Millbrook Classic Pro-Am
Tomorrow our own Kieran Muir lines up in this prestigious event with a prize purse of $150000.  Kieran asked me to thank the members for their support and he is looking forward to representing the club at this event.  Follow his progress at https://www.millbrook.co.nz/golf/millbrook-classic/

2022/23 Subs
We are currenlty renewing the subs for the coming season (starting today!).  Sandra has done a great job managing this for us.  One thing to note - if you pay directly via the website there is a fee charged by dotgolf.  To avoid this you can pay instore or via a bank transfer.  The bank details appear on the invoice.

Practice Fairway
The tee block on the practice fairway is now open to be used.  There will be ropes set up to guide you to the areas to use.  Please stick to the guides.

Triangular Tournament – Sunday 3 April
For those playing in this event, please have your cards in at 930am for a 10am start.

Plant Pots
We have a bunch of seedlings from the Mount we would like to pot up... so we need some small plant pots or bags if anyone has any floating around.

This Week's Chip In – Nathan Kerr (Head Greenkeeper)
Coring: The greens will be getting cored next week. We will be just coring the green surfaces and this is done once a year every autumn.

There are many benefits too coring and here are a few of them.

• Relieves compaction from the heavy traffic the greens get from machinery and golfers over the last 12 months.
• Coring creates aeration which leads to a healthy turf surface.
• Helps keep the greens firm through the winter wet months by having fresh sand in the profile which leads to a firmer healthier surface to putt on.
• Coring helps keep the turf healthier by creating immunity towards disease which means less fungicide applications through the winter.
• Coring creates faster deeper root growth by allowing air down into the root zone and less compaction.

So as you can see these are some major benefits to coring the greens for a healthier better surface to putt on and if this practice was not done the greens would be noticeably in worst condition and also would not be as nice to putt on.

I hope this information helps you understand the importance and benefits of why we core.

Next week we are coring the course.  The weather forecast is a bit dicey so the team will start Sunday afternoon.  We need an army of volunteers.  So, if you are keen to help out we would really appreciate the help!  To make it a bit less taxing, we will do it in morning and afternoon shifts each day from Monday.  There is a form in the office for you to register.

Jobs to be done:
1. workers required for coring 
2. planting hedge down side of the 10^th path
3. replacement of planks on bridge over to the 14^th
4. New drainage around 12^th green

Please identify clearly your personal equipment, if bringing this to the job.

Thank you - Here's hoping for a good turnout

As some of you will be aware Debbie Clarke and I partnered up to play in the ParNZ Autumn Foursomes held at our course Monday to Wednesday this week.  This meant our course was closed for regular competition days, our ladies Easter tournament cancelled and casual play unavailable.  All in all it impacted our members and staff in many ways, so thank you all for your support.

The feedback from visitors that I and the other 6 Omokoroa pairs received was hugely positive. All who played were very generous in their praise of the excellent condition of the course and enjoyed our beautiful surroundings immensely. The additional hours and effort put into the course by our green keepers and volunteers under the leadership of Nathan and Colin really showed and was appreciated.

So on behalf of those who played, I want to give a big shout out and hearty vote of thanks to all the staff and volunteers who contributed to the tournaments success, both on the course, in starting the field in the mornings and in the Clubroom hosting and providing hospitality to our visitors.

The tournament was a huge success and a credit to you all!

We had a good turnout of 30 members for our Hidden Pairs Competition. All enjoying the beautiful spell of late autumn fine weather and in spite of the perspiringly high temperatures!

Hidden Pairs were assigned at random on completion of play and the lucky combo’s took away the spoils.

The top scorers and their combined Stablefords were:
Gordon Lusby and David Bennett                              39
Frank Brown and Phil Stanbury                   38
Arnold Davis andFred Hartley                      38
Brett Dixon and Bob Duckworth                38
(I think I’ve got the right?)

The last 3 placing were decided on count back.

The Raffle prizes went to:  Jim Avis, Frank Baggenstos and Peter Davies.
Congratulations to the winners.

Next week is Coring Week necessitating another Away Game.
We will play away as usual at Fairview Golf Club and I am proposing we split the field between Front and Back 9’s.
The Back 9 is definitely worth it for those of you who are up for a challenge!
The format will be Net.