Friday, March 29, 2024 Club Website | www.stfrancislinksgolfpros.co.za | Tel: +27 42 200 4500


Santa Says


Attracting national events that are good for everyone!

There is no doubt that hosting the Vodacom Origins of Golf for many years helped to attract the Vodacom National Staff Championships. This is an event we attracted with the promise of great golf, great food, close accommodation and anticipating service. The 72 golfers who arrived from all over SA were treated to all of the above. Many arrived on Thursday for a practice round and the rest came on Friday morning for two days of competitive golf and good fun. Some were competitive, and most just had good fun! Daron Mann hosted the opening evening with some great Q&A with legendary cricket umpire, Rudi Koertzen, and former Rugby star, Robbie Kempson. The banter was top drawer and the night carried on for hours.
 

The golf resumed on Saturday afternoon with a complete flip-flop in the spring breeze from Easterly to South-westerly, presenting a new golfing experience for the golfers. It all came down to the last putt on the 18th that ended with all smiles.

We presented and produced food and beverage for three functions going into the weekend, in addition to 70 members and friends playing on Saturday. Starting on Thursday, LGSETA came to us for a three-day conference with meals, hosting 120 delegates from three regions. On the same day we served 70 for lunch in the Lighthouse Restaurant sponsored by Personal Trust and welcomed the early golfers for Vodacom and saw them to their rooms.

All in all, everyone was pleased and the team rose to the occasion(s) again and again.
 

Charl's corner


Annual bluegrass (Poa Annua L)

Poa annua survives as a weed due to its high genetic variability, short life cycle, tolerance of compacted soil and rapid germination; each Poa annua plant produces between 1,000 and 2,250 seeds in a season that can easily spread from equipment, human or animal contact.

This is how I start this newsletter, isn’t it amazing how plants adapt to survive? As you read the above statement you should only read “survival mechanism”. For one single plant to produce over 1000 to 2250 seeds per season is a nightmare on its own from a control point of view. When a plant can grow under very dry or wet conditions, doesn’t mind compacted soils and can spread easily, then you know you have a fighter on hand and it will not back down. It is these qualities that makes it one of the most competitive and most hated grass plants in the golf industry. It is also difficult for many to believe that Annual blue grass is the grass of choice for many top golf courses in America.

 

Over the past 21 years in the golf course industry I have learnt to manage Poa and not to fight it. We still get a good playing surface on our greens even though we have the distinct lighter color patches on our greens. Products such as Primo (a plant growth regulator) combined with Ethophon, helps us to produce better playing surfaces for our golfers. Primo promotes horizontal growth and helps to prevent those bumpy greens in the afternoon with the Poa plant growing faster and more upright than the bent under normal growing conditions. Ethophon controls seed production to prevent the plant from spreading even more rapidly. Unfortunately, seed gets planted on the greens by golfers walking on the green and the seed being transferred from the shoes to the soil. These are seeds on our fairways, from other courses and it also gets transferred by birds and other animals. The poa plant will forever be with us.

This year we have had the most Poa on the course than ever before, this is due to the drought that we have been in for a while now. The plant produces more seed when being put under stress like drought. More seed means more chance of survival. We will keep controlling and working with Annual bluegrass to produce a good playing surface for you to make it as enjoyable as possible for you.

Until next time, keep it down the middle.
Charl “Sup” Blaauw
 

Links Majors, Special Events and Results

 
Dec 1 Ladies’ Member- Member Partnership
Dec 8 Par-3 Championships
Dec 14-15 Pam Golding Annual (SFBGC host)
Dec 17 Kromme Trust Amazing Race
Dec 18 Food and Wine Festival
Dec 22 NSRI Golf Day and Pro Shop Pop a Balloon Sale
Jan 3-4 Men’s Member-Member Partnership
 

Click here for the latest competition results. Click here for past events and their results.
 

What's coming up?

 
 

Itec are our sponsors for OPEN Wednesday (2nd Wednesday) with meat and added prizes. Invite your friends to enjoy SA’s best with special rates for golf, snacks after the game and great prizes – Hey, sometimes Curry Night follows – stay or take away!

Monday Roll-up! Pitch up and play (9 holes or 18 Par-3 from 2pm).
All day Saturdays: Morning and afternoon fields - the afternoon field will be booked from 12 noon backwards with emphasis on "ready golf".

Monday Men's Book Club - 5pm in Jack's Bar (no reading required).
Ladies' Tea (and Coffee) - Every Tuesday at 10am on the Veranda.

The direction of technology

 
Tracking everything
 
Most of us think that the advances in golf equipment must come to an end.
Especially as the design of clubs (and golf balls) is now so tightly regulated.
But, we suspect there’s another big change on the horizon. 

 
The data gathered from launch
monitors blew away some myths,
and opened the eyes of club
designers, fitters, and golf coaches
to what produced the biggest improvements.
Launch angles, spin rates, smash
factors, rise angles, face angles,
angle of attack can now all be
used with different clubs, to
create an exact fit to your
performance in the fitting bay.

 
But, what’s coming is the capture of your data on every single shot you play. There are already clubs and gadgets that allow the collection of some of the data required to fit you.
As that is filled out and refined, when you come into have a fitting we’ll be able to download your on-course data and know the exact specifications that will help improve your playing performance. 
 
Experience the impact on your game now
 
If you haven’t been for a fitting, then we’d encourage you to at least schedule a driver assessment.
With the knowledge we now have about ball flight and what creates the optimum result,
we can often create quite spectacular improvements.

 
Contact us >
 


Get your precision

 
 
 Srixon Z 785 and Z 585 Irons
 
 The new Srixon Z 785 and Z 585 both offer exciting new advancements in technology
designed to provide precision into the greens.
 
Learn more >
 

What motivates you?

 
The social experience or …
 
We’re very interested in gaining a better understanding of what’s important to you.
Over the next three weeks, we’d like you to answer a simple question each week.
We won’t store any personal data, indeed you won’t even have to give us your name (unless you want to).
But we will collate the data to gain a better understanding of what we need to improve.
So starting this week: 
 
Social Competition
   
 
Let us know
 
For you, what is the relative priority of the recreational and social experience vs golf as a sporting competition?
Let us know now.

 
Click here >
 
 

Cleveland Golf RTX4 Wedges

 
The new Cleveland Golf RTX4 Wedges deliver ball-stopping spin and control, along with designs that offer you options.
 
If you haven’t upgraded your wedge set in a while, the Cleveland Golf RTX4 Wedges and the number of options they offer you greenside should be an inspiration to improve your short game.
 
Learn more >
 


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