The Clarens - May 2024 - Newsletter

Dear Member

During the month of May winter announced herself with a freshness in the air. During this time we saw 951 rounds of golf being played.

June 2024 Calendar

 

Trading on Mondays

During the upcoming school holidays, all facilities will be open on Monday’s excluding Monday the 8th of July 2024. Please note that should the calendar state that we are closed on Monday’s, all facilities are closed to both the general public and members.

Greenkeepers Report

For the month of May, no rainfall was received, which had a negative effect on the course and put a strain on the irrigation system.

This did however allow the maintenance crew to complete construction work such as filling up and repairing areas on certain cart paths. The ropes in front of the club house have been removed and wooden poles have been installed. The same took place on the cart path passing the 10th tee box.

A new cart path was laid out on the 16th hole, we believe that this will have a positive effect on the erosion that took place.

 

Upgrading and repairing certain areas on the 10th and 15th hole took place, please adhere to the signage present. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

 

‍

Rainfall Calendar

 

Singles Match Play

Thank you to all the participating players, please note that all pool games need to be completed by the 18th of August 2024.

We wish everybody the best of luck.

Business League 2024

‍

‍Cigarette Butts

We hope you've been enjoying your time out on the greens. There's something special about a sunny afternoon, a well-timed swing, and the satisfaction of a well-played shot. However, we've noticed an increasing issue that we'd like to address - cigarette butts littering our beautiful course.

We understand that for some, a leisurely smoke is part of the golfing experience. However, discarded cigarette butts mar the beauty of our greens and fairways as they pose a significant environmental hazard. They can take up to ten years to decompose, all the while leaking toxic chemicals into the soil, potentially harming the local wildlife and plant life.

We ask you to consider the spirit of golf, namely respect for the course, for fellow players, and for the environment as they are an integral part of the game, we all love. Please, if you choose to smoke, dispose of your cigarette butts responsibly. Use the provided receptacles or carry a portable ashtray, provided by the Caddie master.

Together, we can keep our course not only challenging and fun but also clean and green. We thank you for your understanding and cooperation, and we look forward to seeing you (and not your cigarette butts) out on the course.

Weekly Competition Results

Wednesday 01 May 2024 (4 Scores to Count)

Business League Round 4

First place – Team Fire Balls

Second place – Team 50+

Friday 03 May 2024 (IPS)

Puma Energy Competition

No competition took place

Wednesday 08 May 2024 (IPS)

18 Hole Competition

No competition took place

Friday 10 May 2024 (Bonus Bogey)

Puma Energy Competition

No competition took place

Wednesday 15 May 2024 (Skins)

18 Hole Competition

First place – Louwrens de Jager

Second place – Mike van Niekerk

Friday 17 May 2024 (IPS)

Friday 9 Hole Competition

No competition took place

Wednesday 22 May 2024 (IPS)

18 Hole Competition

No competition took place

Friday 24 May 2024 (IPS)

Friday 9 Hole Competition

No competition took place

Wednesday 29 May 2024 (Medal)

KWV Thirsty Thousand

First place – Werner Maree

Second Place – Arend Gagiano

Friday 31 May 2024 (IPS)

Ciglers 9 Hole Meat Competition

First place – Jaco Farrel

Second place – Wouter de Wet

Rule for the Month

Purpose of Rule:

Rule 2 introduces the basic things every player should know about the course:

• There are five defined areas of the course, and
• There are several types of defined objects and conditions that can interfere with play.

It is important to know the area of the course where the ball lies and the status of any interfering objects and conditions, because they often affect the player’s options for playing the ball or taking relief.

 

The Course

 

2.1 Course Boundaries and Out of Bounds

Golf is played on a course whose boundaries are set by the Committee. Areas not on the course are out of bounds.

 

2.2 Defined Areas of the Course

There are five areas of the course.

 

• 2.2a The General Area

The general area covers the entire course except for the four specific areas of the course described in Rule 2.2b.

It is called the “general area” because:

• It covers most of the course and is where a player’s ball will most often be played until the ball reaches the putting green.
• It includes every type of ground and growing or attached object found in that area, such as fairway, rough and trees.

 

• 2.2b The Four Specific Areas

Certain Rules apply specifically to the four areas of the course that are not in the general area:

• The teeing area the player must use in starting the hole they are playing (Rule 6.2),
• All penalty areas (Rule 17),
• All bunkers (Rule 12), and
• The putting green of the hole the player is playing (Rule 13).
• 2.2c Determining Area of Course Where ball Lies

The area of the course where a player’s ball lies affects the Rule that apply in playing the ball or taking relief.

A ball is always treated as lying in only one area of the course:

• If part of the ball is in both the general area and one of the four specific areas of the course, it is treated as lying in that specific area of the course.
• If part of the ball is in two specific areas of the course, it is treated as lying in the specific area that comes first in this order: penalty area, bunker, putting green.

 

2.3 Objects or Conditions That Can Interfere with Play

Certain Rules may give free relief (relief with no penalty) from interference by certain defined objects or conditions, such as:

• Loose impediments (Rile 15.1),
• Movable obstruction (Rule 15.2), and
• Abnormal course condition, which are animal holes, ground under repair, immovable obstructions and temporary water (Rule 16.1).

But there is no free relief from boundary objects or integral objects that interferes with play.  

 

2.4 No Play Zones

A no play zone is a defined part of an abnormal course condition (see Rule 16.1f) or a penalty area (see Rule 17.1e) where play is not allowed.

A player must take relief when:

• Their ball is in a no play zone, or
• A no play zone interferes with their intended stance or area of intended swing in plating a ball outside the no play zone (see Rule 16.1f and 17.1e).

‍

US Open fun Facts

 

‍

• History.

The US Open is always the third major of the year and always played during the month of June. The tournament has a rich history and shining light on feats like the following. Ben Hogan won and claimed the title only 16 months after a horrendous car crash. Tiger Woods won the Title with a broken leg in 2008. Phil Mickelson’s six runner-up titles, unable to hoist the trophy. This comes to show that the US Open has a lot of magical moments to offer.

• Date first Played & the first champion.

The first US Open to be played took place in 1895 and it was played at Newport, Rhode Island. The 1895 US Open was played on a nine-hole course called Newport CC. Horace Rawlins was the first champion, he used his home course advantage as he was employed at Newport C.C

• Type of golf course played on.

The Tournament is played on notoriously difficult courses where smart and accurate play is of the utmost importance. Undulating and fast greens are also seen alongside unforgiving rough.

• How the field is constructed.

The field is constructed with 156 participants. There are however exception pathways to earn a spot in the field for both professional and amateur players.

Here follows a few examples how to earn a spot in the tournament,

• 10 Previous US Open champions.
• First and second place from the previous year’s US Amateur, US Junior Amateur and US Mid-amateur.
• Previous Amateur champion.
• No 1 ranked amateur in the world.
• Past five champions of the other three majors.
• Previous Olympic Gold Medallist.
• Top 10 players from previous US Open.
• All Players from the previous Tour Championship.
• OWGR top 60 a week prior to the event.
• USGA exemptions that are given to individuals.
• Remaining spots can be filled by players that came through qualifying routes.

• Amateurs competing (has an amateur won?)

Amateurs can compete although they need to qualify through different options. The amateur should hold a Handicap Index of 1.4 or less. Two stages of qualifying needs to be undertaken, known as Local Qualifying and second stage. As for an amateur winning the US Open, John Goodman is the only amateur to have ever won the event in 1933.

• Venue for 2024

The 2024 US Open will be hosted at Pinehurst.

• Defending champion (2024)

Wyndham Clark will be defending his 2023 title.

• Past winners and different nationalities, who won the tournament the most.

The first American born player to have won the event was John J. McDermott in 1911. The first South African to have won the US Open was Gary Player in 1965. Four players have won the US Open four times, they are, Jack Nicklaus, Willie Anderson, Bobby Jones and Ben Hogan.

2024 U.S. Open Golf Championship (usopen.com)

Quote of the month

 

Kind Regards

Heindrich Dyer

Golf Director

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

 

UNSUBSCRIBE ‍

 

Click here to visit SA Webhosts