Divisions 3 & 4 were due to play at Leongatha GC on Sunday 9th but all matches were postponed to be replayed on the 23rd April (as I understand at this time).

As Men’s Captain, I was Starter on the day and ultimately responsible for the decision to postpone the LGC matches, and as we know the day turned out to be quite a nice day for golf, nevertheless I stand by my decision and support Denis Stanes, the SGDGA Secretary, for his decision to postpone the whole round. From what I have heard the other host Clubs were reporting very similar conditions.

Denis told me that he was getting a bit of stick over the postponement so to placate some of those disgruntled golfers, should they read our website, I offer the  the following as way of explanation of Sunday’s decision.

Hindsight is wonderful but it rarely melds well with caution, which I prefer to err on the side of.

I examined the Course before the start of play. Despite constant rain and squalls overnight and leading up to the start, the Course was in good nick with some bunkers carrying water and inundations on the usual lower lying greens, but very playable especially as the rain was clearing and a good breeze was blowing.

My biggest concern was the amount of lightning I had encountered  in the vicinity of the Course that morning.  Whilst there was a lifting of the rain and breaks before the next rain band according to the radar we were watching, the Bureau of Meteorology forecast was for continuing thunderstorms and lightning for the rest of  the morning and later in the day.

Whilst you can keep a weather eye open for rain and storms, lightning can strike when the conditions suit and it’s too late after the event if someone was struck, to call play off and to postpone the rest of the match.

If I want to know if the Course is ready to play, I rely on the professionals, our Green Keeper Dylan for the Course and the BoM for the weather.  The lightning risk was real and present and underpinned the decision.

See you on the 23rd.

Andy Bassett.