Welcome to a new year of golfing at Camden Golf Club.

The golf course is looking great, with some new initiatives regarding second cuts of rough, fringe areas around Greens, fairway shaping, bunker raking strategies amongst many notable improvements.

We do have a problem with the 7th green at the moment, but the issue here relates to a combination of factors creating a 'perfect storm' - including too much of these - heat, rain, lack of air movement (not soil problems or chemicals). Please be patient with this green. It will be taken out of play for this week and will be back in play at the weekend. After this, a decision will be made for next week.

Pennant season is upon us, with the Mixed Team already commencing competition, while the Major Men's Pennant Team will be starting soon. Thank you to team manages for the reports. A reminder to members - whenever our teams are playing at home, support from the gallery can be an intimidating force.

2019 Mixed Pennant - Round 1 Report: 6 January

Camden v Kogarah @ Camden

The 2019 Mixed Pennants competition kicked off on the weekend with Camden finding ourselves Division 2 of the competition. The first round of the competition saw Camden hosting Kogarah in what we knew wouldn't be an easy win at home!

Our guys were determined to get off to a strong start to the season especially with a first round home advantage! 

Our individual team results include:

Match 5 - Billy Bell & Christine Pettit - All square
Match 4 - Ken Dilucchio & Pam Dilucchio - 4&3 Loss
Match 3 - Peter Ball & Susan Miller - 2&1 Win
Match 2 - Brian Thorn & Bernadette Johnston - 1 up Win
Match 1 - Adrian New & Shelley Chapman - All square
Reserves - Duane Johnston & Maria Thorn - 2&1 Win

A great 3/2 win for our first game is a great result to report and I'm positive the team will continue a strong performance through the remaining weeks of the pennant season!

Thanks to everyone who came out and supported the team! Also thanks to Stuart for always being so organised and having everything ready to make the morning run so smoothly and to Sharon for arranging the platters afterwards which were great!

2019 Mixed Pennant - Round 2 Report: 13 January

Camden v Macquarie Links

After a solid round 1 win, Camden found ourselves heading to Macquarie Links as they hosted us for Round 2 on their turf. While our guys were all prepared for what we knew would be a tough mat up, things didn't quite go our way!

Our individual team results include:

Match 5 - Billy Bell & Christine Pettit - 5&4 Loss
Match 4 - Peter Ball & Susan Miller - 4&3 Loss
Match 3 - Jason Morton &Candice Bell - 4&3 Loss
Match 2 - Peter Southby & Shelley Chapman - 5&4 Win
Match 1 - Adrian New & Maria Thorn - 1 down Loss
Reserves - Brian Thorn & Bernadette Johnston - 4&3 Loss

Macquarie Links' home advantage proved far too strong for most teams and we unfortunately went down 4/1. We're all looking forward to regaining ourselves being back home for Round 3 this Sunday 20 January against Bankstown. Thanks to everyone who came out and supported the team! 

Have a great week

Candice Bell

New Rules:

We are currently playing under the new 2019 rules. We have advertised the major changes, but please ensure that you have a copy of, and are familiar with, the new rule book. At next week's Golf Committee Meeting, the issue of a 'Local Rule' that has been suggested by the R&A and Golf Australia will be discussed. The rule in question relates to 'lost ball, or a ball found to be out of bounds'. Some clubs have introduced this as a local rule.

We would like your opinion on the possible introduction of this local rule at Camden Golf Club. Effectively, the rule would remove the option of going back to the tee (or place of previous stroke) under distance and stroke penalty. Players would take a drop at the 'presumed location' of the lost or out of bounds ball (usually on the edge of the fairway, no closer to the hole) under penalty of two strokes. 

If you have an opinion on this topic and would like some input, please speak to one of the following members of this committee prior to next Tuesday, 22 January. 

Committee Members - Gary Hunt, Bob Zelesco, Stephen Humphreys, Jim Blaker, Shelley Chapman, Stuart Meani, Kim DeCean, Bill Bell, Susan Miller, Greg Matheson, or send an email to Donna Bernard (donna@camdengolfclub.com.au).

Our condolences to the McKeon family after the recent passing of their son Stephen. Jeff McKeon was a long term member (50 years) of our club until the need to move with wife Josie to Denman to support their son suffering from Motor Neurone Disease. Our thoughts are with the family.