NEWSLETTER - 10TH NOVEMBER 2023
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOYALTY AND SUPPORT
Dear Esteemed Members of Humewood Golf Club,
We hope this message finds you well and still basking in the joys of golfing on the splendid fairways of "the only true links in Africa." It is with deep gratitude that we write to you today to express our heartfelt appreciation for your continued support and dedication to our prestigious club.
As we approach the end of another extraordinary year, we extend thanks to our members for being a part of the thriving golfing community which is Humewood Golf Club. Your passion and unwavering loyalty have made our club what it is today.
Participation in member events has continued to grow - who can forget the epic battle for the “Over 50’s vs Under50’s” title that ended in a draw? It is so pleasing to see the younger generation of members so actively participating and helping to build a legacy for future Humewood members. The camaraderie amongst participants was again evident in the Humewood / Port Elizabeth Inter-Club Challenge, where we came out on top with a third title in as many years.
CLUBHOUSE RENOVATIONS JOURNEY
2023 was the first year in the club house renovations journey. The roof, which has long been problematic, was professionally tackled by William Rijs and his team who fixed the leaks and replaced broken tiles. Our thanks go to them for a job well done.
After minor repairs and new material for the bar chairs, our focus turned towards the major renovation of the men’s bathroom.This was made possible by donations from Mathew Ferry, Clinton van Dyk (CVD Technologies), Johnny Johnson (Solar Vault), Maritime Motors, Richard Sharwood, BEL-ESSEX, Karl Du Preez and Gareth Larken. Our heartfelt thanks go to the amazingly generous benefactors of the Club.
Our next project was planned to be the renovation of the Bar but unforeseen damage to the course water pumps necessitated the re-direction of funds to the second phase of the water security plan. The first phase being the commissioning of the two bore holes. Under guidance from the specialists, the committee decided to renovate the entire pump installation.
This included one new pump and a complete refurbishment of the other pumps, as well as the fail-safe electrics and pipe work in the pump station. The dam was emptied and cleaned,and Stephen and his team now can run pumps more efficiently, maintain them better and improve the control of water onto the greens. An insurance claim for the accidental damage is under review, and we hope for a favourable outcome in this regard.
The new greens mower has been ordered for delivery in February 2024, and the refurbishment of the main bar area will follow when funds permit. A design proposal and costing will be presented to members at next year’s AGM.
THE COURSE
With over 600mm of rain since April, the fairways are in spectacular condition but the rough and bunkers have presented some challenges.
Drainage of several bunkers is receiving attention while the growth of the rough has put pressure on our aging equipment.
With the water table at an all-time high, drainage of areas of the fairway has become necessary and we still have much to do to have all areas of potential damage suitably protected.
Fuel costs have soared, and fertilisers,pesticides and wetting agents have also contributed to a major increase in the cost of maintaining the standard of presentation of the course. Not only will this bring down monthly repair costs but will also give us the long-awaited opportunity to control the kikuyu around the edge of the greens and fairways.
The arrival of the new green mower in February 2024, will allow us to repurpose the old surround mower into a permanent verti-cutting machine.
2024 IS UPON US
It is that time of year when we look ahead to the future while preparing for the upcoming golfing festive season.
In order to maintain the exceptional standards, you have come to expect from Humewood Golf Club and to continue to offer a unique golfing experience, we have made some necessary adjustments to the membership fees for 2024
2024 EARLY PAYMENT INCENTIVE
We are pleased to offer an early payment incentive of 2.5% of the membership fee portion for payments received by December15, 2023
Please renew your membership online via email confirmation or visit the club's office to complete the renewal process.Invoices will be sent o ut from next week Monday and we ask that if you haven’t received any communication by the 17th of November, please don't hesitate to email info@humewoodgolf.co.za or call us on 041 583 3011.
Thank you once again for your support, and we look forward to another exceptional year of golfing at Humewood Golf Club.
Warm regards and best wishes,
President, Humewood Golf Club