Dear Members,
As we approach the end of 2022 and I reflect on the year, I am sure you will agree it was a year filled with many challenges for the Board, Staff, Pro Shop and Members. No need to re-hash the issues with the rain and the course; suffice to say the course team have done an amazing job for us in incredibly difficult conditions and our course is returning to the condition we are used to. A big thank you to Nick and his team who are putting in lots of hours to get the repair work done, plus the renovations in this busy summer period. If you see them around the course while you’re playing, please show your appreciation for their efforts.
The Pro Shop team have also done their utmost to help with reorganising dates for events and keeping members happy during those wet months. We really appreciate the co-operative relationship we share. A special mention for Jack McLeod and the fantastic work he is doing with our juniors.
Andy, Simon, the office team and the whole food and beverage team have met all the challenges of COVID restrictions, course closures, and clubhouse changes. They are working hard behind the scenes dealing with all these problems to ensure that members receive the best possible service.
The clubhouse project continues to present new challenges for us to negotiate. Three firms tendered for the work but their tender prices were above our budget so our project manager worked with them to modify the specifications and reduce the pricing to an acceptable number. We completed the review process recently and have chosen one builder to go forward with – SMLXL. They are still at a cost that is above our limit but we are confident we can work with them to get the project cost within acceptable limits. This may result in us staging a part of the project work (eg. lower deck) if we have to, as we will not overreach our funding limit. The other outcome from the current discussions is that work will not commence until February which results in completion being around August-September. That timing also means that the clubhouse will remain open through December and part of January.
I would like to express my appreciation to my other Board Members, the Ladies Committee and members of other committees who give their time to make sure our Club is the best it can be. Our Board had benefitted from the work done on our strategic planning, which allows us to ensure that all decisions are consistent with our long-term goals. That being said, there is a lot of effort to get the results we are targeting, financial and otherwise, and we should all appreciate the work they do. The Ladies Committee is worthy of special mention. The work they put into creating events and charity days is outstanding and the camaraderie created between all the ladies is great.
Finally, my thanks go to you, the members, for your continuing support through this challenging period. You are the heart of our Club and everything that we do is designed to benefit the experience you have as a member of the Club and to provide a product that will continue to attract future generations of members.
As we move forward into 2023, we will no doubt have more challenges to manage, but we do so optimistically with the clubhouse project being the major focus. There will be a period of some disruption as we move to temporary facilities for a period before we can move into a brand-new members’ space and have a great restaurant offering on the upper level. I’m counting on your continuing support to see past the irritations of the transition period and be a positive voice for the final result.
I wish you and your families all the very best for the festive period and a happy and healthy 2023.
Happy Golfing!
Lance Barnes
President
