The Clarens - March 2024 - Newsletter

Dear Member

During the eventful month of March, 1450 rounds of golf were played, being the busiest month for the first quarter of the year.

April 2024 Calendar

‍Business Hours

As Winter is creeping up on us, our business hours will change as of the 1st of May 2024

Weekdays: 08:00 – Closing

Weekends: 07:30 – Closing

Summer hours will be in effect again as of the 1st of September 2024.

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Greenkeepers Report

Given the challenging weather conditions, special treatment and extra care was required.

Club championships took place on the 16th of March 2024, the team did well to produce the best possible golf course for the championships.

Additional tee boxes had been built and levelled throughout the year especially for the tournament. In Addition, these will offer more options for normal social play.

Removal of reeds took place amongst other herbicide treatments.

Penalty lines and stakes were repainted, and all distance markers have been touched up with a dash of white.

The special flagsticks made there way out for the championships.

Rainfall Calendar

Club Championships 2024

Club championships took place on Saturday the 16th of March 2024, a record number of entries were received, and a fun day was had by all.

As the A-Division players took to the field for 36 holes at 07:00, the weather was fair however the second round was played under a scorching sun.

Gusts of wind made it a tough scoring day, our first-round leader came into the clubhouse with a score of 76 (+4). The afternoon played as difficult with the lowest second round score being a 77 (+5).

Malefane Mokoena played his two rounds in 76; 77 = 153 (+9) to claim the title as Club Champion for 2024.

Congratulations Malefane.

The ladies did well, with the ladies A-Division, Rose Mokoena, the defending champion playing a first nine 39, 3 strokes ahead at the time and a second nine 37. Her score of 76 (+4) was enough to defend her title as Club Champion.

Congratulations Rose.

We would like to thank all the players and visitors that took part on the day and congratulate all the winners in each division.

A special thanks goes out to the greenkeeper and his staff for an incredible championship course.

The day was made a success with the assistance of all the involved sponsors and staff.  

Singles Match Play

The inaugural knockout event will commence from the 1^st May 2024.

Entries will be open until the 28^th of April 2024.

Entries can be made in the pro shop or by emailing Heindrich at golf@theclarens.co.za

‍Weekly Competition Result

Friday 01 March 2024 (IPS)

Beer Bonanza

• No competition took place

Wednesday 06 March 2024 (4 ball alliance – Mystery Score)

Business League Round 2

First Place – Team Flagg SIC

Second Place – Team Tshwaranang

Friday 08 March 2024 (IPS)

Puma Energy Competition

First Place – Leon Matthee

Second Place – Mark Horton

Wednesday 13 March 2024 (Medal)

Greenkeepers Revenge

First Place – Pieter Morrison

Second Place – Andries Claasens

Friday 15 March 2024 (Bonus Bogey)

Puma Energy Competition

• No competition took place

Wednesday 20 March 2024 (Skins)

18 Holes Wednesday Competition

• No competition took place

Friday 22 March 2024

• Huissorg Vry Gholfday

Wednesday 27 March 2024 (Medal)  

KWV Thirsty Thousand

• No competition took place

Friday 29 March 2024 (IPS)

Puma Energy Competition

First Place – Rob Silcock  

Second Place – Josh Wampach

HNA News

“Dear Golfer

This month we look at how having a 5 handicap is aspirational for many golfers, and many higher handicap golfers want to get into single figures, even if they would not admit it!

For many golfers, a 5 handicapper will be seen as a very competent player. However, while they might well be accomplished golfers, especially from the perspective of an 18-handicapper, the following shows how, in making up their rounds, they could help to lower their handicaps across all areas of the game.

Some of the statistics referred to in this piece are from data collected from over 500 million shots, played in more than 10 million rounds of golf, worldwide.

In the context of South Africa, on the HNA system there are currently 11 297 players with a Handicap Index of 5 and below, which is approximately 7.2% of the database. Of these players, 10 896 are male, 401 are female, which represents 7.91% and 2.1% of their respective gender categories. 

So, if you are a 5 handicapper and want to lower your handicap, or if your goal is to reach single figures, then take a look at the following statistics, which explain why a handicap is so effective, and which offer food for thought, the next time you plan your practice schedule!In terms of these strategic areas, and on average, 5-handicappers will:

1. From 150 yards (137 metres) out and in the fairway, and while using anything from a 6-iron, to an 8-iron - hit shots to the pin inside 20 feet (6 metres), only 19% of the time and inside 10 feet (3 metres), only 6% of the time.

Find the green around 50% of the time, from 148 yards (135 metres) out and on the fairway, which underlines how crucial this distance is for low handicappers, and in overall terms, hit 46% of greens in regulation, which is just over 8 greens per round.

2. Find just under 50% of fairways off the tee, and miss more fairways than they hit with the driver, while this number will only edge up by 2.9% to 52.6% when using a 3-wood.

3. Hit an average 245 yards (224 metres) off the tee.

4. From 30ft (9 metres), be thinking of, or perhaps hoping to hole the putt for birdie or par. However, the data shows that they will actually three-putt 20% of the time from this distance.

5. Average around 4.27 strokes on a typical par 4 of 300 yards (225 metres). This is surprising when nearly all players of that ability will be looking to birdie the shorter holes, and some will even be trying to drive the green, or getting close to it.

6. Will make bogey 44% of the time.

7. Will make bogey, or worse, on 44% of the holes played, which is 7.92 holes of bogey or worse each round, and will also make double, or worse, on roughly 1.6 holes per round, while making an average of just 1.2 birdies per round.

8. From the fairway and just 75 yards (68 metres) out, be more likely to make bogey than birdie, while the chance of getting up-and-down for birdie is just 11%, with the odds of taking four, or more strokes to get down being doubled to 22%.

9. From within 25 yards (23 metres), they will only get up-and-down 46% of the time, but they find the green 94% of the time i.e., they will rarely hit duffed, or thinned chips shots.

10. Make 63% of putts between 3-5ft (1 and 1.5 metres).

Key Stats Summary:

Driving Distance: 247 yards – 224 metres

Driving Accuracy: 49%

Greens in Regulation: 46%

Up-and-Downs 25-50 yards (23 to 46 metres): 26%

Up-and-Downs 0-25 yards (0 to 23 metres): 46%

Sand Saves 25-50 yards (23 to 46 metres): 20%

Putts Per Round: 32.4

Putts Per Hole: 1.8

Birdies Per Round: 1.2

Pars Per Round: 8.9

Bogeys Per Round: 6.4

Par 3 Score: 3.4

Par 4 Score: 4.5Par 5 Score: 5.1

If we can draw any conclusions from the data, it would be that the ‘cone of contention’, which is an area the Open Champion Tony Lema believed separated the men from the boys, and the winners from the also rans, plays a very real role in everyone’s game! It is, of course, the zone from 75 yards (68 metres) in to the pin.

On the same theme, and given that 5-handicappers have a one-in-five chance of three-putting from 30ft (9 metres), this would suggest that everyone could shoot lower scores by working on their lag putting and from inside 5 feet (1.5 metres), as overall even 5-handicappers tend to have two three-putts per round, with an average of 32.1 putts per round.

If you are a 5 handicap, think of all the unnecessary drop shots made on short par 4s, then maybe you should be considering using an iron, or a hybrid, off the tee to leave a simple wedge short shot to the green.

Another assumption about 5 handicap golfers might be that they hole everything from inside 5 feet (1.5 metres).

However, the statistics tell another story wherein they only make 63% of putts between 3-5 feet (1 to 1.5 metres). This will certainly support the data that they three-putt 20% of the time from 30 feet (9 metres), and they do not even hole everything inside 2 feet (just over 0.5 metre) either, with a make percentage of 93%.

Overall, looking at these stats and in terms of the need to get the best ROI for valuable time spent in practicing, one has to say - thank goodness we have a handicap system, because it frees us up to make the choice between spending more time on course with our friends and being sociable (surely the key point to amateur golf?), or spending more time on the range honing our games!” Quoted from Handicap Network Africa.

Rule for the Month

Rule 13.2

The Flagstick

Purpose of Rule: This Rule Covers the player’s choice for dealing with the flagstick. The player may leave the flagstick in the hole or have it removed (which includes having someone attend the flagstick and remove it after the ball is played), but must decide before making the stroke. There is normally no penalty if a ball in motion hits the flagstick.

The Rule applies to the ball played from anywhere on the course, whether on or off the putting green.

13.2a

Leaving Flagstick in Hole

1. Player May Leave Flagstick in Hole. The player may make a stroke with the flagstick left in the hole, so that it is possible for the ball in motion to hit the flagstick.

The player must decide this before making the stroke, by either

• Leaving the flagstick where it is in the hole or moving it so that it is centred in the hole and leave it there, or
• Having a removed flagstick put back in the hole.

In either case:

• The player must not try to gain an advantage by deliberately moving the flagstick to a position other than centred in the hole.
• If the player does so and the ball in motion then hits the flagstick, they get the general penalty.

2. No penalty if ball hits flagstick left in hole. If the player makes a stroke with the flagstick left in the hole and the ball in motion then hits the flagstick:

• There is no penalty (Except as provided in (1)), and
• The ball must be played as it lies.

3. Limitation on player moving or removing flagstick in hole while ball is in motion. After making a stoke with the flagstick left in the hole:

• The player and their caddie must not deliberately move of remove the flagstick. To affect where the player’s ball in motion might come to rest (such as to avoid having the ball hit the flagstick.) if this is done, the player gets the general penalty.
• But there is no penalty if the player has the flagstick in the hole moved or removed for any other reason, such as when they reasonable believe that the ball in motion will not hit the flagstick before coming to rest.

4. Limitation on other players moving or removing flagstick when player has decided to leave it in hole. When the player has left the flagstick in the hole and has not authorised anyone to attend the flagstick (see Rule 13.2b (1)), another player must not deliberately move or remove the flagstick to effect where the player’s ball in motion might come to rest.   

• if another player or their caddie does so before or during the stroke and the player makes the stroke without being aware of this, or does so while the player’s ball is in motion after the stroke, that other player gets the general penalty.
• But there is no penalty if the other player of their caddie moves or removes the flagstick for any other reason, such as when they:
• Reasonably believe that the player’s ball in motion will not hit the flagstick before coming to rest, or
• Are not aware that the player is about to play or that the player’s ball is in motion.

See Rule 22.2 (In foursomes, either partner may act for the side and action by the partner is treated as action of the player); 23.5 (in fourball, either partner may act for the side and action by the partner concerning the players ball or equipment is treated as action of the player).

13.2b

Removing flagstick from hole

1. Player may have flagstick removed from hole. The player may make a stroke with the flagstick removed from the hole so that their ball in motion will not hit the flagstick in the hole.

The player must decide this before making the stoke, by either:

• Having the flagstick removed from the hole before playing the ball, or
• Authorising someone to attend the flagstick, which means to:
• Hold the flagstick in, above or next to the hole before the stroke to show the player where the hole is, and
• Then remove the flagstick during the stroke or after the stoke is made.

The player is treated as having authorised the flagstick to be attended: if

• The player’s caddie is holding the flagstick in, above or next to the hole or is standing right next to the hole when the stroke is made, even if the player is not aware the caddie is doing so,
• The player asks any other person to attend the flagstick and that person does so, or
•  The player sees any other person holding the flagstick in, above or next to the hole or standing right next to the hole, and the player makes the stroke without asking the person to move away or to leave the flagstick in the hole.

2. What to do if ball hits flagstick or person attending flagstick. If the player’s ball in motion hits the flagstick that the player had decided have removed (1), or hits the person who is attending the flagstick (or anything the person is holding) what happens depends on whether this was accidental or deliberate:

• Ball accidently hits flagstick or person who removed or is attending it. If the player’s ball in motion accidently hits the flagstick or the person who removed or is attending it (or anything the person is holding), there is no penalty and the ball must be played as it lies.
• Ball deliberately defected or stopped by person attending flagstick. If the person who is attending the flagstick deliberately deflects or stops the player’s ball in motion, Rule 11.2c applies:
• Where ball is played from. The player must not play the ball as it lies and instead must take relief under Rule 11.2c
• When penalty applies. If the person who deliberately deflected or stopped the ball was a player or their caddie, that player gets the general penalty for a breach of Rule 11.2

For purposes of this Rule, “deliberately deflected or stopped” means the same thing as in Rule 11.2a, and includes when the player’s ball in motion hits:

• A removed flagstick that was deliberately positioned or left in a particular place on the ground so that it might deflect or stop the ball,
• An attended flagstick that the person deliberately flailed to remove from the hole or to move out of the way of the ball, or
• The person who attended or removed the flagstick (or anything the person was holding), when they deliberately failed to move out of the way of the ball.

Exception – Restrictions on deliberately moving flagstick to affect a ball in motion (see Rule 11.3)

See Rules 22.2 (In foursomes, either partner may act for the side and action by the partner is treated as action of the player); 23.5 (In fourball, either partner may act for the side and action by the partner concerning the player’s ball or equipment is treated as action of the player).

13.2c

Ball resting against flagstick in hole

If a player’s ball comes to rest against the flagstick left in the hole:

• If any part of the ball is in the hole below the surface of the putting green, the ball is treated as holed even if the entire ball is not below the surface.
• If no part of the ball is in the hole below the surface of the putting green:
• The ball is not holed and must be played as it lies.
• If the flagstick is removed and the ball moves (whether it falls into the hole or moves away from the hole), there is no penalty and the ball must be replaced on the lip of the hole (See Rule14.2).

Penalty for playing ball from a wrong place in breach of rule 13.2c: General penalty under Rule 14.7a

In stroke play, the player is disqualified if they fail to hole out as required under Rule 3.3c.  

The Masters Tournament Fun Facts

11 – 14 April 2024

As the Masters are played in the traditional time slot of April, it is also the first major of the year for men’s professional golfers.

It is also the most famous major taking the title for being the most watched golf tournament.

Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts were the two founders of Augusta National, the dream they had for the annual event was to bring the best players in the world together and bring notoriety to their club. The first Masters champion was Horton Smith in 1936, his winning score was 285 (4 under par). He also became the first player to have ever won the tournament twice.

Gary Player was the first South African to have won the event in 1961 and holds 3 titles to his name.

We wish everyone a splendid Masters week.

Kind Regards

Heindrich Dyer

Golf Director

URL: www.theclarens.co.za         |          Email: golf@theclarens.co.za         |       Tel:  +27 58 256 1270

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