11th July 2018 – Clubhouse Master Plan Update
Implementation of First Phase of Clubhouse Master Plan – New Members’ Grill plus upgrade to Members’ Lounge and the Pro Shop
We are now into the 9th week of the building program. Cooktown Constructions continues to make solid progress with all sub-ground works completed and the slab poured for the new members’ grill. Members can now gain a feel for the size of the new grill but please note the 3.6 metre wide verandah surrounding the new building has yet to be poured.
Despite a significant amount of due diligence, we did encounter a few surprises whilst excavating for the new grill. In particular, various legacy pipes from our original clubhouse were discovered and needed to be extracted before the slab could be poured. Cooktown Constructions worked in close co-operation with the club and our consultants to determine the best course of action when confronted with these challenges and I am pleased to advise that the issues were resolved with a minimum of fuss and cost.
Once the slab was poured, work has progressed off-site on the fabrication of the structural steel together with other items such as the stainless steel for the new kitchen. We anticipate the structural steel being erected within the next two weeks with the framing of the new roof for the grill commencing soon thereafter.
Work is also on-going inside the existing members’ lounge with new beer and pre-mix lines chased into the slab and work on the construction of the new bar progressing according to schedule. Final screeding of the bar area will be done in coming days which in turn will allow final measurements to be taken for the fabrication of the new bar.
As mentioned previously, we anticipate handing over the pro shop to Cooktown Constructions in mid-August. Cooktown will then proceed with work needed to expand the pro shop’s footprint to the extremities of the current verandah and create a ‘warm shell’ for the final fitout. Arrangements are in hand for the erection of a temporary pro shop on the grass area to the north of the administration area of the clubhouse and every effort is being made to minimise disruption to both Graham and his team as well as to members.
The Building Committee, primarily through the project control group, continues to liaise closely with our architects and our builder. To date we have not encountered any issues that have material cost implications and we continue to anticipate the works being completed prior to Christmas.
Solar PV System Installation
I am pleased to advise that the erection of the steel frame required to support the solar panels is well underway and I anticipate the structure will be completed by this Friday, July 13. The photo below was taken on the morning of Tuesday 10 July.
The steel frame will provide a platform of some 350 square metres in area and will accommodate 176 solar panels. These panels will have the ability to generate 76kW of power which, to put into perspective, is approximately 15 to 20 times more than the average home system. When activated, the solar PV system will result in material power savings for the club for many years to come.
Our supplier, Infinite Energy, will commence installing the solar panels next week and the whole system is expected to be completed by the end of July.
Ralph Gibson – Chairman Building Committee.
6th July 2018 – Course Update
It has been an extremely wet period on course with June 2018 rainfall totalling 100mm more than the June 2017. This has obviously impacted on the maintenance practices and playability of the course which has stood up to the conditions well, particularly the front 9 greens. This volume of rain meant an increase of greens aeration which assists in moving water through the profile but also softens the surface. The greens are in a strong position after this rain which means coming into spring we can really focus on firmness, trueness and speed.
The back 9 greens were seeded on 18th June and germinated within 7 days which is excellent progress. The covers will remain on to give the grass a warmer climate to establish in. Once the covers come off we will move into the grow in phase and a gradual reduction in height of cut down to 3.5mm which will be opening day height of cut. The turf on the bunkers has rooted in well and in 2 weeks time we start to cut the turf to the final shapes and prepare the internal shapes to the final design. Time will be spent on each bunker to ensure adequate entry and exits plus a shape which encourages balls to roll to the base.
1st June 2018
Clubhouse Masterplan Update
Cooktown Constructions and their contractors are progressing well with the first phase of the Masterplan. The Halfway House has been completely demolished and the paving around the terrace along the front of the Members Bar and part of the Pro Shop walkway has been removed. In the coming weeks members will see footings going down and a concrete slab for the new Grill poured.
As of this Sunday the Members Bar and Lounge will close and early next week will be handed over to the builders to commence work. Whilst operations tomorrow will be normal, members will notice most of the memorabilia and honor boards have been removed. Over the weekend, our team will relocate the furniture in to the Dining Room, and stock and other items will also be relocated. From this Sunday onwards, the Members Bar and Lounge will be closed however service will continue, but from the Bistro and Dining Room areas instead. The Courtyard will continue to operate as normal although with some limitations in terms of products offered, as storage is somewhat limited. Every effort is being made to make our members’ experience an enjoyable one.
Work on the Pro Shop will not commence until mid-August after which time Graham and his team will be relocated to a temporary facility.
Your management team have already commenced preparations to open the New Grill later this year with new and exciting menu options and beverage offerings being developed.
Back 9 Greens Replacement
With some recent wild weather, the focus early this week has been on tidying up the composite course for play. With over 65mm of rain and strong winds, there was a significant amount of debris to be collected. Work on the back 9 did not slow down however, with course architect Mike Cocking on site to oversee the final shaping of the fairway bunkers and make any minor modifications to the greens and approaches. Turf has been laid around most bunkers and greens now, including a run of bent grass which will slow down any potential couch encroachment in the warmer months. The architect and his crew will return the week after next to finish the fine shaping and sign-off on the works, after which time Fraser and his team will seed and pin down the growth blankets on each green. At this stage everything is still on schedule for an opening on October 27. Below are some photos taken earlier today of both the Grill site and Back 9.
We thank all members for their patience whilst work continues on both major projects.
Clubhouse Photos
Back 9 Photos
15th May 2018 …..The greens project is progressing very well. Each workzone is at different stages of the process but we are on schedule with all greens rough shaped. It has been an excellent effort from my team and contractors to have such a transformation in such a short period of time. In the last 2 weeks we have completed the following tasks:
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Removal of over 1 hectare of turf.
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Excavation of over 2,500 tonnes of material.
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Reinstating 2,500 tonnes of clean material.
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Rebuilding of 11th green back to gravel layer as per USGA specifications.
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Fumigation of 9 workzones.
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Rough shaping of 9 greens and 31 bunkers.
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Fine shaping with rakes, boards and compactors of 4 holes.
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Resetting of irrigation heads and inground sensors.
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Turfing 10th green and bunker surrounds.
We are making good progress and will continue to do so, turf has started to be laid on the new surrounds and this will start to make the workzone look a little more complete. Once the turf is laid then we concentrate our efforts ensuring the greens have correct depths, correct surface water movement, adequate pin placements, interesting contours and that they have a seamless tie into the surrounding areas.
A couple of points to note for members, firstly although we are working on the back 9 we do need to access sand from the pit area by 3rd hole. This means dumpers and excavators will pass through this area so please be aware of moving vehicles.
Secondly a thank you to members for their patience through this period of construction, we are aware that the members are giving up 9 holes while this work is undertaken so we are doing everything we can to ensure the remaining 18 holes which are open are kept to a very high standard.
Kind regards,
Fraser Brown – Course Superintendent.
