Harry is the son of our golfing member Matt Sammut. In 2022 the then 8 year old Harry was diagnosed with widespread stage 4 Neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer that left Harry’s little body weak and wracked with pain. His journey so far has involved intense chemotherapy, surgery, bone marrow transplants, radiotherapy and immunotherapy, spending up to 8 weeks at a time in hospital. With each treatment Harry’s body has endured a great deal of immediate side effects like nausea, loss of appetite, mucositis, skin discomfort, nerve pain, muscular pain, and many, many more.

Whilst the treatment has shown positive results his family want to give him the best possible chance of surviving this rare cancer and that means flying to the USA for a revolutionary treatment that’s achieving positive results. However, the cost is in the vicinity of $130,000 and that’s on top of what they’ve already spent on medical bills, time off work, previous trips to the States for treatment and other financial stresses that two years of treatment has brought. Through all this, Matt and mum Julia have continued to be there for Harry and his younger brother Patrick.

They’re not complaining but desperately need our help. If you can spare a dollar or more every bit will help.

You can donate by going to https://gofund.me/5c020864

You can also follow Harry’s journey through his Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/HarrysFightAgainstNeuroblastoma

HARMONY NEWS
After over 15years years at Cumberland, Crystal and Peter Wong have decided it’s time to retire and take it easy. They have put Harmony at Cumberland on the map as the best restaurant of its kind in western Sydney with people travelling from near and far to enjoy the quality food, a relaxed atmosphere and friendly staff. We will greatly miss Crystal and Peter and wish them all the very best in their retirement.

In the meantime, we are working on contractual arrangements with Andrew Liu who will take over the restaurant contract. Andrew is an experienced, highly motivated restaurateur who comes highly recommended by Crystal and Peter. He has been working alongside them and their staff in the restaurant over the past couple of months. We believe it will be a smooth transition with continuing quality food and friendly service that is a trademark of Harmony. We will make a further announcement once a date for the handover is decided.

HOLE IN ONE VOUCHERS
We recently had a member try to redeem vouchers months after scoring a hole in one and on a day when he was not even playing in a competition. It is clearly not in the right spirit to hold off shouting the bar until weeks or months later. The vouchers were never intended for personal use or to shout beers for a small number of mates.

By-Law 4.9 sets out the rules in relation to Hole in One vouchers (100 drink vouchers) to be issued on the day of the Hole in One or on the next competition day the person who scored the Hole in One is playing. Upon receiving the tokens, the Club member is eligible to ‘ring the bell’ and hence ‘the bar is shouted’.

Why there is an option to redeem them either on the day or on the next competition day is in the case of a player being in one of the last groups or for some reason can’t come into the bar at the end of their round.

A comment I’ve heard is that this By-Law was introduced by the current board to save money. Nothing is further from the truth and cost was never part of the Board’s considerations. Ironically, it was approved by the Board in 2021 following complaints of some members hoarding tokens.

I trust this clarifies the situation and addresses the malicious misinformation being spread.

BOOKING IN
It has also been brought to our attention that some members are using others’ cards to book in for competitions.

By-Law 18.1.2 states;
– A Member cannot at any time use another member membership card to make any additional bookings.
– A maximum of 4 players (one group) can be booked in per member.
– Failure to comply with these procedures may result in the suspension of the members booking in rights and or further sanctions as deemed by the Match Committee.

The intent of this By-Law is to give everyone a fair go, and action will be taken by the Match Committee for non-compliance.

GOVERNMENT GRANT
We’ve had some good news in that our application for a government infrastructure grant has been successful and we will be given $20,000 towards the cost of paths that we installed on the 14th hole. The Grant Applications process is very competitive with applications made by many clubs from around the State. We must acknowledge the efforts of our Treasurer Robert and GM Andrew who spent many hours putting the detailed application together. Congratulations and thank you.

NEW ASSISTANT OPERATIONS MANAGER
Following the departure of Damon Green, Supervisor Justin Johnson has been promoted to the position of Assistant Operations Manager. We wish Justin all the best as he settles into the role and we’re sure he will do a great job.

April was another great month for golf at Cumberland, with over 3300 competition rounds played, despite some poor weather early in the month. Weekend field sizes remain strong with each day still averaging around the 200 player mark.

Timesheet Etiquette
Unfortunately, we are seeing a growing trend of members cancelling competition bookings late resulting in empty timesheet spots the otherwise may have been used by other members seeking a game. Please consider your fellow member in exercising timesheet etiquette and noting the following.
– Do not wait until the last minute to cancel your booking. As soon as you know that you cannot play, cancel your booking to allow other members the opportunity to fill the vacant spot.
– “Blocker bookings” are not to be left on the sheet in the hope of holding a spot someone else preventing the waiting list from performing its function.
– Report and check in at the Proshop for every round, both competition and social.

April Winners
Congratulations to the following winner from
April Monthly Medal
A Grade – Fred Daoud
B Grade – Seoung Woo Jeong
C Grade -Rory Greive

ANZAC Day Medal
Davin Peters

President’s V Captain’s Day
Captain’s Team

Cock of the Walk
Ken Desmond & Bob Barnes (Congratulations Ken on back to back wins!)

Upcoming Events
Ladies Foursomes Championship – 7th & 14th
May Mothers Day Mother/Child Trophy – 12th May
Triple 6 challenge – 16th May

Hole in Ones
Congratulations to following players who achieve a Hole in One this past month.
Paul Pestano – 16th Hole – 25th April
Sungmoon Jeong – 3rd Hole – 27th April

Pennant News
The Pennant season is about to ramp up again with a number of Pennants kicking off over the next couple of months.

Cumberland will again field a very competative Masters Pennant side in 2024. The season starts with a home game on Sunday 19th May. As always we will welcome any support from members who may be free to come along and cheer on the team.

The Warren(B Grade) & Gibson (C Grade) Trophy, Super Seniors and Eric Apperly Pennants will all commence in July. As such the Match committee is on the lookout for team selections.

If any member is willing and available for these pennants, please place your name on the nomination sheets located above the booking in kiosks in the Clubhouse.

Good Golfing, Darren (The Fox) Stocks – Club Captain

The course renovations and the four temporary green earthworks were completed successfully on the April 9 and April 16 respectively.

We are investigating scarifying individual fairways over the coming months. The purpose of scarifying is to allow aeration to the sub-base, break down the sodium build up and remove the thatch build up. Local rules will be advised when work is taking place.

The Bureau of Meteorology has declared this year’s El Nino over, and the El Nino-Southern Oscillation is now in a neutral phase. If there is a new normal in the era of climate change, then the next few months could be it, so says Caitlan Fitzsimmons from SMH.

Notables
• Freshwater dam on the 12th is at 100% capacity. The 2nd dams are at 100% capacity, while the 5th dam is at 90% capacity.
• The Calcium application program continues on fairway and tees to further improve the soil structure.
• April weather has been interesting, with 155.8 mm of rain received during the month, 111 mm on one day.
• Gypsum in the form of Tru – gyp has been applied to the greens surfaces to decrease compaction and encourage aeration, this is to combat the bio carbonate and sodium build up.

Members continue to leave bunkers unraked, lob marks on greens unrepaired!!
• Bunker rakes are not ornaments, please use them if you’re in the bunker and then return it to the middle of the bunker.
• Repair your lob mark on the green and go beyond the call and fix a couple.

Let me share a secret, one of the primary advantages of bunker raking is the creation of a consistent playing surface for golfers. Here in Greystanes, where the climate and soil conditions vary, maintaining bunkers becomes especially important to avoid any negative impact on a golfer’s shot. Improperly raked sand can become compacted or uneven, making it difficult for golfers to control the ball.

Regular bunker raking ensures the uniform dispersion and proper flattening of the sand resulting in a consistent playing surface, allowing YOU to concentrate on your shots without worrying about unpredictable conditions.

Lastly, I would like to thank the club for appointing me, Captain of the Master Pennant Team for 2024, this is truly an honour. Our first pennant match is at home on the 19 May 2024 commencing at 11am, your support will be appreciated by the team.

Another fantastic day for our Aussie-Korea Friendship Day.

Albeit under cloudy and sometimes wet conditions, the Korean & Aussie flags were proudly flying, the players dressed to represent and ready give their all for winners bragging rights!

This year’s Draw for Partners made a nice change to the format and provided a great opportunity for the ladies to have a game with someone new. Special thanks to Sujung (VP) and Cecilia for putting together the flags and decorations to make our day extra special!

Ladies Foursome Championship’s
May is a busy month in our fixtures. Starting next week, we’re teeing off in round one (of two) in the Ladies Foursomes Championship. This year, our teams in each Division are evenly matched so they’ll be some serious effort being made to 1.score well or 2.maintain a sense of humour! However, in the meantime, I hope all our competitors enjoy the event along with the new and remote locations they may find themselves in!

Pennant News:

Our Northern Districts Pennant team (Bronze 2) are readying themselves for round 1 at Pymble Golf Club on the 17th May. Other clubs in this Draw include Muirfield, Asquith, North Ryde & Killara. Our team is eager to re-take the shield this year after handing it over to last year’s undefeated winners, Muirfield. Good luck ladies, enjoy your games and the opportunity to play on these fantastic courses.

Grandma’s Trophy
With Mother’s Day just around the corner, we love nothing more than to acknowledge the most important mama’s of them all, our grandma’s. The Cumberland Grandmas Trophy, played on Tuesday 21st May, is an opportunity for the rest of us to step aside for the grandest mama of them all, stay tuned for the result!

A Very Big Hello to everyone in May from us at Banners Golf. Another busy month in the Proshop and the rains have finally arrived.

Firstly, we have exciting news, with Thursday the 23rd offering a double chance to get fitted for the clubs you are looking for. We have both Taylormade and Titleist at the Club with full fitting carts – bookings are filling quickly so contact the Proshop immediately or book online today to secure your spot.

With Mothers’ Day this weekend, anything instore is perfect and if you just can’t decide on what she would like, the obvious choice is to purchase a GIFT CARD and let the most important lady in your life decide for herself.

Ladies Foursomes starts this Tuesday and the Men’s Handiskins final is on Saturday the 18th.

This Saturday the 11th is a very exciting event, with Taylormade sponsoring the Nearest to the Pin Prizes on the day along with a separate Ball Competition. Look out for an email update in the next 24 hours with all the information.

Winter is almost HERE ! With winter comes all the changes required in our golf equipment and here at Banners Golf we have everything you need to continue to power down the fairways in comfort, style and warmth every week.

Mens and Ladies Footjoy and Under Armour winter clothing has landed and you will not only look the part but keep dry and warm while doing it. We have a wide selection of jumpers and outerwear on display in the shop and if you would like the Cumberland Logo added we are happy to do so ! Winter and Rain gloves are now available along with a great range of waterproof golf bags from all the major brands.

This month’s special golf tip comes from yours truly in the proshop and it’s basic but imperative. Have a plan for winter. Check everything to make sure it works and is waterproof before you start. If your umbrella is leaking, shoes leaking, glove dying, jumper threadbare, bag leaking, buggy rusted or anything else need replacing, NOW IS THE TIME.

Joannes Ladies Beginner classes continue to grow in popularity. With this now a permanent Friday morning class, all beginner Ladies are welcome and can attend as often as you wish, simply pay for each individual week as you go, or pay ahead in bulk to save. This class continues to develop some great friendships and golfing members and is a great low-pressure introduction to golf and the Club community.
So that’s it for another Month. Stay safe, stay healthy and lets all enjoy golf this winter !

For any of your golfing needs call into the Pro Shop and talk to our friendly staff. Joanne, Matthew, Myo, Arthur, Luke, Alex and the Juniors

Dear Members,

I am happy to advise that the first construction works to facilitate the development are about to commence. As many of you are aware, we are embarking on an exciting journey to enhance our course and clubhouse, and I am thrilled to share an important update with you.

Construction of the temporary greens is set to commence on April 2nd. Once completed these greens will allow for uninterrupted 18 holes of play during the course enabling works.

These temporary greens will be located on the 2nd, 4th, 9th, and 18th holes and are indicated on the Map below.

During the construction phase and until the temporary greens are ready for play, it’s essential to note that the areas occupied by these temporary greens will be designated as compulsory ground under repair (GUR). This designation ensures the safety and fairness of play during this transitional period.

During construction of these greens, our spare Lake Johnson hole and temporary course ratings will be utilised. These adjustments are necessary to maintain the integrity and quality of your golfing experience throughout the development process.

We understand that these changes may bring some adjustments to your regular game, but we assure you that every effort is being made to minimise disruptions and ensure a seamless transition. Your patience and understanding during this time are greatly appreciated as we work towards creating an even better golfing environment for all our members.

Please stay tuned for further updates as construction progresses. Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm for our club’s growth and improvement.

Dear Members,

With the latest news, our development partner Partier are on the eve of lodging a Development Application for the Independent Living Units. I thought I should take some time to highlight the pending changes to our current 2nd, 4th, 5th, 9th and 18th holes. These changes are displayed in the Clubhouse as well as in the body of this newsletter.

The back nine will commence on the existing 6th, there is no change to this hole. On completion of the hole, you will wander down to the new 11th hole, which is situated behind the new 14th.

The new 11th is the combination of part of the current 4th and 5th holes. It will traverse around the big gum which currently cohabitates with the fairway bunker on the existing 4th and then you will trek down to the area where the current 5th green is situated. The dam will be slightly enlarged, and the green side dam wall raised and beautified.

The cart path currently adjacent to the green will be removed to allow the green to flow into the dam. The path repositioned on the left of the green, will provide an access to the 12th (existing 2nd hole) which will remain as is but will have a small creek installed at the base of the gully heading up to the green. The creek in part is an architectural design feature but also to weatherproof the course in that area. As we all saw in the big wet of 2022, this area was impassable. On playing the hole, players will need to decide on the reward for risk aspect when approaching the shot into the green.

The 14th hole is utilising the first third of the existing 4th hole and has been designed with a small pond protecting the front left-hand side of the green. This pond will be the water source for the wee burn that will flow across the gully on our existing 2nd. The long hitters will question, reward for risk at 290 metres. There will be a number of ways to play this hole. The green will slope back to front and will have bunkering at the rear to catch any long shots.

The existing 9th will be shaped into two holes. The first a par 4 measuring 307 metres played from the existing 9th tees, the green will be guarded by strategically placed bunkers.

The new 9th will be played from the existing 18th tee and the new hole will play 449 metres. The existing 18th green will be relocated and new bunkers created.

The Par for the new course when opened will be 70 and will measure 5532 metres or 6050 yards. The course will see several dams enlarged, a new pond, new bunkers and 3 new USGA standard greens built. The course’s make up will be 3 x par 5’s, 10 x par 4’s, and 5 x par 3’s. The final design will be subject to approval under a Development Application.

In the first half of 2024, work will commence on the construction of the temporary greens required to ensure we have a full 18 hole golf course during the Course Enabling works.

There will be some disruption to the course over the period of the enabling works, and all efforts will be undertaken to provide members an enjoyable experience while we transition to the new course.

Preparations are now underway to build the four (4) temporary greens so the enabling works can commence once the Development Application is approved.

A new temporary green is to be constructed on the 2nd fairway prior to the rise leading to the existing green, to enable the trenching of the wee burn. The hole will play as a Par 4. The construction of the wee burn is highlighted in green and blue.

A new temporary green is to be situated on 9th fairway prior to the dip, to enable the construction works to commence on Lake Johnson. The 18th will play as a par 5, the constructions zone is highlighted in colour.

New temporaries constructed on the 4th and 18th fairway, to enable the construction works on the existing 4th and 5th holes to be undertaken. The temporary on the 2nd to be reinstated and a par 3 to the existing 2nd green created. The 5th hole will play as a par 3, the shorten 6th hole will be played as a par 3. The 9th will play as a par 4 and on finishing the hole, players will walk across to the shorten 10th hole as indicated by the blue dotted line. The construction zone is highlighted in colour.

The Board wish to thank you for your patience and engagement as we watch the future of Cumberland Country Golf Club develop.