jason and Kaleb are pictured at the presentation at Royal Queensland Golf Club after winning the handicap event.
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MEMBERSHIP
The retention rate for the June billing cycle is around 90%. This is a good result considering the age demographic of our membership and the challenging economic environment. We currently have 407 members so holding numbers above 400 is a first, and an encouraging sign for the year ahead.
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Our Pay-As-You-Play membership option continues to be popular with members who don't play enough to justify full membership.
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The Club pays an Affiliation Fee for services provided by District Associations, Golf Queensland, and Golf Australia for each person with a Playing Right.
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If your category of membership affords a Playing Right then the Fee applies irrespective of whether or not you have a handicap. A Playing Right is where an individual is provided any of the following by a golf club under a membership offering or a package of benefits to a player. Cooroy Golf Club is an affiliated club.
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- Access to play on the Affiliated Golf Club's course.
- Access to an Australian Handicap or any other type of handicap managed or administered by an Affiliated Club, or
- Provision of a handicap without access to the Affiliated Golf Club's course and/or through a third party connected to the Affiliated Golf Club, such as a social club or commercial enterprise.
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FINANCIALS
The standout contributor to our 2023 financials has been the extended run of good weather with strong visitor activity and competition numbers.
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2023 ordinary income of $1,577,639 before end-of-year adjustments included $446,446 from Green Fees, with visitor Green Fees contributing $338,171.
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Bar and Bistro income lifted to $329,481 due to increased golf activity but, this highlights the challenge of revenue concentration. If the weather affects golf activities then bar and bistro income takes a similar hit. We have limited options to diversify our income in any meaningful way at the moment.
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Total income of $1,583, 639 represents an increase of 25.9% over 2022, a year affected by floods. Total 2023 expenses increased by 20.3% to $1,316,265 giving a profit of $267,374 before end-of-year adjustments.
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Staff-related costs currently consume some 37% of ordinary income and makeup around half of Club operating expenses.
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Because of increased golf activity, we have leased a further 5 hire carts bringing the hire cart fleet to 30. Also, we have purchased 15 new pull buggies for hire to meet demand.
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COOROY WOMEN
2023 has been a great year for the Cooroy women golfers. Numbers have increased for both our Tuesday and Thursday competitions.
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Earlier in the year we held a 'Get Golfing Girls' program which proved very popular and was assisted by the wonderful coaching of Cyril Trist. The initiative led to 6 new memberships. The women's committee is planning another program later this year.
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In May we had 12 players head to Toowoomba to play in the Queensland Country Women's Championship. Toowoomba did happen to have the coldest May day on record for our visit. The presentation saw a wonderful end to a great few days. Deb McCauley and Sarah Brogden were Gross winners of the Division 2 Foursome. Chris Michael, Third Nett winner Division 2.
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Our Cooroy Open Day, won by Bev Maddison from Gympie, provided the 5th event in the SCBDWG 'Race to the Coast' event. Many thanks to our sponsors, Australian Liquor Marketeers, Live Life Pharmacy, and Grathan Leatherbarrow.
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Tina Thomas won our Single Match Play in a very close result from Sue Piggott.
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Three teams represented Cooroy in the SCBDWG pennant competition; the Diamonds, Sapphire A's, and Rubies. The Rubies played in a semi-final at Mount Coolum but unfortunately lost by a small margin. We hosted 3 rounds of the pennant competition providing a great opportunity to showcase our course. Many thanks to all the volunteers, bar, and green staff for all your help.
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GEMLIFE UPDATE
The Special General Meeting held on 20th July resolved to support the GemLife Development Application by a vote of 91 to 39 and authorised the management committee to enter into a formal agreement with GemLife on terms the committee considers appropriate.
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The Club has executed the Myall Street Agreement which requires GemLife to build a new clubhouse, provide other infrastructure and other benefits, and redesign and upgrade several holes in exchange for:
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- 1.764 ha of Club land.
- An easement for a shared access road. We will still own the land on which the 15th hole is currently located.
- Stormwater easements over proposed bio-retention devices to be constructed on club land to treat stormwater run-off from the GemLife development.
Information update/additions:
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- Provision of over waterway rehabilitation and bridge works to existing culvert at the southern end of new 6th and 7th holes (existing 3rd bridge) to permit heavy vehicle access (up to a maximum capacity of 30t) between northern and southern portions of the golf course. Provision for subbase material under cart paths to support heavy machinery access to southern portion of golf course.
- Allowance for reinforced concrete paths to balance of golf course not being upgraded up to a maximum of 1800 lineal metres to complement work being undertaken under the Clubs Cart Path Upgrade Program (Grant).
- We plan to create a multi-function precinct in the area between the 17th and 18th fairways with a turf nursery, golf practice facilities, All Abilities Golf facilities, and a horticulture education facility.
GemLife will provide a capped contribution of $10,000 towards the greens nursery.
Provision for golf practice area renovations as specified including upgrade to drainage, shaping, final trim, new green and bunkers.
We will work with All Abilities on a Grant or sponsorship for an activities hut.
- Provision of a $26,000 capped contribution towards golf course accessories for all new holes - see Course Accessories Audit later in this newsletter.
- The agreement includes provision for trunk infrastructure to 18 holes and provision of irrigation to upgraded holes. The new trunk irrigation can be connected to any existing irrigation but fairway irrigation will not be provided to holes not being upgraded.
The agreement provides for a pump station that is appropriate for an 18-hole golf course. As a part of the detailed design, a suitably qualified specialist will prepare a full irrigation and water storage master plan which will specify dam capacity, and pump requirements and look at the appropriateness and feasibility of linking water storage facilities.
- Provision of the following grass species proposed by our Course Superintendent, Warren Smith to maintain consistency with our preferred grass standards. The long-term benefits are significant.
Greens: Tif Eagle
Tees, Green Surrounds, Bunker Surrounds: Sir Grange Zoysia
Fairways: Wintergreen Couch
- Allowance for a capillary design for bunkers. Capillary bunker design can reduce bunker maintenance costs by up to 80%.
- Provision of practice putting greens at the 18th hole.
- An interim 9-hole playing arrangement plan developed in consultation with the course designer will be refined as the project progresses. The agreement includes a clause to the effect that ‘The Developer must ensure that at all times during the Golf Course Works, there are no less than 9 holes playable on the golf course as a consequence of the Golf Course Works.’
- One Ordinary Membership per dwelling for 10 years capped at $1,500 (including GST) per year for each membership contribution from the date the dwelling is completed and occupied.
- The operations payment of $320,000 (to compensate for the loss of revenue during delivery of the project) will be paid to the Club 3 business days after the date on which the playable holes on the golf course are reduced to less than 18 holes as a result of the Works.
- GemLife will pay the golf course payment of $320,000 (referred to as the 8th hole payment) to the Club within 6 months of the project commencement date. The Club may use this payment for any purpose at its sole discretion.
- Temporary course ratings throughout construction are undertaken at no charge by Golf Australia. There is generally no cost for final permanent course re-rating following completion of works, as it is covered under the Club’s affiliation fees.
The directive to the course designer is to achieve a final course slope/scratch rating higher than the current course rating.
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The appeal court hearing has been adjourned and will resume again in September 2023. The court has sought information on a matter that does not affect golf course design or GemLife obligations to Cooroy Golf Club.
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MEET THE BAR STAFF
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In this edition, you get to learn a little more about one of our bar staff, young Tom Huxley.
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Tom’s life began in Townsville, North Queensland. Back then Tom's passion was almost solely about being outdoors and fishing. He was so keen on fishing that when it came to school, homework became a myth and fishing became an assignment.
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Tom also had a passion for Mixed Martial Arts being a dedicated student at his martial arts academy for over 10 years.
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During his years of living in Townsville, Tom worked at the well-renowned local fishing store, “The Fishing Warehouse”.
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In the year 2018, Tom’s family decided to move to the sunshine coast in Noosa.
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At the end of 2019, Tom applied for a cart cleaning position at the Cooroy Golf Club and has worked his way through cleaning carts, to working with the greens staff and serving drinks in the clubhouse with a smile. In all his years living up north, Tom never had golf knowledge, nor swung a golf club… until he moved to Cooroy. Since 2019, Tom has worked his way up not only to the bar staff but has learned a lot about green-keeping, golf, and hospitality operations.
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In 2023, Tom decided to take an extra step into the golfing world. He has started up a golf equipment business called “Accuracy Grips Golf”.
In the future, Tom wishes to expand his golfing knowledge further, potentially studying with the PGA, and expanding his business to an online platform.
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Tom is also interested in joining the QPF (Queensland Police Force).
Throughout the years of working at the Cooroy Golf Club, Tom states, it's the best workplace I have worked in, the people I meet, the friendships created, and the challenges faced are what makes it all great.
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FROM THE SHED
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The mission of course staff, with the support of volunteers, our Greens Director, Greens Sub Committee, and Management Committee, is to ensure the highest standard of presentation of the course through the implementation of the approved Course Management Plan. The CMP sets out what we want to achieve in the short term and provides the framework for Course Superintendent, Warren Smith, to plan and execute daily, weekly, and monthly activities to deliver the mission outcome.
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The challenge is to match the ambition and implementation of the Course Management Plan to resource and financial reality to deliver a high-quality golf experience.
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We have 4 full-time course staff plus a very active group of course volunteers. A Staff and Volunteer Training Program implemented last year has added flexibility to the resource pool available to Warren to deliver the CMP.
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Please respect the work of the course staff and course volunteers and do not interrupt them with questions, complaints, or suggestions. There is a proper protocol to follow for such matters. However, feel free to express your positive feedback, encouragement, etc directly to staff and volunteers. They will certainly appreciate it.
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If you have concerns, complaints, or suggestions please speak directly to Greens Director, Grathan Leatherbarrow, or put them in writing to the Club Manager.
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Cart Path Upgrade Program
Rob Skelton MP presented a cheque for $59,200 under a Grant to extend concrete cart paths.
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With the assistance of volunteers, work is progressing well on the new concrete cart path between the 2nd and 16th fairways as a further step towards reducing the impact of weather events on the course.
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Green Keepers Precinct Upgrades
The new air-conditioned staff amenities building is complete with a verandah out the front and there will be an old rocking chair for Warren... eventually. Staff and volunteers now have a comfortable retreat to take breaks and it can also be used for meetings. Thanks again to those who assisted with the project and thanks again to Orchard Joinery for the fit-out.
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The new concrete machine wash-down bay in the green keepers compound is complete.
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The layout of the existing shed has been 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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Course Machinery Fleet
The Club operates a fleet of specialised machinery to maintain the golf course.
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A review of course machinery assessed that most of the fleet is in good working order thanks to the volunteer efforts of our wizard with the wrench, Tony Foster, working with Warren to maintain the fleet. Their efforts have been successful in extending the useful life of several machines. Our course can be hard on machines so the maintenance program is very important.
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Using the MEX software acquired last year we have significantly improved our maintenance management practices. A dedicated maintenance resource is critical to sustaining these improvements. MEX allows us to track costs and automatically schedule maintenance for each machine with work orders detailing the work necessary, an estimate of the time to complete, and the parts required.
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Costs have risen with the increased focus on machinery maintenance and the impact of inflation. They would have been much higher without volunteer labour. We expect these costs to fall more in line with industry benchmarks in the future but will continue to be influenced by the extent of secondhand machines in our fleet. Repair and maintenance costs were $33,600 in 2023 compared to $15,400 in 2022 and $10,300 in 2021.
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We expect to replace 12 machines over the next 5 years. Course machinery is expensive, with long lead times for new machines, but can deliver productivity gains and lower maintenance costs in the right environment. The quality of the course is a major consideration in selecting the type of machine.
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Tree Management Plan
The first phase of this project is complete with an Arborist Report providing an assessment of trees and vegetation on the course. Noosa Council formally approved remedial action for several trees with a member, Steve Jackson, completing the work. If you need any tree work done have a word to Steve on 0419192943.
After visiting the course and walking through the Arborist Report with Warren, Noosa Council has indicated they are comfortable with the club conducting appropriate tree works over the next 5 years without the need for further approval.
We recently carried out further tree remedial work as part of the TMP.
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Tee Identity Project
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The upgrade to the shelter and surrounding area at the 4th Tee is complete. The rear of the tee is now set up as a plant nursery stocked with plants donated by members.
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As part of the Tee Identity project, a team comprising Wendy O'Hare, Chris Michael, and Sue Piggott is undertaking an audit of course accessories (e.g., tee markers, flags, tee signs, direction signs, seating, etc) with a brief to make recommendations that consider the latest trends.
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- Reducing the number of course accessories with the resultant reduction in maintenance costs that can be redirected to improving the golf course. How many times do you use a ball cleaner during a round?
- Gender-neutral tees to indicate distance rather than the traditional definition (e.g. ladies tee, men’s tee, social tee), providing the option to play, for example, blue - long course or yellow - short course, or somewhere in between (red, white). There are savings in maintenance costs.
- Tee signs with QR codes which when scanned with a mobile phone display a flyover video of the hole.
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