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From the Course Superintendent
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Dear Members,
September has been unusual weatherwise, with over 300mm of rainfall recorded this month, which is significantly above our average over the past 14 years (of available data) of just 41mm. Despite the heavy deluge during the 3rd week of September, the course handled the rain exceptionally well. Last month I spoke about how we try to promote dryness across the course to encourage the right types of grass. Another benefit of this approach is the ability for us to handle rain events like this one with relative ease (except maybe the bunkers….).
The heavy rains didn’t stop falling until Thursday morning, with the majority of the aforementioned 300mm+ rainfall recorded during this time. By Friday, the course was dry enough for us to allow carts back onto the grass, which is incredibly satisfying in terms of a turnaround. While we weren’t able to get the bunkers back in play for the Foursomes Championships, our team was able to pump out all the bunkers prior to the weekend, so at least players could find their balls.
For some insight, over 40 labour hours went into pumping and repairing most of the bunkers on course. More importantly, zero additional labour was required to address the bunkers on the 10th and 16th holes, which have been constructed with the Capillary Flow liner. This is certainly something we will be looking to expand in the years ahead, both from a playability and maintenance standpoint.
When you factor in the labour lost during the rain event and then add in the bunker repairs, it really set us back well over a week. Due to the heavy rainfall, we pushed our annual tee renovations back to this week (week of the 29th), where we have heavily topdressed and spiked all tees to encourage more uniform growth across all surfaces. This year, the topdressing completed has been very targeted on the tees, to attempt to level up the teeing surfaces as much as possible. Some areas of tees received a double topdress and other raised areas were not topdressed at all.
The course enjoyed the freshen up from the rainfall and so did the Crows Foot. The warmer temperatures, coupled with the high moisture levels, ensured there was plenty of new germination across turf and landscape areas, including on the greens. Due to the volume of the germination, this has meant that we have reached for yet another blanket herbicide application on the greens surfaces to control this problematic weed. Fortunately, the quick reaction was able to capture most of this weed with last week’s herbicide.
The new tees constructed over the past month are growing in well and will be open in time for the Cairns Open in mid-October. These are notably more level, are the preferred Couch grass, and will provide a much-improved playing surface. Now that they have grown in well, we were even able to spike most of these tees along with the others this week.
Other recent works include:
► Verticut and dust all greens.
► Commencement of plugging of encroachment/contamination areas sprayed out on the 19th green with herbicide.
► Strong focus on spot and boom spraying of Crows Foot from greens and collars.
► Collect and send soil samples for greens and tees to the lab for nutrient testing, prior to greens renovations in November.
► Commence isolated spraying of Carpet Grass from Blue Couch fairways.
► Mow out additional short cut areas around greens for improved playability and aesthetics.
► Continue with regular hand topdressing of open areas on greens.
Looking Ahead
It was great to tick off the tee renovations this week and this will go a long way to improving these key areas. The run in to the Cairns Open will be all about maintenance and making the course shine for this flagship event. While the greens are still a work in progress, they have continued to improve since the City of Cairns and become smoother and more consistent week on week.
Tim Hoskinson
Course Superintendent
Cairns Golf Club
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New germination of Crows Foot on the greens following the rain. I estimate there are well over 100 individual plants in this small area alone.
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Our monthly fertiliser and wetting agent being applied to the greens by our Course Foreman Jonno
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Despite the significant deluge during the week, the course took the rain extremely well.
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The old style bunkers (top) vs the new bunkers on 10 (bottom) following 300mm of rain
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Regular hand topdressing was completed throughout the month
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With footy season nearly complete and it’s starting to warm up, tee times both early in the morning and in the evening are becoming more even more sought after. I ask all members to cancel themselves and/or guests from the timesheet if unable to make a booked time. Removing a player or two on arrival is far from ideal and leaves shop staff no time to re-sell the tee time.
The transition from Golf Link to Golf Australia Connect has commenced and is likely to conclude on or before the 10th October. During this time, all handicaps will be locked and handicapping will not be available. The amended fixture can be seen below in Upcoming Events Section.
Round 1 of FNQ Pennants was played on Sunday. Gordonvale at home proved too strong for us with A Grade going down 2-3, B Grade 1-4 & C Grade 2-3. In closely fought matches, 10 of the 15 matches went all the way to the 18th hole or further. Round 2 is at home vs Mossman on Sunday 12th October.
Entries are filling quickly for the Coral Coast Financial Services Cairns Open. At the time of writing we have 177 entries, with room for up to 216. For further information or assistance, see Kane or email directly to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
New Women’s and Junior classes begin next week. Enrolments can be done by contacting the golf shop. Unfortunately, the Golf Australia booking portal is offline until the transition from Golf Link to Connect is complete.
This year our Annual Charity Day will proudly support COUCH (Cairns Organisation United for Cancer Health), a community focused charity in North Queensland dedicated to supporting people living with cancer and their families. Through the COUCH Cancer Hub NQ at Manoora, they offer a GP, exercise physiology, physiotherapy, oncology massage, social connection and more, all backed by research and making a real difference to the lives of those affected in our community.
There are also opportunities to sponsor a hole on the day. Sponsorship blocks are $25, with a target of $100 per hole. To get involved, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (07) 4037 6700.
Join us on Thursday 23rd October for a fun and meaningful day of golf. Nominations are now open
- Individual Stableford | 12pm shotgun start
- $30 per player (includes food) payable on the day
- Members to nominate via the Members Portal
- Open to all men and women with a valid GA handicap
All monies raised will go directly to COUCH to help continue their incredible work supporting those affected by cancer in our community.
Round 4 of the Cairns Total Physio Superleague was played last Sunday. After 4 rounds the current leaders are as follows:
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The Final Round of the Cairns Total Physio Superleague will be played on Sunday 26th October 2025. It is a 12:30pm Shotgun Start. Bookings Open Thursday 2nd October, at 7am and can be made through the MiClub portal.
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Rule of the Month: Rule 18.3 – Provisional Ball
18.3a - When Provisional Ball Is Allowed
If a ball might be lost outside a penalty area or might be out of bounds, to save time the player may play another ball provisionally under penalty of stroke and distance (see Rule 14.6).
This includes when:
The original ball has not been found and identified and is not yet lost,
A ball might be lost in a penalty area but also might be lost somewhere else on the course, or
A ball might be lost in a penalty area but might also be out of bounds.
If a player makes a stroke from where the previous stroke was made with the intent of playing a provisional ball, but a provisional ball was not allowed, the ball played is the player’s ball in play under penalty of stroke and distance (see Rule 18.1). If a provisional ball itself might be lost outside a penalty area or be out of bounds:
The player may play another provisional ball. That provisional ball then has the same relationship to the first provisional ball as the first one has to the original ball.
18.3b - Announcing Play of Provisional Ball
Before the stroke is made, the player must announce to someone that they are going to play a provisional ball:
It is not enough for the player only to say that they are playing another ball or are playing again.
The player must use the word “provisional” or otherwise clearly indicate that they are playing the ball provisionally under Rule 18.3.
If the player does not announce to someone (even if they intended to play a provisional ball) and plays a ball from where the previous stroke was made, that ball is the player’s ball in play under penalty of stroke and distance (see Rule 18.1).But if there is no one nearby to hear the player’s announcement, the player may play the provisional ball and then inform someone of their actions when possible to do so.
18.3c - Playing Provisional Ball Until It Becomes the Ball in Play or Is Abandoned
(1) Playing Provisional Ball More Than Once. The player may continue to play the provisional ball without it losing its status as a provisional ball so long as it is played from a spot that is the same distance or farther from the hole than where the original ball is estimated to be. This is true even if the provisional ball is played several times. But it stops being a provisional ball when it becomes the ball in play under (2) or is abandoned under (3) and therefore becomes a wrong ball.(2) When Provisional Ball Becomes Ball in Play. The provisional ball becomes the player’s ball in play under penalty of stroke and distance in either of these two cases:
When Original Ball Is Lost Anywhere on Course Except in Penalty Area or Is Out of Bounds. The original ball is no longer in play (even if it is then found on the course after the end of the three-minute search time) and is now a wrong ball that must not be played (see Rule 6.3c).
When Provisional Ball Is Played from Spot Nearer Hole Than Where Original Ball Is Estimated to Be. The original ball is no longer in play (even if it is then found on the course before the end of the three-minute search time or is found nearer the hole than had been estimated) and is now a wrong ball that must not be played (see Rule 6.3c).
If the player plays a provisional ball into the same general location as the original ball and is unable to identify which ball is which:
If only one of the balls is found on the course, that ball is treated as the provisional ball which is now in play.
If both balls are found on the course, the player must choose one of the balls to be treated as the provisional ball which is now in play, and the other ball is treated as the original ball, which is no longer in play, and must not be played.
Exception – Player May Substitute Another Ball Under Other Rule When It Is Known or Virtually Certain What Happened to Ball: The player has an extra option when their ball has not been found and it is known or virtually certain that the ball:
Came to rest on the course and was moved by an outside influence (see Rule 9.6),
Came to rest on the course in or on a movable obstruction (see Rule 15.2b) or an abnormal course condition (see Rule 16.1e), or
Was deliberately deflected or stopped by any person (see Rule 11.2c).
When one of those Rules applies, the player may either:
Substitute another ball as allowed under that Rule, or
Treat the provisional ball as the ball in play under penalty of stroke and distance.
(3) When Provisional Ball Must Be Abandoned. When a provisional ball has not yet become the ball in play, it must be abandoned in either of these two cases:
When Original Ball Is Found on Course Outside Penalty Area Before the End of the Three Minute Search Time. The player must play the original ball as it lies.
When Original Ball Is Found in Penalty Area or Is Known or Virtually Certain to Be in Penalty Area. The player must either play the original ball as it lies or take penalty relief under Rule 17.1d.
In either case:
The player must not make any more strokes with the provisional ball which is now a wrong ball (see Rule 6.3c), and
All strokes with that provisional ball before it was abandoned (including strokes made and any penalty strokes solely from playing that ball) do not count.
A player may ask others not to search for the original ball when the player would prefer to continue play with the provisional ball, but there is no obligation for them to comply. If the provisional ball has not become the ball in play and a ball is found that might be the original ball, the player must make all reasonable efforts to identify that ball. If the player fails to do so, the Committee may disqualify the player under Rule 1.2a if it decides that this was serious misconduct contrary to the spirit of the game.
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Upcoming Events:
► Thursday 2nd October 2025: Women’s 4BBB Stableford. Men’s Single Stableford.
► Friday 3rd October 2025: HMAS Legacy Golf Day. No Club Event.
► Saturday 4th October 2025: Any Combination &/or Women’s Chapman Foursomes
► Sunday 5th October 2025: Any Combination &/or Women’s 2 Player Ambrose
► Monday 6th October 2025: Single Stableford
► Tuesday 7th October 2025: Single Stableford
► Wednesday 8th October 2025: Any Combination 2 Player Ambrose
► Thursday 9th October 2025: Women’s 2 Player Ambrose. Men’s Single Stableford.
► Friday 10th October 2025: Single Stableford
(Please note – The Women’s Thursday Monthly Medal has been moved to Thursday 16th October 2025 & The Member’s Weekend Monthly Medal has been moved to Saturday 25th October 2025)
If you’re searching for an upgrade to your equipment, please drop into the shop, with expert advice & the guaranteed best price, support your club. If a particular product is not instore, we are happy to place an order. With 4 PGA Professionals onsite, book a club fitting or lesson today.
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100’s Board
20/09/2025
#35 – Lil, Andrina, Doug & Bill
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Friday 3rd October
HMAS Legacy Golf Day
8am shotgun start
Please see Golf Shop for availability
8th – 14th October
Weekly Sponsor
Sunday 12th October
FNQGA Pennants Round 2 @ CGC
Saturday 18th – Sunday 19th October
Coral Coast Financial Services Cairns Open
22nd – 28th October
Weekly Sponsor  Thursday 23rd October
CGC Annual Charity Golf Day
12pm Shotgun start
Friday 24th October
Kick on Charity Golf Day
1:30pm SG start – 9 holes
Please see Golf Shop for availability
Saturday 25th October
Monthly Medal
Saturday 25th October
Private Function in Clubhouse from 6pm
Sunday 26th October
CTP Superleague Final 12:30pm shotgun start
Tuesday 28th October
FNQ Vets
Friday 31st October
Astute Finance Charity Golf Day
12pm shotgun start
Please see Golf Shop for availability Saturday 1st – Sunday 2nd November
Palmer Sea Reef Open
Click here to download form 9th – 11th November
FNQ Womens Golf
GA QLD District Championship Click here for more information
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Links Drive, Woree QLD | PO Box 40E, Earlville QLD 4870  
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