Newsletter May 2016 - Umhlali Country Club

May2016 Newsletter
Dear Member
It’s been a busy year so far and time is flying – it’s hard to believe we are in May
already and that winter is approaching.
We are looking forward to the rest of this action packed year – with lots of
exciting sporting and social events planned.
UCC Management and Staff
IN THIS ISSUE
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3.
4.
5.
6.
News from the AGM
Sporting Sections
Staff training
Gerry O’Donovan
Celebrity visits
Dates and events
UCC 55TH Annual General Meeting
L to R - Lise Hayes, minutes secretary, John Boyce, GM, Mike O’Donovan, Vice Chairman, Ian Catt,
Chairman, Neville Kalil, Finance Chairman, Joe Marais, EXCO Member, Quinten Heyns, EXCO Member,
Ivan Hartley, EXCO Member.
Our 2016 AGM was successfully held on 26 April.
Our new Chairman was announced to be Mike O’Donovan and two new executive committee members
were elected: Leon Lotter and Hugh Gaitskell.
Our EXCO is now made up of:
Mike O’Donovan
Ian Catt
Ivan Hartley
Quinten Heyns
Leon Lotter
Hugh Gaitskell
Their new portfolios will be announced shortly.
Below is a photograph of Mike O’Donovan and his lovely wife Maya taken that evening.
The evening also included the presentation of 50 Life Membership Awards and Staff Long Service Awards
– 15 years and 25 years.
Back row L to R – Neil Roberts, Bruce Hulett, Keith Duane, Tony Southwood
Front row L to R – Jill Hackland, John Hulett, Netta Southwood
John Mtetwa (“Shorty”), Ian Catt, Chairman, John Boyce, GM
Khumalo, Robin, Anton, Precious and John (“Shorty”)
Golf
Driving range:
As you will have noticed, we have installed a new driving range hut (with our existing driving range hut
to be demolished in the coming weeks).
We are currently installing the electrics and plumbing on the new hut and we envisage that the hut will
be completed by end May.
Bag drop:
Have you tried our new bag drop feature at reception?
If you have booked a golf cart for your round of golf, simply arrive at the bag drop, open your boot and
your clubs will be offloaded for you.
No more fuss of having to carry your clubs to the cart, the new bag drop is there to make life easier for
you.
Golf bookings:
Tired of standing in queues trying to book a game of golf? Have you tried booking a game online with
Golf Time SA?Below is the link to Golf Time SA online golf bookings. Copy and paste this link onto your
internet browser, which will then redirect you to the Golf Time SA website. From there you will be able
to create a profile for yourself and once registered, you will be able to complete your golf bookings
online and avoid the long queues on Saturday afternoons trying to book a game.
http://old.golftimesa.co.za
Golf course:
We are in the process of redefining our boundary fences on both the 2nd& 12th holes.
Until we have completed work on both holes, the current White Stakes will remain as is, and once all
work is completed, these will be adjusted accordingly.
All distance markerson the side of the fairway have changed to moveable obstruction.
Match play and Stroke play results:
Congratulations to the following Stroke play winners of their respective divisions in our recently
completed Club Champs:
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A Division: Thabiso Magwaza
B Division: Josh Trollip
C Division: Dai Smith
Match Play winners for 2016:
A Division: Shaun Ramlall successfully defended his 2015 title by beating Thabiso Magwaza.
B Division: Josh Trollip followed up his Stroke play trophy by beating Hugo Adendorff in the Match play
final.
Josh Trollip, Zack de Wet (Captain) and Shaun Ramlall.
An interesting article below from this month’s Dale Hayes Golf Chat Newsletter:
Golf Carts are not Toys!
I am often astounded by the lack of “respect” (for want of a better word) that golfers or golf estate
homeowners for that matter, show golf carts. We received these pictures from a fellow who had an
accident on a golf cart on the 2nd hole at San Lameer just the other day. He explained: - “The effect of
speed, downhill and gravity with too much pressure on the brakes on a downhill slope. Too many people
do not realise that a golf cart is not a toy.”
Absolutely.
Golf carts are not motor cars. They do not have the same suspension, support or safety features. The
two occupants who were in the pictured cart were extremely lucky that they weren’t more seriously
injured, but as you can see, one of them lost a lot of skin. Golfers should respect carts just as much as
they do their cars. Without question this is why golfers shouldn’t drink and drive, and also why parents
should not allow their children under-18 to drive the carts. Parents should also remember that if a child
has an accident driving a golf cart there is no insurance cover because they do not have a driver’s license.
In the case of this accident, the cart is a write-off – any idea what a golf cart costs nowadays – R90,00000 thanks to the exchange rate!
Squash
The Umhlali Squash Section recently celebrated the re-opening of their two courts, after essential
repairs were carried out, with a fun doubles evening, followed by a social braai.
With both courts now fully functional, the members are very grateful to the UCC Exco and the Club’s
staff under the leadership of GM John Boyce for their patience and commitment to restoring the courts
to world class status.
Keith Brown, Mike O’Donovan, Mathew Gachoki, Peter Smorfitt, Jan Smorfitt, David Hunter, Duncan
Haskell, Colin Hunter, Neil Brough, Bazil Sarafidis and Paul Gama.
Staff training for new franchisee
Our bar and restaurant staff have busily been training for the implementation of our new catering
facilities run by Wiesenhof Coffee Holdings. Brandon Day, Operations Manager from WCH Head Office
spent 5 days of comprehensive training as start of the handover/takeover programme.
L to R - Kyle Hoover, UCC functions manager, Brandon Day, WCH Operations Manager and Thandi
Khumalo, Halfway House Supervisor
Gerry O’Donovan
Gerry O`Donovan is a professional singer and guitarist who lives in Dublin, Ireland. Gerry, whose brother
is Mike O`Donovan, visited Durban in April and performed at our Club.
Gerry has been an entertainer for most of his life and in a varied musical career has performed on TV
and in concert venues in many parts of the world.
In recent years, Gerry has focused his attention on his home country Ireland and is in popular demand,
particularly in the greater Dublin area, having performed in 45+ venues there in 2015. He has also
worked many summer seasons in Cyprus; the Canary Islands and Portugal and recently signed up for a
season later in 2016 in the Algarve, Portugal.
Gerry’s performance at our Club was truly a night to remember. He was inundated with song requests
and sang them all with gusto. He had the audience on their feet all night long, dancing and singing along.
Days later, our members were still talking about his wonderful singing voice and guitar skills.
Mike, Maya and Gerry O’Donovan
Gerry kept the revellers on the dance floor all night long
Celebrity visit
On Monday 9th May, we were excited and honoured to welcome Nick Price and Simon Hobday to our
Club to play some Golf and enjoy some Umhlali hospitality. “Hobbers”, well known member and
resident of Ballito Gardens, invited Nick to a challenge. Both players are well known around the world
for their many spectacular golfing achievements.
L to R - Simon Hobday, John Boyce, GM and Nick Price.
Nick Price Teeing off on his way to a four under par round using “Hobber’s” golf clubs.
“Hobbers” teeing off the 12th with Nick observing the old Codger’s swing.
Dates and Events
Wed 25th May
Bingo night
Friday 3rd June
Pub night
Wed 29th June
Quiz night
Please keep an eye out for our emails, text messages and posters for further updates.