GRANGEVINE April 2010
With the golfing season getting into full swing we are anticipating very full Timesheets over the coming months as this is Centenary Year and we have the course in great condition. If these are to run on time and avoid the last players coming down the 18th in darkness, we all need to be entered in the competition, money paid, card swiped and ready to take our place on the 1st tee at the allotted tee-time. So, can we please avoid the crazy last minute dash to have a lash up the first ? Be on time - on the putting green, all sorted, 10 minutes before tee-time – and take some responsibility for getting your playing partners there on time as well. Co-operate with the Caddie-Masters – and let’s make it a golfing season to remember.
GOLF MATTERS ........................
The cold weather of the last few months, said to be the harshest winter since 1963, has both curtailed our golfing activities and slowed the onset of spring by at least three weeks. As a consequence the planned hollow-coring is being replaced by routine pencil-tining, over-seeding and light sanding followed later by a smaller tine hollow-coring. This should have minimal effect on the greens with rapid recovery in less than a week.
Winter projects are now just completed and the work carried out throughout the winter will reflect well on the course appearance and condition in this our Centenary Year. These works have included construction of a new tee on 14th hole, reinstatement of turf nursery, construction and repair of pathways, re-grading and bark mulching along the 1st fairway, removal and replacement of the hedge at the 1st tee, additional planting of flower beds around the clubhouse, some localised drainage work, the tree planting programme, general tidying of boundaries and removal of ivy from trees and walls and new practice nets constructed near the 1st tee.
The planned drainage of the 24th hole in the new lands has been mainly completed. The contractors will return and complete the top dressing of the newly cut and stone filled drains.
Work will commence shortly on a large scale cattle grid inside the main entrance. This is at the request of the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Council due to a number of instances where deer have come down from the mountains and exited through our gates causing at least one traffic accident and a number of near misses. The work will be undertaken by the Council at their expense and they estimate it should not inconvenience us for more than a week. Alternative access and parking arrangements will be announced shortly.
The challenge of playing in Grange is greatly enhanced by the variety and strategic location of our trees. This year we have commenced a tree planting programme, of which phase one has just been completed. We are now launching phase two of the Centenary Year planting programme for completion in late autumn 2010 and inviting members to help sponsor this programme by contributing €200 or other suitable contribution to underwrite the cost of the scheme. Full details of the scheme are posted in the Clubhouse and Members who would like to participate in this programme should forward their contribution to the General Manager before 1st July 2010.
The Dublin Scratch Foursomes return to Grange for Centenary Year on Sunday 18th May. The competition will be played over 36 holes on the Championship course with morning and afternoon shotgun starts. A large field of the leading amateur golfers is expected as this is a unique opportunity for them to hone their foursomes skills ahead of the Interprovincial and Home International matches. Why not come along and see how they stand up to the challenge of Grange’s Championship course ?
There was an impressive turnout for the first Ladies Seniors Open in Grange on Thursday 25th March which was won by Lady Captain Sheena.
A Men’s Club outing is planned for Saturday 12th June - details will be issued soon by Derek Cullen.
Inter-club competitions will kick off shortly. Please turn up and support Grange Teams. Wouldn’t it be great to bring home a Pennant or a Cup in Centenary Year? Your support will really be appreciated! Forthcoming matches are listed in the Fixtures section below.
NEWS FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER
Twenty-six new Ordinary Members were elected and the Captain and Lady Captain hosted an introductory meeting for them on Friday 19th March. The current economic climate saw a new trend develop with a number of new Members elected who had not previously been Pavilion Members. It is expected that this will form a pattern for the future. There remains a small number of vacancies for Ordinary Members and applications will be considered by the General Committee on an ongoing basis.
Registration for the new free texting service from 3 Mobile has been slow. If you have not already done so, please register by texting GRAN to 51444. When we have sufficient numbers registered the Club can move to free texting at considerable saving.
As the golfing season gets under way Members are reminded to be vigilant about security – challenge strangers or report them to staff. Use the lockers provided - don’t leave money or valuables lying around.
CENTENARY CHAT
A display of Grange memorabilia is planned for May/June. If you have items of interest which you would be willing to lend for display please contact Joe Long on 087-2079622.
Do you know of any Grange Members who have represented their County at Senior level in Hurling, Football, Camogie or Handball ? If you do, could you pass details to Harry Lennon (4903390 / 086-1952753.
Are you part of a Grange family ? If so, we would like to get a Grange Family Tree from you. This may connect you back to your mother/father - then to one of their parents and possibly to a Grandparent, or even further back; or you may have a cousin, a brother or sister, some in-laws. As part of the celebration around the Founders’ Dinner, we are asking Members to sketch out their Grange Family tree – members of your family over the generations who have been or still are Members of Grange. No special form is needed – just sketch out the information on a sheet of paper and leave it into the Office before Saturday 1st May. We hope to collate these into a display in the Clubhouse for the evening of the Founders’ Dinner, as a further legacy of the Centenary Year.
JUNIORS & JUVENILES CORNER
The Junior Ryder Cup is scheduled for Easter Sunday.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Social:
Saturday 18th April – Louis Stewart Jazz Evening – booking in the Office
Saturday 8th May – Founders’ Dinner – booking in the Office
Sunday 23rd May – Centenary Family Fun Day
Men’s Inter-Club Teams
Thursday 8th April – Fred Daly v. Castle – away
Sunday 11th April – Barton Cup v. Trinity – home
Sunday 11th April – Irish Mixed Foursomes v. Dun Laoghaire – home & away
Sunday 25th April – Metropolitan Cup v. Citywest – home & away
Sunday 25th April – Straffan Cup v. Dun Laoghaire – home & away
Thursday 29th April – Bloom Cup v. Carrickmines – away
Sunday 9th May – Bloom Cup v. Carrickmines - home
Saturday 15th May – Pierce Purcell v. Bray - away
Saturday 29th May – Junior Cup v. Milltown - away
Ladies’ Inter-club Teams
Monday 19th April – Junior Cup v. Milltown at Woodbrook
Monday 19th April – Intermediate Cup v. Foxrock at Dun Laoghaire
Wednesday 21st April – Minor Cup v. Kilcullen at Glen o’ the Downs
Monday 26th April – Challenge Cup v. Woodbrook at Knockanally
Juniors
Sunday 4th April – Juniors Ryder Cup
Saturday 8th May – Juniors Centenary Medal (Overflow on Friday 7th)
Sunday 9th May – Family Team Event
Saturday 22nd May – Juniors Competition
Juveniles:
Wednesday 7th April – Juveniles Competition
Sunday 25th April – Juveniles Centenary Medal
Sunday 9th May – Family Team Event
Sunday 16th May – Juveniles Singles Competition