Dear fellow members,
For a long period of time (exceeding 8 years), we have been dealing with rising pressures from City of Gosnells (land owner of our driving range area) for wayward golf balls from our driving range that has since resulted in change of tee direction as well as restriction of woods (drivers and fairway woods) for hitting on the range.
All these efforts were in placed to minimise the number of golf balls hitting our neighbouring properties and causing either property damage or personal injury.
Concerns however, have since escalated in the last two years.
We have received an official notice from the City of Gosnells advising us to consider a range of methods to minimise the risk of wayward golf balls. As members would understand, it is an almost impossible task to place an absolute guarantee of minimisation or elimination of the risk of wayward golf balls from the driving range.
A safety proposal was commissioned by City of Gosnells in September 2021 that states the following as a recommendation:
In order to provide the maximum resistance to the errant (sliced or pushed) ball in the early stages of its flight we recommend that the club take the following measures which would, we believe, assist in the mitigation of the likelihood of balls being struck into adjacent properties:
· The practice tee be lowered by 1.5m, which would bring it down to the level of the carpark immediately to the right.
· The fence be increased in height from 3.6m to 6.0m and extend from the tee to a point adjacent to the end of the carpark. This is the maximum realistic height to which the fence may be increased and will require the fence to be moved approximately 1.5m inside its current alignment so as to not be restrained by the tree limbs.
· Additional trees be planted, where possible, to provide additional density to the canopy and provide increased resistance to ball trajectory through the trees.
The measures described above would provide as much impediment to balls flying outside the club boundaries as we believe would reasonably be achieved. This is not to suggest that they would remove any possibility of the problem recurring but they would provide a reasonable likelihood of reduction of the magnitude of the problem and would constitute the maximum response that the club could reasonably be expected to provide.
We have since explored the costing involved for each recommendation above.
The City of Gosnells has kindly offered to coordinate and cover the costs involved with the first recommendation - practice tee lowered by 1.5m.
In the second recommendation, the quoted cost for the proposed 6m fence was received at upwards of $60k + GST.
The Club has decided not to pursue the 3rd recommendation of installing additional tall trees as this requires significant costs and it provides the least assurance that the trees will be tall enough to shield and provide resistance to ball trajectories.
In discussion within the Board, we have opted to pursue with the first recommendation as it would be the least financial impact to our Club; the City of Gosnells have agreed to cover the cost of earthworks required and we are also able to reclaim sand and soil from the earthworks for our own purpose.
It doesn't mean, however, that we will be completely without a financial impact.
At an estimation, we purpose to do the following to our range:
- The first 30m will be kept at it's current level and it will only be for the purpose of chipping.
- The length of the driving range will now be reduced to approximately 150m - 160m. It will strictly be for iron usage. (as it is currently).
- The installation of astroturf on the range tee
- The installation of lights around the range and chipping area
- There is a future plan to install a teaching cage/bay for our teaching professionals to conduct their teaching/club fitting from a secure bay but this is restrictive use for teaching professionals only (located on the right hand side of the current driving range).
- The current fence dividing the range and the putting/chipping green will be removed and placed on the right hand side of the driving range for the teaching professionals teaching cage/bay.
It is estimated that interruptions to the range operations will be, potentially, up to 2-3 months.
In the new set up, members are advised that there will be zero tolerance for the provision or utilisation of driving woods without the strict supervision of a teaching professional (in a lesson environment only). Members must only use irons to the maximum distance of 150m.
It is estimated that earthworks may commence as early as late April/early May 2022.
What's next?
It is our best intentions to advise the membership of the progress of the range project and the future, long term vision of the range. Many of our initial plans for future, long term vision of our range and diversification of our revenue are still in its planning stages therefore we are unable to advise the details as yet.
We kindly remind members that the priority now with our driving range is to ensure that we are not in breach of our agreement with council and this is around the strict no usage of driving woods on our range. Range is strictly for irons only. As advised in our previous newsletters, if you did accidentally hit a wayward golf ball from either the range or the course towards our neighbouring properties - please advise office immediately. You won't be in any trouble, we just need to note the accidents in cases of insurance claims or council notices.
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them and I will do my best to answer for them if I can. Good golfing.
