Tauranga Golf Club
 
IN THIS ISSUE
FROM THE FRONT OFFICE
NEW ZEALAND GOLF CHANGES NAME AND VISUAL IDENTITY
ON COURSE
GREEN FEES & MEMBERSHIP FEES 2020
CHRISTMAS TEE SHEETS
ELECTRIFY E BIKE PROMOTION
SPLASHBACK PHOTO COMPETITION
WEBSITE ACCESS ISSUES
 
 
Dear Guest, Thursday, 03 December, 2020

FROM THE FRONT OFFICE
I don't think I have ever looked forward to Xmas as much as I am this year - It's been a heck of a year and I think we will all be relieved to say farewell to 2020!
 
It's been a super busy month with all of the sections completing their competitions for the year, AGM's, Xmas lunches, Corporate days and a general influx of visitors and new members. A big warm welcome to the 24 new members that have joined us in November.
 
Members paying subscriptions by instalment 
As we head into the last 2 months of the membership year, can you please check your account balance to make sure that you are on track to fully pay your subscription before 31 January 2021. I will send out statements later this week and you can also check your account balance by logging in to your account through our website. 
 
House Accounts 
Did you know that you can set up a House Account which will allow you to purchase at the Cafe & the Bar on account. You need to load funds onto your account first and this can be done online through the website or the staff can load funds at the till. If you have any questions, please ask the staff or pop in and see Michelle in the office.
 
Thankyous
A big Thankyou to the following groups who have made generous donations to the club:
 
  • Men Seniors - $1500 towards the purchase of a Moisture Meter for the Greens staff to measure moisture in the greens
  • Men Seniors - $2000 towards new Ball Washers
  • Mixed Events - $1500 towards new Ball Washers
  • Lady Vets - $500 towards new Ball Washers
The new Ball Washers have been ordered and will be installed in the New Year for members to enjoy.
 
Grumbles
 
I try to keep these newsletters positive but 2 things have made me a bit grumpy this month..
  • Our Volunteer Firewood Gang have been chipping away stacking wood and kindling for us to sell to members in the New Year BUT, someone has decided to help themselves to the bags of kindling and the wood. This is not OK. If you see anyone helping themselves to the wood, please take the car registration and let me know. 
  • One of our members donated some lovely new books to the lending Library. 2 bags of books by author Tony Parks. The books did not make it on to the bookshelf and they have all gone. Maybe someone plans to speed read them all but it would be appreciated if they were returned so that members can enjoy them. Please remember that we ask for a Gold Coin donation for each book and the funds go towards the upkeep of the gardens.
Sorry for that little grumble.
 
GOLF NZ NAME CHANGE
 
NZ Golf is now known as Golf NZ - see following article which gives more details on why the change has been made. Personally, I love the new brand, the symbolism of the Koru and the vision for golf's future to be about new growth, being welcoming, inclusive, supportive, encouraging and always moving forward. Simple words with a strong meaning. A vision for Golf NZ and the Tauranga Golf Club!
 
Merry Xmas &  Happy New Year. 
Michelle 

NEW ZEALAND GOLF CHANGES NAME AND VISUAL IDENTITY

New Zealand Golf has updated its name and visual identity.

From 2 December, the organisation will be known as Golf New Zealand, a move that reflects the organisations primary focus being on the game of golf.

The previous organisation name and logo was established in 2005 when the previous mens and womens entities merged. While it has served us very well and was appropriate for its time, after careful reflection we believe it is now time to tee off into a new future.

The organisation recently developed a new 2020 – 2025 strategic direction entitled “Enriching Lives Through Golf.” The plan has three guiding strategies:

  • Growing the positive profile of golf.
  • Increasing participation.
  • Supporting clubs and facilities.


To complement the new approach and strong focus on the role golf plays in enriching the lives of New Zealanders, the organisation believes now is the right time to present a refreshed brand. A new brand to reflect the golf’s future is about new growth, being welcoming, inclusive, supportive, encouraging, and always moving forward.

When updating the brand for the new Golf New Zealand name, the key priority was to be intrinsically about golf but also have a strong connection to the identity of New Zealand

In terms of the lead symbol, the Koru was a natural choice.

Not only is the Koru a revered and iconic symbol of New Zealand, its representation of nurturing, new beginnings, perpetual movement and growth align closely with Golf New Zealand’s ambitions for the future of golf in New Zealand.

The Koru symbol blends Maori culture into the fabric of Golf New Zealand and is the champion of the new brand.

This new name and brand identity better aligns with the Golf New Zealand identity and the organisations vision for the future. The new logo will be accompanied with the Te Reo translation of Korowha Aotearoa to reflect our connection with New Zealand and Maori.

Throughout the development of this new brand, the NZ Maori Golf Association have been providing their valuable wisdom and guidance. The NZ Maori Golf Association fully endorse the new brand and logo and will play part a critical role in the future cultural journey for the organisation.

For more details and to see the full new brand identity and new website, please visit
www.golf.co.nz


ON COURSE

A few words from our Course Superintendent - Carl Rumble:

General: We have had 125mm of rain so far this month. This has been great for the course, but we have seen a huge increase in turf growth.

Greens: With a wet month the greens are holding up well. In December we will be applying a granular fertilizer to increase turf density and health through summer. We are currently doing a monthly seeding programme on the following greens Putting Green,2,4,5,7,12,17. This is to increase the browntop in either a bare green or poa dominated green. We have seen when these greens are under heat stress that the poa does not do well. So our goal is to have a higher percentage of browntop to increase turf quality and cover year round.

Tee’s: They are doing well. We have verti-drained them and will be shortly applying a wetting agent on them followed by some fertilizer and growth retardant.

Fairways: Currently in it’s growth season and is seeding. This has increased the amount of cutting time required to keep them looking nice. Because we are going into holiday season I will be applying a growth retardant to slow down the growth over the Christmas period so that to course is more easily maintained with low staff numbers

Project: Our next neglected area that we will soon be doing work on is the corner garden at Barkes corner on 14. My goal here is to clear the fence line and floor remove some dead tree’s and re bark area. This area is seen by so much traffic and I feel that in its current state it pulls the club image down. We managed to make a start in this area on Wednesday and already there is a great improvement.


GREEN FEES & MEMBERSHIP FEES 2020
As members you enjoy the privilege of  playing rights as part of your membership, however, visitors are required to pay a green fee. The Board of Management have recently reviewed our Green Fee rates as follows: 
  • 18 Holes non affiliate = $75
  • 18 Holes affiliate = $55
  • 9 Holes non affiliate = $40
  • 9 Holes affiliate = $30
We believe these rates are more reflective of the course standards and align with other similar sized courses. As a member, you are welcome to bring a guest at a discounted rate of $35 for 18 Holes & $20 for 9 Holes. You must be playing with your guest & limited to 2 guests at one time.
 
We have also discontinued the $20 for 10 hole deal that we ran for several years. We now have Casual tee times through until approximately 6pm most days so that members and visitors can book a tee time. 
 
PASSPORT GREEN FEES: 
Please be advised that the BOP Passport Green Fee has increased TO:
$30 - 18 Holes
$20 - 9 Holes
This rate is applicable at all BOP Golf Clubs.
 
2021/2022 MEMBERSHIP FEES
 
The Board of Management have considered the membership fees for the 2021/2022 season & advise that a 5% increase will be applied to all membership Categories. We are awaiting confirmation of the Golf NZ & BOP Golf levies and once this has been received, we will be able to confirm the exact fees. We are proud of the course and very focused on delivering a high standard to our members and guests. Membership fees and Green Fees are our main source of income so we need to ensure that we keep pace with increasing costs to provide this level of service.
 

CHRISTMAS TEE SHEETS
With the competition golf season coming to an end, the tee sheets will be adjusted for the holiday period from Monday 21 December to Sunday 10 January. Most days will change to a 1 tee start and will be open to all members and visitors. This will allow us to maximise the opportunity for members and visitors to book a casual game over the holiday period. Tee sheets open 14 days in advance, so please make sure you book your games to avoid disappointment. Please also be considerate of beginner golfers, green fee players and others that may be enjoying a relaxed time on course. We have increased the intervals to 10 mins to allow for this. Remember that a green fee player could be a potential new member so don't give them a hard time if they are a bit slow. Maybe politely ask if you can play through or call the Pro Shop is there is a serious hold up.

ELECTRIFY E BIKE PROMOTION
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Please see attached member promotion from our Advertising Partner - Electrify
If you are in the market for an e bike, contact the fabulous team at Electrify.
 
PLEASE SUPPORT THOSE WHO SUPPORT US 
 

SPLASHBACK PHOTO COMPETITION
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We are looking for a stunning image of the Course for the Splashback behind the Bar. members are invited to submit their images for consideration.
We need high resolution photos, something that will showcase the beauty of our course and and image that represents us and we will all be proud of.
 
Please send your images to manager@taurangagolf.co.nz.
 
Entries close 31 January 2021. A $50 House Account will be awarded to the winner. 

WEBSITE ACCESS ISSUES
Some of you have advised that you are having issues logging in to our website. Golf NZ are currently upgrading the systems and we are experiencing some technical issues. I would suggest that you delete any saved or bookmarked tabs, delete your browser history and then try again. 
I would also recommend that if you are using a phone to access your golf bookings and websites, you need to download the Golf NZ app and the mobile version of the Tauranga Golf Club website.
Please call me if you are battling and I will do my best to assist.
 
Regards, Michelle 
 
 
 
Tauranga Golf Club Sponsors
 
Tauranga Golf Club
http://www.taurangagolf.co.nz
07 578 8465
 
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