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General Managers Message
Allan Botha

It certainly feels like summer is on the way, with mostly dry weather and some absolutely beautiful days over the past week. Tuesday afternoon was so good that I took the opportunity to head out with Daryl Muir for a quick nine holes. The course was in good condition and, pleasingly, the greens are continuing to improve.

That said, we still have a long way to go. Carl and his team are working tirelessly to reduce the thatch levels, which currently sit at around 15%, with a target of getting them down to approximately 5%. We're also focusing on improving soil pH levels and reducing the amount of Poa annua in our greens from around 60% to between 5% and 10% over time. Similar improvements are planned for our fairways, where our long-term goal is to reduce weed content to as close to zero as possible. General feedback from members has been positive, and it's encouraging to see the progress the greenkeeping team is making week by week.

This week we hosted the NZQIS Golf Day, welcoming around 80 players from the construction and trades industry. It was great to see a few familiar faces, including Jared Smith from iLine. Not so long ago, Jared spent plenty of time on our construction site as foreman during the clubhouse project, so it was nice to see him enjoying the golf course instead. The day was a great success thanks to the fantastic weather, the efforts of the organisers, and the clubhouse team. A special thank you to Simone in the golf shop, who helped ensure everything ran smoothly for our guests.

This weekend, our Saturday Men's field will compete in what promises to be a fantastic event celebrating the volunteers who contribute so much to our club. The Volunteers Cup is always a special occasion and a fitting way to recognise the people who generously give their time throughout the year.

The highlight of the week, however, belongs to Jesse, who recently shot her age again for what we believe is the 22nd or 23rd time. An incredible achievement and one that deserves recognition. Be sure to read more about it in the Women's Section of the newsletter.

Looking ahead, we're excited to kick off our Twilight Series next week with a fun two-player Ambrose event. We already have around 100 players registered, and it's shaping up to be a fantastic series with plenty of great golf and social fun ahead.

As always, keep smiling, enjoy your club, and continue bringing that positive spirit that makes Omokoroa such a special place. Remember, I'm always available for a chat, and I've set aside time every Tuesday from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm in the clubhouse café if you'd like to catch up.

See you around the club.

Allan Botha
General Manager
Omokoroa Golf Club

Club Notices

Have Your Say – Omokoroa Clubhouse Feedback

We’d love to hear about your experience at the Omokoroa Clubhouse. Whether you're a member or a guest, your feedback helps us improve our facilities and services.

Please take a moment to share your feedback by clicking the link below:

CLICK HERE

Thank you for helping us make the Omokoroa Clubhouse even better.

Banking Details
If you haven’t already done so, please update your banking details—information is available below.
- - OMOKOROA GOLF CLUB INCORPORATED
  - 06-0433-0719037-00
Charity Status Reminder

A friendly reminder that Omokoroa Golf Club Incorporated is now a registered charity (CC64541) and an approved donee.

This means your support goes even further:

Individuals can claim a 33.33% tax credit on donations over $5

Businesses can claim tax deductions on donations and sponsorships

If you’d like more information on how to donate or claim, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Golf Cart Concession Cards (Members Only)
Now available:
- 9-Hole Card: $200 for 10 rounds (save $50)
- 18-Hole Card: $300 for 10 rounds (save $50)

Take advantage of these great savings next time you're out on the course.

Thank you all again for your continued support and participation—it’s what makes our club such a great place to be.

See you on the course.

Allan Botha
General Manager
Omokoroa Golf Club

A Word Around The Greens
Course Update from Carl, Course Superintendent

Good weather has finally arrived, and it's great to see everyone out enjoying the course. The team has been busy continuing to chip away at a number of projects as we work to keep the course in top condition heading into the warmer months.

Our spraying programme is ongoing, with a major focus currently on the fairways as we target unwanted weeds. We've completed three fairways so far, and the 12th fairway is a good example of what members can expect to see. You will notice the Poa grass turning brown as the treatment takes effect. The couch grass will then bounce back and gradually fill in as we move into drier and warmer weather conditions.

A friendly reminder regarding spraying operations: the products we are applying are harmful, and even driving through freshly sprayed areas can unintentionally transfer chemicals to other parts of the course. As a rule of thumb, if you see a staff member spraying, please drive around the area rather than through it. We generally try to get this work done early, before the majority of golfers are on the course, so you may come across us as you make your way to the club in your golf buggy.

In addition to the spraying programme, we are continuing to apply wetting agents to assist with moisture management across the course, while our ongoing topdressing programme remains an important part of maintaining healthy playing surfaces.

Other than that, enjoy the fine weather and the improving course conditions. We appreciate your cooperation and support, and we look forward to seeing you around the course.

Volunteers Needed for She Loves Golf

With an incredible 25 women already registered and a few more weeks of registrations still to come, the demand for our She Loves Golf programme is stronger than ever!

We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers, preferably from our 9-Hole and 18-Hole Women's playing groups, who would like to give back to the community and help grow the game of golf. Whether you can assist on the course, welcome new participants, or simply lend a helping hand, your support will make a real difference to the experience of our new golfers.

If you are available and would like to get involved, please contact your playing group captain or Stacey Koppens, our coach, for more information.

Thank you for helping us inspire and support the next generation of women golfers at Omokoroa Golf Club.

Stacey Koppens Golf <staceykoppensgolf@gmail.com>

5th Fairway Waterlogged and Closed
Ken Holyoake - Chair of Course Advisory Group (CAG)

Five storms this year including cyclone Vaianu continually flooded and saturated the 5^th fairway. As a result, we had to close the 5^th fairway for 3 months. Yes, the fairway is flat with minimal slope for drainage. Yes, it is just one metre above sea level with the water table just below the surface. Yes, our drains silt up and block.

The challenge for CAG is to figure out what can do to minimise closures.

The drain alongside the 5^th fairway is a water course controlled by the Council. It takes stormwater from the catchment above including from the new town-centre area and flows it to the harbour through a tidal controlled flapgate. We are a designated ‘flood plain’ so have to accept flooding in extreme events. However, Council approved development has meant that flows in this drain are increasing significantly and are adversely affecting us more often. We are now being flooded even in regular minor storms.

Over the last year CAG has twice presented to Council to upgrade/replace the tidal outlet behind the 7^th green, so it has more capacity like the floodgates on the sea wall behind the 16^th and 18^th tees. We have been well received, and Council is now including this project in their forward planning. What we want is for flood waters to be discharged to sea as quickly as possible at low tides to minimize the adverse effects on our course.

Then last month CAG discovered that three old Council stormwater drains off Kayelene Place are being discharged into the 5^th fairway, instead of directly to the 5^th drain. Inspections and tests by Council found no flow to the drain, broken and blocked pipes, subsidence, and root intrusion, all contributing to our 5^th fairway being waterlogged for extended periods. With Council we are now working on the solution to this.

Expect to see more excavations and new drains installed across the 5^th fairway. Please be patient as we work to improve our course. Hopefully we will see action soon.

Volunteers

A big thank you to the volunteers who helped with our wood splitting last week. Special thanks to Graham Street, Bill Neeley, Andy Pittar, Mike Berry, Con O'Leary, and David Ashton for generously giving their time and effort. We would also like to acknowledge the several other members who stepped forward to lend a hand throughout the day.

Thanks to this fantastic team effort, we managed to split approximately 30 cubic metres of firewood, which is a tremendous result and a great example of the volunteer spirit that makes our club so special.

On behalf of the club, thank you all for your support and hard work.

9 Hole Ladies
Jacqui Kerr

On a beautiful sunny day, we held our 9 Hole ladies members tournament. We invited all the 18-hole ladies who had played with us this year to join us. They were not eligible for the Jeanette Williamson trophy, but they were eligible for all the other prizes.

Winners of the first division were Astrid Martin Gross, Sue Smith Net and Jacqui Crossfield Stableford. Second division winners were Jacqui Kerr Gross, Trudy Trickett Net and Gail Taylor Stableford.

Closest to the hole Gay Barber and Daisy Harrison. Longest Drive Marg Griffiths and Sue Halsey and longest Putt Astrid Martin and Jacqui Kerr.

Winner of the Jeanette Williamson Cup with 24 Stableford points was Jacqui Kerr.

Men's World

Ben Van den Borst

After 36 rounds we nearly have our shootout field for 2026, if it was not for the 8 players currently tied for the last two places we would know! Congratulations to those that have already qualified for the shootout on Saturday 7^th November. This year our Sheriff is the 'not to be argued with' Dave Popham

To decide the last shootout participants we have an exciting SHOOTOUT FOR THE SHOOTOUT next Saturday 31^st October at 12pm before the afternoon shotgun start for the Grand Slam.

Good luck to Bill Neely, Gary Marshall, Brian Page, Brett Dingle, Patrick Hawkins, Greig Neilson, Stephen Davis and Brad Howard. The entire afternoon field is looking forward to watching your skills on the practice green area in a shootout style elimination playoff.

The agenda for Saturday 31^st October is:

12pm Shootout for the Shootout

1pm Grand Slam Shotgun start

5.30pm Shootout Calcutta & Mens AGM

This Saturday is the 3 Man Volunteer Cup Ambrose event in honour of Colin Gee, John Marsh & Kevin Donald. They are actually playing together as a team so we will see if they can get their names on their own cup as winners!

Your team captain is the only name on the start sheet (due to the limitations of dot-golf) So make sure you know your team captain and tee time.

Rules for the Volunteer Cup Ambrose are:

Must use 6 tee shots from each player, the 2^nd shot on any hole (including putts on par 3s) will only be played by team members whose tee shot was not taken, third and all subsequent shots/putts each team member can play. Shots must be taken within one club length from the same course condition (so no moving your ball to the fairway from the rough)

This is played in groups of 6 (two teams play together), so please watch your pace of play and keep up with the groups in front of you. Anyone who falls more than a hole behind the field could be asked to walk a hole by the Captain, and be given a triple bogey on their scorecard for that hole.

Handicaps are calculated by adding together your COURSE HANDICAP and then divided by six. Decimal points could be important to decide the outcome!

Thanks to those that have responded so far to the mens player group discussion paper which was circulated. Please feel free to continue to feedback to men@omokoroagolf.co.nz and of course if you have time to contribute to the men's committee please also send us an email. Information for the AGM will be distributed early next week.

Have a great weekend golfing everyone.

Thank you to all our Sponsors
Craig King - NZ Electrical, Philip Annan -Annan Law, Raewyn Stanaway -Barfoot and Thompson, Ben Taylor - Bethlehem Butchery, Chris Rhind - Stay Right Contracting

Women's World
Debbie Clark

HAGGLE RESULTS

Saturday 17^th October
Div 1
1^st        Dawn Rumney 39pts
2^nd       Janice Bell 37pts
3^rd       Martina Keir 37pts
Div2
1^st        Michelle Carolin 37pts
2^nd       Annette Neeley   37pts
3^rd Liz Woods 36pts

Alma Eatery NTP: Cathy Berry

Craig’s Investment Partners Medal Prize for Best Score of the Day: Dawn Rumney

Best Gross: Dawn Rumney 86

Tuesday 20^th October
Div 1
1^st        Wendy Harris 42pts
2^nd      Jo Jory 40pts
3^rd Deb Posa 40pts
Div 2
1^st        Annette Neeley 43pts
2^nd       Beryl Brown 42pts
3^rd       Julie Howard 40pts

Alma Eatery NTP: Larraine Tocker

Craig’s Investment Partners Medal Prize for Best Score of the Day: Annette Neeley

Best Gross: Wendy Harris 85

McNicol Trophy

Round 3:      Dawn Day lost to Rhonda Wisbey 4&3
                      Sue Thomson lost to Martina Keir 4&3
                      Sue Reese lost to Sue Kenny 1up.
  Sue Muir lost to Jenny Shirley 4&3

Jessie Savage

I love writing about this particular lady because she is what we all aspire to! Once again Jessie has broken her age, for the 22^nd time! Her round of 90 on Saturday 10^th had her leading the Bronze 1 Strokeplay and lucky for the rest of us, she decided against playing on the Sunday.

Congratulations again Jessie, from all of us 18 Hole Women golfers.

Vets Vibes

Ian Howells

The 21^st October Vets golf day included finals of the Western Tray and Western Plate Matchplay for men, Coffee Club Shootout Qualifying and a Stableford Haggle.

Wednesday Results 21^st October 2026

Twos

David Gilmore, Maxine Cotter, Graeme Davis and Ian Chicken

Haggle - Stableford

Division 1

1^st Paul Cole 44, 2^nd Colin Gee 41, 3^rd Fintan Downes 40

Division 2

1^st Tony Seavill 42, 2^nd John Keats 41, 3^rd Lucie Marychurch 41

Nearest to the Pin on the 11^th

Division 1

David Gilmore

Division 2

Mick Wheatley

Best Gross

Colin Gee 80

Western Tray Round Matches 21^st October

Mens Winner - David Gilmore and Runner-up Kevin Smith

Ladies Winner – Donna Dyer and Runner-up Barbara Ellingford

Western Tray Men’s Plate

Winner – Allan Winter and runner-up David Kenna

Upcoming Events

28^th October Final Coffee Club Shootout Qualifying and a Stableford Haggle.

4^th November Coffee Club Combined Shootout Final.

11^th -13^th November Omokoroa Country Estate Vets Mixed Pairs

Thanks to all our Sponsors

Bayleys Real Estate (Sarah Campbell)

Omokoroa Country Estate

The Coffee Club (Omokoroa)

Sunvue Limited

Golf Warehouse

Presidents Message
John 'Swampy' Marsh

A big thank you to Mike Berry and Dave Ashton for all their hard work clearing the debris on the second hole and working the chipper. One more day should see the area cleared.

Saturday Junior Golf
Sponsored by FORE SEASONS INDOOR GOLF

See below the winners from Sundays Omokoroa Junior Open event:

Boys Gross Winner: Chad Atkinson (Taupo GC)
Girls Gross Winner: Olivia Bang (Futures Geyserland)

Division One Stableford Winner: Hugo Horan (Omokoroa GC)
Division Two Stableford Winner: Daniel Carson (Waihi GC)
Division Three Stableford Winner: Augustus Smtih (Omokoroa GC)

Overall Net Winner: Daniel Carson (Waihi GC)

Friday Haggle

Terry Golder

Div 1

Allen Mayo 43

Jake Lee 41

Allan Winter 40

Div 2

Bob Duckworth 43

David Kenna 42

Barry Little 41

Longest Putt Allen Mayo

Raffle Prizes Neil Kenny, Jim Merritt, Clyde Roach

Hole in 2 Fintan Downs, Jake Lee, Jim Barclay

Upcoming Events

30 Oct Stableford, Cards in by 0830

20 Nov Friday Haggle AGM after golf, Nominations required for committe members, see nominations form on office notice board.

The team from YOU Travel & Cruise Bethlehem is hosting an evening of holiday inspiration with APT and Travel Marvel.

Discover their wonderful range of destinations, beautifully crafted tour itineraries and small group journeys, all presented by the people who know them best. It’s a relaxed and welcoming way to explore new places, ask your questions and see how a tailored journey could suit the way you love to travel.

Come along with a friend, enjoy the company and let your travel plans begin to take shape.

Space is limited.
RSVP essential for catering: www.youtravelbethlehem.co.nz/events

Omokoroa Golf Club
www.omokoroagolf.co.nz
07 5480384

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Newsletter 23rd October 2026