Woodhill Issue1 2017

Y O U R ELITE COM M UNITY P UBLICATION

Happy 18th

A P UB LI CATI ON OF T H E H OM E OW N E R S A SSOC IATION

ISSU E 1 | 2 0 1 7

birthday

r e h c s i F Narina 082 456 6051

narina@allestates.co.za Specialising in Woodhill and Surrounding Estates

21 years

of Realtor Experience

19 years with

Jowic

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34 WOODHILL CONTENTS ISSUE 1 | 2017 Letter from the Editor Letter from the General Manager Security @ Woodhill Woodhill over 18 years Woodhill gives back Security and Facilities @ Woodhill Woodhill welcomes Summit on Site Italian broccoli and salmon bake Monthly Lucky Draw Night Series fun run/walk Coricraft Woodhill College Inbe’tween’ Tree of the year

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Bird of the year Woodhill hosts the GNGU From the Men’s and Ladies Captains Junior Golf Tennis and squash booking procedures Greenkeepers Revenge Junior Club Champs 2016 Night Golf Woodhill Club Championships 2017 Natural health Tennis @ Woodhill Michele Fortune Interior Design Kids section

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CHOICE IS A BEAUTIFUL THING! RealNet will help you make the right one.

SALES l RENTALS l AUCTIONS VANESSA SOFIANOS | 082 412 6720 | vanessas@realnet.co.za

“Sell your property in a heart beat”

WH | GENERAL

IMPORTANT CONTACT NUMBERS Switchboard 012 998 0011 General Manager Patrick Holden gm@woodhill.co.za Financial Manager Riekert Roos sfm@woodhill.co.za Facilities Manager Pote van den Bergh facilities@woodhill.co.za

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Conference/Functions Shaune Swartz shaune@summitonsite.com

Golf Director Brendon van Niewenhuizen brendon@woodhill.co.za

Course Superintendent Hugo van den Berg cs@woodhill.co.za

TLG Publishing (Pty) Ltd for Woodhill Residential Estate.

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Pro Shop Bookings 012 998 0021

Golf Co-ordinator Stephan Dreyer golf@woodhill.co.za

PUBLISHER

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ADVERTISING SALES Tracey Garde 082 460 6007 | ads1@woodhillmag.co.za

EDITOR Tracey Garde 082 460 6007 | editor@woodhillmag.co.za

DESIGN & LAYOUT Patzwi Design House (Pty) Ltd 082 456 2190 | design@woodhillmag.co.za

HOA Reception Onica Ramasodi reception@woodhill.co.za Security Control Room & After Hours 012 993 1236 - 24 hour service 071 112 6547 - Emergency PostNet Woodhill Estate (087) 803 4136 woodhillestate@postnet.co.za 1st Floor, HOA Building

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All work published in Woodhill Magazine is protected by copyright. Only with written permission from the publisher may any part of this magazine be reproduced or adapted in any form. We welcome contributions to Woodhill Magazine, but the publisher of this magazine retains unrestricted rights to edit submitted material. The publisher will place editorial contributions at its own discretion, space allowing. We do not accept responsibility for material submitted and cannot guarantee the return of any original material. The publisher’s opinion is not necessarily that publishing in Woodhill Magazine and the publisher does not accept any liability of any nature that may arise from the contents of the magazine.

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WH | EDITOR

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WOODHILL Birthdays are always a great excuse to have some fun so on the 1st of March 2017, when Woodhill Residential Estate and Country Club celebrated its 18th Birthday, the weekend was packed with loads of social and golfing events. We have included pictures of the Trail Run, the Night Golf and the Greenkeeper’s Revenge in this issue to give you a glimpse into the celebrations.

In addition to this, we decided to create a timeline of special milestones and interesting information that has taken place over the past 18 years. The walk down memory lane was filled with loads of great achievements and we look forward to recording more to come.

We all know how much time and effort goes into our annual charity drive and so it was wonderful to receive thank you letters from the recipients of our efforts. We’ve included these letters into this issue so that our readers can see just how much our donations help and are appreciated.

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As we said goodbye to a few long standing employees in this first quarter, we welcome new members to the team and look forward to working alongside them. To those that moved on we wish them well and thank them for their service to the Estate.

Woodhill also welcomed Summit on Site in March 2017 and judging by all the adverts seen to date, they are going to be a great asset in promoting social events on the Estate. From Friday Braai Day’s to the Early Bird breakfast with a round of golf special in April, we look forward to many more exciting promotions in the months to come. Please come down to the clubhouse to support them – the food and service is excellent.

As the season changes and the winter approaches, I hope that you get to enjoy the last of the Autumn days soaking up the sun and all that Woodhill has to offer. Whether it’s a walk around the course, a coffee at the clubhouse or joining in one of the upcoming trail runs, take full advantage of living on the Estate of Choice. ‘till next time

Tracey

WH | HOA

A BUSY START TO THE YEAR Letter from the General Manager - Patrick Holden

March has been an incredibly busy month for Woodhill, with both the fibre roll out well underway, perimeter cameras being installed, the start of a new food and beverage offering at Woodhill and changes to access procedures for contractors.

There have been some frustrations related to the fibre connections to the home and the low speeds of the Internet once connected.

A number of publications have been sent to residents related to fibre and we have included for ease of reference, the explanation editorial received from Mr Ben Kleynhans on the page adjacent to this. Please read through the information bulletins and note that all residents will need to complete a Telkom application form in order for the intercom to be connected to the Control Room.

As at the time of writing we have approximately 70 households who now have a new internet connection and from the experience gained to date, we hope the roll out will gather speed.

Pote Vd Berg, our Facilities Manager, has provided a more comprehensive update in his article included in the magazine entitled Security and Facilities at Woodhill on page 18.

For those residents who are now connected, a deservedly big ‘thank you’ for your patience.

Whilst Summit on Site spent the first two weeks in March, ‘cleaning up’, we have seen some very positive changes in the Halfway House related to the new menu items and a change in pricing levels. The new menus for the terrace are in the process of being printed and we hope that residents will soon be enticed by the new menu offering.

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Whilst we have been very fortunate in all aspects related to security over an extended period of time, we ask that residents assist us by not taking short cuts in allowing contractors or part-time domestics and gardeners easy access onto the Estate through using the Click-On 9 process. Please ensure your staff and contractors are registered and ensure that contractors enter through the Contractors Gate.

As we eclipse the first quarter of the year, we look forward to your feedback and where we can help you - please contact us. My PA, Milanie, is always available and contactable on pa@woodhill.co.za.

For those of you taking a long Easter break, travel safely and best wishes over this period.

Kind regards,

Patrick Holden General Manager

WH | SECURITY

SECURITY/ TELKOM Fibre Explained

After a lengthy vetting process the Woodhill HOA contracted Telkom in 2016 to: 1. Install FLIR (Forward Looking InfraRed) cameras on our 8km+ fence. (In process).

• Connect said cameras via fibre to our Control Room.

• Upgrade the College and Contractors Gates, the Clubhouse and Control Room - cameras and communication. (In process).

2. Deploy fibre throughout the Estate (done) and to link every home to the fibre network. (In process). This is done to: • Install an intercom in every home, linking it to the Woodhill Control Room. (Installation of intercoms have now started, whilst the backlog (where no intercoms were installed) is being caught up - some 70 homes, should be done by end March).

Telkom subcontracted several functions of this process to Huawei, Open Serve and others. All these people carry Woodhill HOA issued identification cards.

Important points to remember: • Linking every home to the Control Room is the first objective of the fibre network. The fibre and intercom are installed at no cost to the resident and calls to the Woodhill Control Room, within the Estate and the Gates (a bit later) via this intercom also come at no cost.

• Residents may use this Telkom fibre to link/replace other ‘land line’ and some ‘satellite’ communication services they may have in their homes. This comes at a cost to residents, and is best explained by dividing it into: 1. A fibre line rental: R180pm. Payable only to Telkom (it’s their line) – only

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needed if you want to use fibre link to services outside of the Estate (as described above).

You need to buy speed – for example, R641 pm for 100Mbps – payable only to Telkom as they regulate/sell speed on their fibre line.

You’ll need data: You can buy this from any (ISP) Internet Service Provider, including Telkom. (When this project nears completion we’ll negotiate bulk rates with Telkom).

Linking the fibre (and data @ 100Mbps) to your own in-house devices is NOT a Telkom function. Contact your own network people.

Telkom is, as part of their promotional offer, allowing 2 months (post the fibre installation in your home) unlimited data @ 100Mbps at no cost. This enables residents to test the link to the control room and to experience the speeds available. Two months start when your home goes ‘live’.

Once the ‘modem’ is installed, you may experience speeds less than promised by Telkom (they promised around 97Mbps – down to you). This may be because the DOS firewall of said “Telkom” installed modem needs to be disabled. If not already done, only Telkom contracted personnel can do this remotely. Contact the Telkom personnel at the Clubhouse.

Going forward this will also be the time when the intercom will be installed. You need to be at home for this as you will need to indicate to the teams where in your home this needs to be.

Kind regards

Ben Kleynhans Director of Security

Process to be followed by residents: • The Telecom’s Act requires that every resident (home) needs to apply for the intercom service, regardless of whether or not you are contracted to Telkom already.

Application forms are at the Clubhouse.

(FICA docs will be required).

• First come (application) first served.

Several teams will do the work. The first team works outside your home - from street to house. Second team takes fibre into your home and installs the modem.

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WH | HOA

18 YEARS of being the Estate of Choice

On 1 March 2017, Woodhill Residential Estate and Country Club celebrated its 18th Birthday. With a weekend filled to brim of social and golfing events, we thought it fitting to include a timeline of important achievements and milestones along the way. Those of you who have been here since the start will appreciate the trip down memory lane. For those of you who have only had the privilege of enjoying life on our Estate for fewer years will now better understand why Woodhill is the Estate of Choice…

March 1999 Woodhill’s very first newsletter, Woodhill Herald, is distributed.

2000 Woodhill advertises in the Millennium Diary sponsored by Bells.

February 2001 Woodhill hosts the Telkom PGA for the first time.

1999

2000

2001

1 March 1999 Woodhill Residential Estate and Country Club is officially opened.

March 1999 Woodhill Country Club’s membership and playing fees are marketed.

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WH | HOA June 2002 Our very first De Vico magazine is published – 24 pages.

The Director of Communications at the time was Tersius van Niekerk and the aim of the De Vico magazine was for it to be a communication tool between the WHOA and home owners. Articles were published in English and Afrikaans.

Statistics published at that time: • 548 residents • 127 homes being built • 139 open stands July 2002 The first Divot magazine is published and features the Captain’s Dinner on the front cover.

An estate agent’s ad on the back page of the Divot magazine depicts the prices of stands back then.

September 2002 De Vico magazine publishes the updated statistics at the time together with the names of the new Board of Directors.

December 2002 One of the very first Friday evening socials takes place.

2002

March 2003 Woodhill Country Club hosts President Mbeki’s inaugural Presidential Golf Classic 2003. The event is aimed at raising funds for golf development and promoting interaction between government and corporate South Africa. President Mbeki, together with several cabinet ministers and leading decision makers from the 30 top companies in South Africa took to the course.

The Woodhill Birding List is established.

April 2003 The very first Hillbilly’s vs Vleipaddas is advertised.

May 2003 The Woodhill Birding List is first published.

June 2003 Statistics published at that time: 712 residence 92 stands under construction 35 open stands October 2003 Woodhill displays their support for the Springboks.

February 2004 De Vico undergoes a new look and feel.

June 2004 Woodpecker Inn opens its doors on the 18th fairway just 50m from the Clubhouse.

November 2004 Woodhill hosts its first Residents and Kiddies Xmas Tree.

November 2003 Woodhill hosts its first Charity Golf Day.

December 2004 MidCity are appointed as the new Woodhill managing agents.

2003

2004

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WH | HOA February 2005 Woodhill hosts its 5th PGA Tournament, taking its place in PGA Championship history.

March 2005 Our Woodhill Country Club General Manager, Gustav Putter, wins the Associated Clubs of Southern Africa Manager of the Year Award.

August 2005 Woodhill introduces the latest technology in visitor access systems.

Woodhill Country Club hosts the Springboks for a round of golf.

November 2005 The gardens on Woodhill Drive get a revamp.

February 2006 Annika Sorenstam, the number 1 female golfer at the time, visits Woodhill.

November 2007 Woodhill receives the PMR Tshwane Leaders and Achievers Award under the Executive Lifestyle Section.

2005

2006

2007

March 2006 Woodhill turns 7 years old.

December 2006 Woodhill residents participate in lighting up the Estate for Christmas.

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WH | HOA

July 2008 Heinrich du Preez breaks the Guiness World Record for the fastest round of golf at Woodhill Country Club.

September 2008 Catherine Lau first appears in our De Vico magazine – then only 8 years old.

November 2008 Heinrich du Preez does it again and breaks the Guiness World Record for completing the top 100 golf courses in South Africa in just 80 days – finishing off at Woodhill Country Club.

2008

January 2009 The first Monthly Lucky Draw takes place.

February 2010 De Vico changes to a quarterly publication.

February 2009 De Vico gets a new look and feel.

March 2010 Woodhill’s front entrance gets a face lift.

2009

2010

March 2009 Woodhill publishes its 10th Anniversary magazine.

May 2009 Catherine Lau wins the 2009 US Kids Golf European Championship.

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WH | HOA

July 2012 Snow falls in Woodhill!

August 2012 Woodhill hosts its first Corporate Challenge Golf Day.

February 2013 De Vico changes its name to Woodhill Magazine.

March 2011 Woodhill Golf Course floods.

October 2012 Scott Styris and Stephen Fleming from New Zealand together with Protea players Paul Harris and Faf du Plessis play at Woodhill.

September 2013 Woodhill wins the PMR Africa 2013 Silver Arrow Award, voted by Pretoria Rekord Readers as the Best Golf Course in Pretoria.

2011

2012

2013

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WH | HOA March 2015 Woodhill celebrates 16 years with a new look and feel on Woodhill Magazine and a feature editorial.

June 2015 Woodhill receives a four star grading in the Meetings, Exhibitions and Special Events (MESE) category from the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA).

Woodhill receives a PMR.africa Diamond Arrow 2015 (highest award achievable) in the Business Sector: Golf Courses in the City of Tshwane.

March 2014 Woodhill celebrates its 15th Birthday with a feature editorial from the Botha family.

December 2015 Woodhill introduces and congratulates the Emloyees of the Year 2015.

June 2016 Our Greenkeeper, Frikkie Potgieter, and his team receive a Gold – Special Mention Award from John Collier Environmental and Governance Research.

2014

2015

2016

December 2014 Woodhill celebrates 10 years of service from some of its loyal staff members.

October 2016 Woodhill receives the Best of Pretoria: Best Golf Course Award.

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WH | CHARITY

GIVES BACK WOODHILL

On Friday, 27 January 2017, Woodhill had the privilege of handing over cheques to our nominated charities for funds raised in 2016. A pleasant evening was had by all as drinks and snacks were served before the official hand over.

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Each charity were very pleased with their donation received and they, once again, thanked Woodhill for their generosity.

We look forward to another year of successful fundraising in 2017 so that we may continue to support those in need.

Woodhill Charity Drive 2016 • Wespoort Uitreiksentrum R25 000 • Tshwane Haven R17 000 • Oeboentoe R17 000 • Ons Huis R17 000 • Reach 4 a Dream R10 000 • Sunrise Naskool Sentrum R5 000 • Door of Hope R5 000 • Kruis Kultuur R5 000 • Uncle Ben’s Den R5 000 • Hanna Charity R5 000 • Cresset House R5 000

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WH | SECURITY

SECURITY & facilities @ WOODHILL The past month has been a busy one with the Fiber to the Home rollout as well as some major maintenance being done on the kitchen facilities at the Clubhouse.

During the month of March 2017, we saw Telkom starting to install the camera poles for the security infrastructure to be installed.

Once all the cameras and related equipment is installed and connected to the fiber network, security will have a complete vision of the fence and therefore will be able to detect and deter any possible intrusions.

The installation of the poles and related infrastructure would not have been possible without certain resident’s co-operation, as some of these poles are planted in the rear of their erven. I would like to thank those residents for their permission granted to the HOA. We are currently busy installing a fiber network cable around the perimeter fence which will cross every resident staying next to the fence line. Please allow us to finalise the project.

Some residents have not applied for promotional fiber installation for their homes.

We urge all residents to apply as a matter of urgency as this will give us the opportunity to install a intercom connected to the Control Room within every residence. Application forms are available at the Clubhouse.

We are planning to refurbish the tennis courts this year. Currently we have a situation whereby residents utilise the tennis courts as a picnic spot. Please do not let children cycle or skate on the tennis courts and please refrain from utilising the tennis courts as a place of gathering.

Security has had an increase of certain types of incidents this month. One of these involved

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a resident exiting the Estate, collecting an unregistered worker on the outside of the Estate and then driving said worker into the Estate without following security access control procedures.

The current rule states as follows: “Security rules and operating protocols concerning access and egress at the entrance gates and elsewhere on the Estate shall be adhered to at all times. It will be considered to be a breach of the Security Rules if any homeowner, resident or visitor to any homeowner or resident: 1. Picks up an unregistered worker outside the Estate and enters the Estate with that person in the vehicle.

2. Provides an entry code to a potential visitor if such person is not visiting the person providing the code.

3. Provides access for a visitor to the Estate by using his/her fingerprint instead of following the appropriate visitor access protocol.”

Any failure to adhere to the above mentioned rules will lead to a situation whereby a fine will be issued to the transgressing resident in terms of the Rules and Regulations of Woodhill Estate.

To all our residents, I wish you a peaceful Easter Holiday period.

Woodhill greetings.

Pote van den Bergh Facilities Manager

Woodhill welcomes Xone’s new Security Manager – Nico Venter With 10 years of experience in the security industry, Woodhill was pleased to welcome Mr Nico Venter as the new Security Manager for Xone in December 2016.

Originally from KwaZulu-Natal, Nico started out his career in security Group 4 Securicor with the cash in transit sector. Shortly thereafter, he moved to Johannesburg to pursue a career in risk management and investigations. Nico has since obtained his National Diploma in Risk Management with the University of South Africa and is working towards a Forensics Degree as this is his passion.

With varied experience over the years in various roles within the commercial, industrial and hospitality industries, Nico is excited to be a part of the Xone team.

He is most impressed with the sophisticated technology and integration systems that Xone has in place – all of which make his current role as Security Manager at Woodhill Golf Estate more effective.

Nico envisages continued excellence in security at Woodhill with an open-door policy. He looks forward to contributing towards improved investigations, controls, maintenance and involvement in the surrounding communities.

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WH | HOA

SUMMIT ON SITE WOODHILL welcomes

With the recent change in our Food and Beverage arrangements at the Clubhouse, we thought it fitting for Woodhill Magazine to sit down with Mr Lionel Swartz, owner of Summit on Site for a little more insight into our newest partner.

Lionel and Colleen come from a hotel management background and founded Summit on Site several years ago when they saw a gap in the market for a specialised Facilities Management company. Together with their team of food and management experts, Summit on Site have proved their worth specialising in remote site services.

Apart from overseeing the day-to-day functions of catering at the halfway house, banqueting and procurement, Lionel looks forward to introducing additional services such as a Driving Range kiosk and a retail express shop. The Driving Range kiosk will offer cold drinks, snacks and sweets whilst the express shop (situated in front of the tennis courts) will offer a wider range including fast food takeaways, milk and bread.

These additions will make life on Woodhill a little easier when you discover in the late evening that your teenager drank the last of your milk!

One of Lionel’s medium term goals is to introduce a school lunch pack which can simply be collected on the way to school. Again, catering to the many needs of our residents.

Summit on Site will continue to offer a lunch and dinner menu every day. They plan to introduce more themed evenings and continuously change the dinner menu to ensure that residents are able to enjoy a variety of food on offer. Of course, special occasions will continue to be celebrated such as Mother’s Day and special functions such as wine tasting evenings will continue too.

The Summit on Site Head Office team is currently on hand at Woodhill to ensure that things run smoothly. At the time of our chat, the upgrade to the main kitchen was taking place.

With continuous staff training and the many positive changes Lionel envisages for Woodhill Food and Beverage, Summit on Site look forward to becoming a long term Woodhill partner.

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Woodhill Residents Meet & Greet Invitation Woodhill ladies are invited to join us for complimentary coffee/tea and cake of the day at the club in the glass cage overlooking the course.

Every last Friday morning of the month

10h30 to 12h00

WH | RECIPE

ITALIAN broccoli & salmon bake

Take a fresh look at broccoli with this creamy pasta bake Prep: 25 mins - 35 mins Cook: 30 mins Level: Easy Serves 4

Recipe supplied by Domestic Chef 083 229 1622.

Ingredients 250g Penne 300g Broccoli, cut into large florets 30ml Butter 62.5ml Plain flour 600ml Milk 125ml Mascarpone cheese 8 Sundried tomatoes (preserved in

olive oil), drained and thickly sliced* 10 Large fresh basil leaves, roughly torn 4 Fresh skinless salmon fillets** 125ml Mature cheddar finely grated * Can be replaced with cherry tomatoes ** Can be replaced with chicken fillets Method 1. Preheat the oven to 170C and get an ovenproof dish (measuring 20 by 30cm, and about 5cm deep).

2. Cook the pasta in a pot of boiling water for 6 minutes. Add the broccoli to the boiling water and pasta and cook for a further 4 minutes or until the broccoli is on the firm side of just tender. Drain well.

3. While the pasta is cooking, put the butter, flour and milk in a large pan and heat, whisking or stirring continuously, until it thickens to make a smooth sauce.

4. Remove from the heat and stir in the mascarpone, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil, then add the pasta and broccoli and season well.

5. Halve the salmon fillets widthways (you will see that there is an obvious divide on each fillet) and place the salmon pieces in a single layer on the base of the ovenproof dish. Spoon the broccoli mixture on top, then scatter with the grated cheddar.

6. Bake for 30 minutes until the mixture is just starting to bubble round the edges and the mixture is pale golden .

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WH | EVENTS

LUCKY DRAW WOODHILL monthly

Don’t forget to join us at the Clubhouse every last Friday evening of the month for our Monthly Lucky Draw. There’s always great prizes and suspense as the winning numbers are drawn.

If you don’t attend – you’re missing out…

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WH | RUNNING

FUN RUN/WALK WOODHILL

night series

Our Night Series fun run/walk is becoming more and more popular with each event.

Upcoming dates are: • • • •

18 May 2017 6 July 2017 7 September 2017 and 9 November 2017

Starting at 7pm, there is a choice between a 5km and 10km race. R75 per entry with kids under 13 taking part free of charge. Enter on www.entrytime.co.za. For more information visit www.trailadventure.co.za.

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WH | ADVERTORIAL

MADE FOR YOU... by us

Did you know that Coricraft, SA’s largest couch manufacturer and retailer, design and manufacture all of their couches locally?

For more than 20 years Coricraft has been furnishing homes and is an authentic South African brand that embraces the relaxed lifestyle that we love. This means that their range of fully upholstered, slipcover and 100% genuine leather couches are brought directly to you at unbeatable prices, offering outstanding quality and huge choice on all of your favourites.

Their renowned collection of slipcover, fully upholstered and 100% genuine leather couches are all manufactured locally in South Africa, which means that they are brought directly to you at affordable prices. Any Coricraft couch can be made for you in your choice of fabric or genuine leather. Simply choose your favourite from the Coricraft fabric and leather wall now available in-store, making it easy for you to get exactly what you want in terms of design, fabric and colour.

The slipcover couch that originally made Coricraft famous, is back and you can now get the same great comfort with new updated styles that include the Connor, Harriet and Virginia (available in chair, 2-seater, 3-seater and 4-seater options). The 100% cotton fabrics of the slipcover couches are fully washable, and the removable slipcovers are both easy to fit and easy to clean.

The stylish Virginia slipcover couch, also available in a comfortable corner unit, is a brand new design that will add depth and variety to the existing range.

To go hand in hand with the new slipcover additions, Coricraft has launched the Berkeley fabric collection that will both compliment and suit the look and feel of slipcover couches.

Berkeley boasts five versatile colours that include Neutral, Dune, Cashmere, Putty and Chocolate. Berkeley, like all of Coricraft fabrics can also be used as a fully upholstered option.

Simply put, Coricraft is your one-stop living, dining and bedroom home furnishing destination. Enjoy the freedom of being able to coordinate your lounge, dining, sleep and living spaces your own way, using Coricraft’s

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complementary statement pieces and accessories. Headboards, and even the legs of dining chairs can be made for you and altered to best suit your décor requirements.

You can also add a touch of colour and interest by shopping from a range of décor accessories that includes mirrors, rugs, lamps, wall art, scatters and other interesting pieces.

The new-look Coricraft website and online store www.coricraft.co.za is now live and conveniently allows you to have your Coricraft pieces ‘made for you’ by creating and customizing them online before having them delivered directly to your door. If you’re feeling uninspired in your current design choices the new online inspiration section will also assist by sharing décor tips and design motivations. With delivery to your door and a fully secure e-Commerce purchase facility, loving your home has never been this easy or convenient. Visit the new website at www. coricraft.co.za - you’ll also receive R500 off on your first online purchase.

WH | PARENTING

INBE‘TWEEN’:

no longer a baby, not yet a teen – how can we help our young children gain confident independence when making this transition?

We all long for our children to gain independence, but at the same time something inside us doesn’t really want to ‘let go’, because let’s face it, for the first five years of a child’s life, ‘mom’ is most definitely the word and we love being the center of our children’s universe and vice versa. So when ‘independence day’ arrives it can be quite a shock to realise that your child is ready to start spreading her own wings.

Whether you like it or not, she is going to, so now is the time to learn how to ‘moonwalk’ Michael Jackson style: moving backwards in a serious of almost indiscernible teeny tiny ‘steps’… with increasing rapidity as your child moves from the age of six to 12 and then into the teen years.

For most moms, the first day of ‘big’ school will signal that it is time to start taking a step back. Gut-wrenching, mixed feelings of pride and fear that have never been felt before may overwhelm you as you watch her leave your side, taking her first tentative steps into the ‘outside’ world. Remember the feeling, because you will become intimately acquainted with it from now on, through the tween and teen years and again into young adulthood.

While there is nothing wrong with ‘hovering’ (often with immense trepidation) in the background at the first few attempts at independence, to deny your child the opportunity of trying something on her own can do considerable damage not only when it comes to the acquisition of independence, but also when it comes to the acquisition of self confidence and self esteem; both vital in the tween and subsequent teen/young adult years.

It starts with you: make a conscious effort to shift your own mindset from ‘doing’ for your child to ‘supporting’ your child.

• Starting school presents a wealth of opportunity for the growth of independence; resist the urge to walk your child to the classroom every day, especially if she shows that she is capable or wanting to do it on her own.

• Don’t criticise your child when she attempts something new on her own. While you should continue to guide, resist the urge to do everything for your child because you can do it better. This will just erode confidence and make her feel incapable.

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•

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•

•

Allow your child to make her own simple decisions; what she will wear, how she wants to do her hair, etc. She is starting to weigh alternatives and forming the basis of critical thinking. If the decision she arrives at is not going to cause any harm, allow her to make it – even if it raises a couple of eyebrows!

Household tasks/chores such as feeding a pet should be encouraged. Independence can never be gained without first acquiring responsibility. Having a solid sense of responsibility feeds self esteem which is crucial in the tween and teen years.

Allow her to choose her own friends and interests. It is easier for your child to gain confidence in life choices if you encourage her to make use of choice in certain areas of her life early on. Even allowing your child to make the ‘wrong’ choice now and then will allow her to grow – intervene only if the choice she makes will do her harm.

Allow her to deal with certain conflict situations which may occur especially between friends and siblings on her own.

Resist the urge to jump in; this can be tough as it means parents sometimes have to consciously override our natural instinct to

•

• •

defend our young. Rather present scenarios where she can identify and draw her own conclusion in social matters. Girls are generally more intuitive in this regard, where boys may need more forthright guidance.

By age 8, your child should be able to wash, dress and feed herself. She should be able to execute certain tasks such as setting a table, tidying up her room independently, etc. You can encourage this through positive reinforcement and praise rather than demanding it. Children generally love to please and flourish with praise.

Encourage self reliance. Your child should be responsible for her own possessions and packing her own school suitcase by age 8.

Don’t berate a child unnecessarily when she makes a mistake in her endeavours toward independence. If she hasn’t realised the mistake, you may need to point it out, however do not humiliate her or make her feel like a failure, as this could lead her to either avoid trying again or avoid taking responsibility for her mistakes out of the fear of consequence. Teach that taking responsibility and facing consequences are a positive part of growing up.

WH | GARDENS

TREE OF THE YEAR 2017 - Ziziphus Mucronata Introducing the Tree of the Year (2017) - Ziziphus Mucronata - Hairy BuffaloThorn or ‘Harige Blinkblaar Wag-n-Bietjie’.

The Ziziphus Mucronata is a small to medium sized tree, reaching a height of about 10 m. It can survive in a variety of soil types, often on soils deposited by rivers, occurring in many habitats and grows frequently on termite mounds.

You have to wait a while…

It is believed that the ‘Wag-'n-Bietjie’ tree represents how we experience life in all its ‘ups and downs’. The young twigs are zigzagged, indicating that life is not always straightforward.

Two thorns at the nodes are also significant; one facing backward representing where we come from and one facing forward, representing where we are going. However, it is the thorns that give the tree its common Afrikaans name of ’Wag-'n-Bietjie’. These thorns are extremely vicious and all those who have come into contact with them will know that you have to ‘wait-a-bit’ before you can free yourself from these feisty thorns!

fruit sometimes stays on the plant long after the leaves have fallen (March to August).

Where does It grow?

Ziziphus Mucronata grows in areas dominated by thorny vegetation in both temperate and tropical climates. It is also found in a wide range of habitats such as woodlands, open scrubland, on rocky koppies, open grasslands, on a variety of soils along streams, nutrient-rich valley bottoms and forest margins.

It reaches its largest size on the margins of scrub forest and on deep, alluvial soils near water. Its presence is said to indicate the presence of underground water.

It is not tasty, but you can eat it!

Although the fruit of Ziziphus Mucronata is not very tasty, a type of beer can be made from it. The Ovambo people use it to distill ombike, a traditional liquor. The leaves are edible and can be cooked into spinach. During the Second Boer War, the stones were roasted and ground as a substitute for offee.

The leaves and fruit are sought after by birds of many species. In the wild, giraffes are known to be especially fond of the leaves of this tree. Impala often feed on the dead leaves lying under the tree.

It is a beauty!

Marvellous medicinal uses

This beautiful tree’s leaves turn golden yellow in autumn and flowers are borne in dense clusters in leaf axils, appearing from October to February. The fruit is a smooth, shiny, leathery, reddish-brown or deep red when ripe, slightly sweet and the pulp is dry. The

A decoction of the glutinous roots is commonly administered as a painkiller for all sorts of pains as well as dysentery. A concoction of the bark and the leaves is used for respiratory ailments and other septic swellings of the skin. Pastes of the root and leaves can be

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applied to treat boils, swollen glands, wounds and sores. Steam baths from the bark are used to purify and improve the complexion. In East Africa, roots are used for treating snake bites. All of the above can be attributed to the peptide alkaloids and antifungal properties isolated from the bark and leaves.

How to grow/plant your own Ziziphus Mucronata The species is very easily raised from seed or cuttings, growing in just about any soil type and withstanding heat and cold equally well.

The seed however has poor keeping properties and should be sown fresh. After cleaning the nut, it can be placed between the jaws of a vice or a normal nutcracker and closed gradually until the nut cracks and seed is released. The seeds can then be covered with hot water, allowed to cool, soaked for two days and sown.

Seedlings should appear within one to two weeks. Seedlings and small plants need moderate water, full sun and efficient drainage or they will damp off. Even though this plant is said to be one of the most adaptable trees, growing in all types of soil and having the ability to withstand intense heat, cold and drought, the same cannot be said for the seedlings. As with most plants, immunity is acquired with increased stature. Small trees are often available at nurseries selling indigenous plants.

While slow-growing (0.3 m or less per annum), it makes a pleasant shade tree and gives life to the garden by luring birds and insects such as butterflies, beetles and bees.

WH | GARDENS

Sources: Wikipedia, Plantzafrica.com, Forestry.co.za/national-trees South African Tree of the Year - Ziziphus Mucronata - Hairy Buffalo-Thorn or ‘Harige Blinkblaar Wag-n-Bietjie’

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WH | BIRDING

BIRD OF THE YEAR 2017 - Lappet-faced Vulture

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WH | BIRDING

BirdLife have announced the Lappet-faced Vulture as the Bird of the Year for 2017.

The Lappet-faced Vulture (Torgos Tracheliotos) is an Old World Vulture and lives throughout Africa. Preferring to live in the dry savannah, thornbush, arid plains, deserts with scattered trees and open mountain slopes, they love undisturbed open country with minimal grass cover.

Ranking as the longest and largest winged vulture in its range, the Lappet-faced Vulture is a huge species. Its bill can be up to 10cm long and 5cm deep – perfect for a scavenging bird. The black feathers found on the vultures back are lined with brown and their underside ranges from pure white to buff-brown.

Synonymous with the vulture species, they have a bald head with colouration ranging from reddish to dull pink. A combination of a colourful head and fleshy folds on the side are distinctive in these birds.

Solitary birds, they do not nest in cohesive colonies as do many smaller vultures. Nesting takes place from May to January and the huge nest is formed by a pile of neat sticks. Often lined with green leaves as well as animal hair and skin, they are almost always placed in the main fork or the top of an Acacia tree. One or two eggs are incubated by both parents for 54 to 56 days and young fledglings only leave the nest at 124 to 135 days old.

In October 2015 the Lappet-faced Vulture IUCN status was updated to Endangered making its nomination as Bird of the Year for 2017 all the more important for its awareness.

Information sourced from: Wikipedia.org and www.birdlife.org.za.

A scavenging bird, they feed mostly on animal carcasses which they spot themselves or by watching other vultures. Being such a large bird, they are the most powerful and aggressive of the African vultures which generally results in other vultures ceding a carcass to them. With its large beak it can tear through tough hides and knotty muscles.

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WH | GOLF

GNGU

Senior Open Stroke Play Championship held at Woodhill Country Club The 2017 GNGU Senior Open Stroke Play Championship was held at our prestigious course at the end of January 2017. It seemed to be a very popular choice as the entries flooded in and the GNGU had to disappoint a lot of golfers after the field was filled in record time.

The golfers were treated to our championship course and hospitality on Saturday afternoon. Woodhill provided them with some complimentary fruit and water which did the trick as some great golf was played. Unfortunately, the afternoon rained out around 4 pm with heavy weather covering the course, leaving the field with about 7 holes to complete in their first round.

A lot of deliberation resulted in the call being made that all golfers must arrive at the Club on Sunday morning at 06h22 to complete their first round and then immediately tee-off leaving the draw the same as well as the course, not being altered at all. Thus, causing the pins and tee boxes to remain the same for both rounds.

The first-round leader, Mr. Greg Gleeson shot an astounding 69 to lead the field into the second round on Sunday morning, where he did just enough with a 75 to hold onto the lead along with two other golfers. The Sunday field went along smoothly and turned perfectly within time for our Sunday afternoon members and guests not to be disturbed.

Then came the thrilling three-way play-off starting on Hole 1 and finishing on the second where the eventual winner made birdie to clinch the title. Greg Gleeson took the honours leaving both Richard Bruyns and Gerhard Strydom tied for second place all on an even par score after 36 holes.

Our congratulations to the winner and another thank you to the Union for allowing us to host this prestigious event.

The complete event was an enormous success and Woodhill Country Club lived up to their excellent reputation - there were no issues regarding any part of the tournament and Woodhill was praised by the Union as well as the attendees.

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WH | GOLF

MEN’S

LADIES

Off to a great start

Ladies golf @ Woodhil

Firstly, I would like to congratulate the Senior Handicap League team and their Captain, Hennie Swanepoel, on their league win.

We are very proud of all of you.

It has been a very busy time for the Woodhill Lady golfers and by the time you read this we would have finished playing in the most prestigious event on our club calendar, out Championship.

Thank you to Brendon and staff in the pro shop for organising this event! Congratulations to all the winners, but just taking part makes us all winners.

WOODHILL

captain’s report

Our recent Night Golf event was well supported and loads of golfing fun was had by all. Thanks to the members who supported this event. We had so much fun that we will be arranging another one in Spring and we look forward to welcoming those who participated back again along with others.

The Green Keeper’s Revenge was just as well supported and Frikkie went all out to ensure a revengeful day it was! I think we can all agree that Frikkie and his team do an unbelievable job on our course and so we can forgive him just this once for making it such a ‘tough’ day. Again, loads of fun was had and we look forward to the next one.

A special thanks to Brendon, Kelvin, Andre, Neil and Stephan for making our Club Champs 2017 a memorable day. They set a fair but challenging course which was enjoyed by all who participated.

Thanks also to our Ladies Captain, Ronel, and the ladies for assisting Brendon and his team on the registration as well as keeping the scoreboard up to date. To our members who participated, thanks for the great spirit on the day which made it our best Club Champs to date. I think the success of the event was evident in the attendance at the prize giving held on Sunday, 3 April 2017.

A big congratulations our new Club Champ for 2017 – Tristan Topka.

As most of you are aware, our pro shop is well stocked and the staff there are able to assist with anything that you may need.

Next time you are in the market for some new golfing gear, pop in and let them be of help – your support is greatly appreciated.

Lastly, I’d like to extend a warm welcome to our new members that have joined Woodhill Country Club. We look forward to meeting all of you out on the course.

Happy golfing.

WOODHILL

captain’s report

Our juniors did very well in the GNGU Junior Championship at Wingate Park Country Club. Well done to Catherine Lau (9th A Div), Shanice de Gee (Tied 16th A Div) and Holly Lau (9th B Div).

We are very proud of our youngsters.

Mariette Botha (January) and Sonja James (February) were the medal winners, well done ladies!

The GNGU Saturday League is in full swing and I would like to thank Woodhill for affording us the opportunity to represent our club in this competition. Thanks also to Brendon for our lovely shirts – we do look the part! A big thank you to Woodhill for the financial assistance we receive from the club, we are proud to be members of this club and will give it our best to make you proud!

Both our teams are doing well and only a couple of points behind the leaders, the next round of matches will commence in April 2017.

Baie dankie aan al die dames wat ons Donderdag sosiale golf getrou ondersteun, ons ‘Kiepiedag’ is baie gewild en ons nooi almal uit om hierdie dae saam met ons te kom geniet.

Woodhill will be hosting our yearly Open Day on 18 May 2017 please support this day! I want to thank the Ladies Committee as well as Riana Sheard, Lizette van der Merwe, Brendon and Summit on Site for their endless support in organising this event.

I know our ‘Mexican Fiesta’ will be a success!

I look forward to a fantastic year of golf.

Ronel van Deemter Ladies Captain

Wessel van Wyk Men’s Captain

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WH | GOLF

JUNIOR GOLF TIPS - Wanna be a Champion

What can parents do to help children with their golfing?

Taking an interest in your child’s preferred sport is so important to keeping them interested – we get asked by parents all the time, ‘’How can I help my child practice?’’.

So our Big Five Kids Golf coaches have put some fun tips together while you and your child are on the range: First things first, choose which club they would like to hit with, ensure there are enough balls and do a few stretches, you wouldn’t want to pull any muscles.

Tee up your ball and follow these few steps: • Always remember if you are hitting balls to have an interlocking grip (Big Boy/Girl Grip) or just thumbs down the middle; • Keep feet straight and make sure the ball is in the correct position (depending on club being used); • Swing back, keep the left/right arm straight, smack it and finish on the right/ left toe (It will depend on if you are right handed or left handed, for the finish. If you are right handed, your left arm needs to be straight and finish on the right toe. If you are left handed, the right arm needs to be straight and finish on the left toe).

Children want to have fun playing golf and they have a very imaginary mind so use this to your advantage - to help them with their golf swing: • Ask your child what is their favorite thing in the world. For instance, the flags could be a pirate ship and they would need to reach the 100 meter ‘pirate ship’ for it to sink; • Turn this into a little competition between parent and child. Children love to be competitive with their parents, so why not do it on the range?

Take a few photos for some amazing memories and enjoy!

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Advertise in Woodhill Magazine – the only publication distributed within Woodhill Residential Estate and Country Club.

1 500 copies delivered to each household on the Estate as we as a digital version link sent to every home owner and Woodhill Country Club member.

Contact Tracey

082 460 6007 or email | ads1@woodhillmag.co.za

WH | GENERAL

SQUASH

WOODHILL

booking procedure and rules

• • • • • • •

Bookings can be done 2 weeks in advance.

Bookings are to be done in person (no telephonic bookings).

Bookings are to be done at WCC Reception.

Bookings must reflect a stand number.

Bookings must include a cellular contact number.

Bookings may only be made for 1 hour per stand.

Kindly take note that it is your responsibility to cancel your slot if you are not able to honour your booking. Not adhering to these procedures and rules will result in a R300 fine. KINDLY REPORT THOSE THAT DO NOT HONOUR THEIR COMMITMENT AT RECEPTION.

HOA MANAGEMENT

TENNIS WOODHILL

booking procedure and rules • • • • • • •

Bookings can be done 2 weeks in advance.

Bookings are to be done in person (no telephonic bookings).

Bookings are to be done at WCC Reception.

Bookings must reflect a stand number.

Bookings must include a cellular contact number.

Bookings may only be made for 2 hours per stand.

Kindly take note that it is your responsibility to cancel your slot if you are not able to honour your booking. Not adhering to these procedures and rules will result in a R300 fine. KINDLY REPORT THOSE THAT DO NOT HONOUR THEIR COMMITMENT AT RECEPTION.

HOA MANAGEMENT

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WH | GOLF

GREENKEEPER’S revenge 2017

In celebration of Woodhill’s 18th Birthday, a weekend of fun was had by all. No exception was the first ever Greenkeeper’s Revenge which took place on Saturday, 4 March 2017 (well, it’s the first Greenkeeper’s Revenge that our Course Superintendent, Frikkie Potgieter, has had the pleasure of hosting in the 13 years that he has been with us).

With the aim being to make the course as impossible as he could and with a full field booked, it was the one day of the year that Frikkie could have his ‘revenge’ and so he went all out…

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From sticking long pipes into the hole so that the golfer was unable to retrieve their ball once he putted it in, to swopping the men’s and ladies tees around, perhaps the most fun Frikkie had was blowing the horn on a golfer’s backswing to throw them off just in time.

All-in-all, it was a great day for some fun and games.

WH | GOLF

JUNIOR club championship 2016 Our Junior Club Championship for 2016 took place earlier this year and it was a great success. Winning the A Division on an unbelievable 10 under par was Werner Deysel.

It’s great to see our junior golf growing – evident in the 50 odd kids training to become the next Louis Oosthuizen at our academy.

We look forward to watching these young players excel.

Overall Nett Champion • Henning Stander - 141

A Division • Best Gross - Armand van Dyk - 144 • Best Nett - Martin Maree - 148 B Division • Best Gross - C Viljoen - 168 C Division • Best IPS Points - J van Rensburg - 44 U/13 Division • Best IPS Points Day 1 and Day 2 - D Snyman - 82 • Best Gross Day 1 and Day 2 - P Snyman - 159

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WH | GOLF

WHOSE GAME for a round of night golf?

In keeping with the fun festivities for Woodhill’s 18th Birthday, a round of Night Golf took place on Friday, 3 March 2017.

Serious fun was had by both the golfers as well as their families and friends (some of the pictures say it all!). Played and enjoyed by anyone, no matter your golfing ability, the course was lit by luminous glow sticks and players used a luminous ball.

Thanks to all those who participated and made the evening as festive as it was.

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WH | GOLF

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WH | GOLF

CHAMPIONSHIP 2017 WOODHILL COUNTRY CLUB

On the weekend of 1 and 2 April 2017, Woodhill Country Club hosted its annual Club Championships. This prestigious event offers opportunity for members to show off their golfing skills and compete to be the best golfer in the club within their category. A Club Champs win is an opportunity to brag on your golfing CV. This year’s event was well enjoyed. The results were as follow: Overall winners • Men - Tristin Topka - 146 Gross (2 over par) • Ladies - Catherine Lau - 144 Gross (Level par) • Juniors - Werner Deyzel - 134 Gross (10 under par)

Men Overall Nett Champion • Wayne Willimse - 138 Nett Top 32 Knock-Out Champion • Jacques van Schalkwyk A Division • Best Gross - Henning Stander - 147 • Runner-up Gross - Jacques van Schalkwyk - 148 • Best Nett - Schalk Viljoen - 142 • Runner-up Nett - Gideon Lombard - 143 B Division • Best Gross - Anton de Wet - 165 • Runner-up Gross - Ivan Paiva - 167 • Best Nett - Hugo Rust - 144 • Runner-up Nett - Rinus Dormehl - 145 c/o C Division • Best Points - Ken Joiner - 78 • Runner-up Points - Evert Botha - 73 Mid-Amateur (Over 35’s) • Best Gross - Jacques van Schalkwyk - 148

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• • • •

Runner-up Gross - Pieter Botha - 151 Best Nett - Wayne Willimse - 138 Runner-up Nett - Schalk Viljoe - 142 C-Div Best Points - Evert Botha - 73

Seniors • Best Gross - Henk de Meyer - 156. Won on a sudden death play-off.

• Runner-up Gross - Dirk Swanevelder - 156 • Best Nett - Gideon Lombard - 143 • Runner-up Nett - Nick Jacobs - 145 • C-Div Best Points - Ken Joiner - 78

Knock-out results Doubles • Winner - Theo Venter and Frans Venter • Runners-up - Hennie Swanepoel and Leon Lombard Mixed • Winners - Pieter Kok and Piret Vilborn • Runner-up - Richard Rippon and Helene Linder Singles • Winner - Rinus Dormehl • Runner-up - Hennie Swanepoel

Club Championships Daily Awards Saturday • A-Division Best Nett - Wessel van Wyk - 70 • B-Division Best Nett - Frans Venter - 71 • C-Division Best Points - Billy Lottering - 39 Sunday • A-Division Best Nett - Ian Mundell - 70 • B-Division Best Nett - Hennie Swanepoel - 71 • C-Division Best Points - GM Heymans - 42

Ladies

Overall Nett Champion • Jenny Brewis - 138 A Division • Best Gross - A Beytel - 154 • Runner-up Gross - Holly Lau - 164 • Best Nett - Ronel van Deemter - 141 B Division • Best Gross - Elfra van Eyk - 192 • Runner-up Gross - Sally de Meyer - 196 • Best Nett - Brunhilde Marais - 150 C Division • Winner points - E de Wet - 68 • Runner-Up points - S de Wet - 61 Mid-Amateur (over 35’s) • Best Gross - A Beytel - 154 • Runner-up Gross - E Behrens - 168 Seniors • Winner points - Ronel van Deemter - 75 • Runner-up points - B Robbertze - 67

Knock-Out results: Singles • Winner - R Topka • Runner-up - E van Eyk Doubles • Winners - E van Wyk and R van Deemter • Runners-up - B Marais and S Hlatswayo

Juniors Overall Nett Champion • Henning Stander - 141 A Division • Best Gross - Armand van Dyk - 144 • Best Nett - Martin Maree - 148

WH | GOLF

B Division • Best Gross - C Viljoen - 168 C Division • Best IPS Points - J van Rensburg - 44 U/13 Division • Best IPS Points day 1 and Day 2 - D Snyman - 82 • Best Gross Day 1 and Day 2 - P Snyman - 159

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WH | GOLF

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WH | GOLF

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WH | HEALTH

ALL STRESSED OUT and nowhere to go?

By Dr Catherine Knight As a busy GP and working entrepreneurial mom of a tween, nine-year-old and three-month-old baby, life can become rather stressful to say the least! I know I'm one of many women out there who find themselves in a similar position. I am proud to say that my hubby is definitely a 21st century man who has no problem helping out with cooking, cleaning and kids (albeit that he may need to be reminded on occasion that I would expect nothing less!). I am also fortunate to have help in the house with the menial daily chores and yet there are still not enough hours in the day!

When am I ever going to file those slips? There are so many things more important to do that I find it hard to prioritise the minor things and this leads to even more stress when one realises that the ‘to do list’ is growing rather than shrinking.

Stress is inevitable and universal, demands are continuous and unrelenting so it is no surprise then that at the root of many diseases and health problems is stress. Great! Something else to stress about! Many 'in the know' (you know – 'them') say that you should just “Relax, do some breathing exercises and don't forget to eat your greens!” It makes you just want to hit 'them'! I sincerely hope this is not the response I generate from my readers with my articles!

Once again, the best advice I can give as a GP and homeopath, is to understand what effects stress has on your body on both a physical or physiological (how things work) level. We need to find ways to put into our bodies the things we need to help us cope.

The Chinese have been aware of stress and its effects on the body for hundreds of years; they have used a class of herbs known as ‘adaptogens’ to help their bodies adapt to stress and cope well through it – this is why

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they have so many older people still living a full and healthy life! We really need to take a leaf out of their book (or tea cup!)

We have two main stress hormones: the quick acting, potent adrenalin which enables us to jump high, run fast and gain almost superhuman abilities and then there's cortisol ; the long-term, long-acting hormone, produced daily in a tidal rhythm to help us cope with minor non life-threatening stress. These hormones would work in harmony if we didn't try and pack as much into 24hrs as we generally do (and I'm including the wee-hours of the morning for those of you up feeding baby like me!)

Think about that adrenalin response: suddenly breathing becomes rapid, pulse quickens, blood pumps to the heart, brain and muscles so that we can think clearly and run fast. In order to perform at this level, our less important systems are drained of resources while the most important ones are fuelled. This also happens with the cortisol response, but to a lesser degree. Initially cortisol makes us feel great, increases focus and mental acuity, drive, stamina and energy. (Sounds good to me, where do I get some?) Well, that's just the thing; you know the saying "Too much of a good thing..."? Well, it definitely applies in this regard. It makes you think more clearly and focus, but in order to achieve this, your brain must over-use the allotted brain chemicals for the day, leaving you in deficit. This is fine for a few days, but continued stress will reduce your level of chemicals along with Serotonin, your 'happy hormone' and dopamine, the hormone that generally gives you the ‘oomph’ to get up and go. Not surprising then that every second person seems to have a 'chemical imbalance' that supposedly needs anti-depressant therapy.

Cortisol also shifts the way certain tissues respond to carbs, not using them but sending

them off for storage (usually in places none of us would like to store carbs!) Aha! But more importantly for me as a Homeopathic doctor, is what stress can do to all the hormone producing glands in the body; the havoc it plays with the thyroid – initially over-stimulating it while the stress is in its infancy, but as it grows up and demands more, the thyroid can no longer cope at the pace and slows down instead. (How many of you are on thyroid tablets?) Fertility and sex hormones are the first to go topsy turvy (no surprise there) and if you understand how your hormones can affect your mood during your menstrual cycle, then you will understand how your hormones will affect your mood during times of continued stress. Cortisol directly influences the amount of progesterone and oestrogen (and testosterone) available to the system that promotes correct reproductive system functioning. I have witnessed the effects of this first hand when assisting couples who have been trying to conceive without success.

Stress is a leading cause of infertility.

Excessive cortisol also wreaks havoc with our gut lining, making our systems more acidic; candida has a field day and we are left with 'spastic colons' and irritable bowl syndrome – sound familiar?

Basically, the more stress we experience and the more we squeeze into our day, the more cortisol is produced. Every body system begins to either over-use its substances and functions to stay in overdrive and then suffers from the subsequent depletion. Functions begin to slow down, parts ‘rust’ (oxidise in the acidic environment) and eventually begin to stick and seize up. We are all affected, no-one can escape and those of us who just can't get out of bed because we ache all over and feel dead tired are at the end of the road and are now 'chronically fatigued'.

Even younger adults are affected, coming down with a myriad of stress-related illnesses such as ‘Yuppie flu’, ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis), chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia.

The only way to get by as a mother with umpteen demands a day to meet, is to put some good stuff into your body – especially some of those adaptogens: Ginseng is the most commonly known of these and Rhodiola is also widely recommended (especially for moods), but the Chinese combinations can be very powerful, so I would advise caution in their prescription. A good daily stress tonic would include these two herbs as well as an off-the-shelf homeopathic combination. Neither of these should be viewed as ’pick-me-ups’; they will not make you feel better within the hour - in fact, anything that proclaims to do so will most probably worsen your condition. If you suffer from any of the conditions touched upon in this article, it is best to see a practitioner who will look at different

WH | HEALTH aspects of your health and put something together for you that is specific to your state of health. It is important not to slap on the conditions of convenience, but rather to afford your body the opportunity of re-establishing a balance. It will take time depending on how far along the road you are, but there are ways of coping and getting well again.

Basicly what-to-do is: take a good daily Multivitamin which includes a vitamin B-complex and herbal complex with adaptogens (enquire at your local health store). Eat as many raw foods as you can, cut down on the fast-releasing carbs (all white flour foods) and sugary stuff in general, but don't feel guilty if you enjoy some chocolate from time to time, just don’t overdo it. Most importantly of all, your mental attitude towards life is paramount to living a happy stress-free life. Make a conscious decision to exclude stress from your life wherever you can by not sweating the small stuff: you can't save the world and so what if you don't have a perfect house, marriage and career all the time.

Enjoy life, expect the unexpected, realise that nothing will turn out quite like you planned it and there is no need to worry about things that are out of your control! As soon as we learn to change the things we can or accept things the way they are, the stress surrounding them seems to dissipate.

Give yourself a break, nobody’s perfect!

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WH | TENNIS

TENNIS @ WOODHILL triples tournament

We held our first Triples Tournament at Woodhill Country Club on 4 March 2017. Twenty two players took part in the event and they loved it!

Our winning teams were: • First Uhland Muller

Gerhard Claassen

Linda Malan • Second Lia Neculicioiu

Christian Neculicioiu

Victor Neculicioiu • Third Natasha

Liezll Fox

Mayke Huijbreghts The tournament was a massive success and we are looking forward to hosting our next TriplesTournament in the near future.

CARDIO TENNIS

WH | TENNIS

The heart-beating cardio tennis is booming at Woodhill.

Polar SA joined us for a session and informed all players of the benefits of training with heart rate monitors.

At cardio tennis each player gets a Polar H7 monitor to monitor your progression. A report is also mailed to you after your session. Wow, that's what we call accurate training!

We have three weekly sessions: • • •

Monday Tuesday Saturday

08h00 to 09h00 08h30 to 09h30 07h30 to 08h30

Join us today!

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WH | GENERAL

FLOORING - what can it do to your interior space?

The advances in technology are increasing at an incredibly rapid rate – as most of us can relate to. This is happening in every aspect of our lives and now it even impacts on the flooring we use for our living spaces.

The leader in flooring technology is a local company, Belgotex .

page, they are absolutely correct. The first item they then need to add to their clean sheet is the flooring. Here they have the choice of carpeting, vinyl’s or laminates. This not only adds colour, but texture too. With the base or first layer sorted, the designer can then ‘colour in’ the rest of the picture.

Belgotex is a local manufacturer of carpets, vinyl and laminated flooring exporting its products worldwide. As we have experienced with all technology products, they become better and cheaper. This is the same with flooring products. Their vinyl products carry a 10 year warranty and some of their carpets are made from recycled products with manufactured cleaning and antiallergen features.

Here Belgotex, again, is a leader with the introduction of their Lifestyle Range. They have taken their old trusted and proven products and added new ranges that will compliment them into a range that will cover all your flooring needs. They have then organised them in colour ranges that will meet all personality types. Some say that you are either a ‘blue’ person or a ‘green’ person but they have taken this concept even further.

It doesn’t end there!

When your interior designer suggests that your living space needs to be ‘done’ from top to bottom, the bottom starts with the flooring.

When they talk about starting with a clean

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Start by taking the personality test at www. inyourelements.com. This will help you decide which element you fall under. They have then organised their colours to compliment your personal likes. This will not only be carpets but

also vinyls. It will provide options ranging from pricing and quality. This will make the choice of your base colours easier and more to your personal likes. And once you have the base layer, your decorator can move forward with the rest of your living space.

Remember, the right foundation will lead to the right finished product. We at Michele Fortune cc offer the full range of the Lifestyle Products and can help you get your project started off from the right base.

We also offer tiling and wooden flooring for a difference in your homes.

Please feel free to contact us at 083 461 6976 or 012 667 3787 if you need any help or advice on flooring or visit our showroom at 71 Jean Ave, Doringkloof.

Michéle www.design-interiors.co.za

WH | GENERAL

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WORD SEARCH PUZZLE! K U H O Q I Z N H D S S C R E

X O I R C I I X V N B C Z I A

H C M T R O I E R X M A F T K

B G Y M V M R O T A T R Z T E

T S Y B U C C N P T N E D J X

C E A J V A L L R V B C D H K

R V H L P W E X E K A R F Q K

C A A B C S H P C C I O M Y L

G E P P Y F U U W U J W Z E M

L L W R P M M Y Q X Q W R K T

R U U K P L F D I C I R K R A

T P J K D A E D N N I C F U X

F T I W M V C S D U M E W T Y

J N A S F A L L Q E T X N S O

S Y D S D Q L S J T R E E S R

LEAVES FALL ACORNS WIND TREES APPLES PUMPKINS MAPLESYRUP SCARECROW CORN RAKE SQUIRREL HAY TURKEY

Congratulations to our Issue 4, 2016 winners: Melandri de Beer and Izel de Beer.

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Colouring in & WIN!

Drop your coloured in page in the box at the WCC Clubhouse Reception and stand a chance to win 2 movie tickets including 2 Junior Combos (drink, popcorn and sweet).

Name: ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Address: ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................

Contact number: .........................................................................................................................................................

Age: ............................

Terms and conditions apply. Closing date is 15 May 2017.

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NOW IS THE TIME for a ‘Plan B’ in Europe!

Securing a second citizenship or permanent residency status in another country is something that many South Africans would like to acquire.

The main reason being a personal one: to assure their family’s future by implementing a tangible ‘Plan B’ by protecting against political risk as well as economical instability.

Europe is the world’s largest single market and global trading block, and is still the most favoured destination for investors. The attraction of having unlimited access to the EU and the UK is where a second citizenship in Europe has it’s merits. But the real benefits are being able to travel, live, work and study anywhere in the European Economic Area plus enjoy visa-free travel to many countries in the world.

Securing permanent residency status is also appealling because it gives the holders of the residence permit the legal right to live in that country without having to go through onerous immigration processes should they wish to make a permanent move.

There are a few countries in Europe offering the chance to secure a second passport or permanent residency status, but the choice of where to invest can be daunting. Investors are advised to assess each programme to understand the minimum investment amount, the pre-requisites in terms of documentation, any travel limitations and all of the costs – both immediate and ongoing.

Cyprus, an ex-British colony, full EU member and not part of Greece, currently has the most attractive second citizenship plan on offer; as well as the best permanent residency programme available.

• Citizenship is granted in 3 months via Cyprus’ ‘Citizenship through investment’ programme:

- this is the quickest process in Europe;

- the main investor, spouse, all

dependent children up to 28 years of

age; as well as the parents of the

investor all qualify;

- this is an investment – not a donation;

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- the property/ies CAN be rented out to

earn a Euro-based income;

- the property/ies only need to be kept

for 3 years, where after they can be

sold as long as a property worth min

€500k is retained; and

- citizenship is passed down through

descent offering a real legacy to future generations.

• Permanent residency is granted in 4 to 6 weeks on the ‘Fast Track’ programme:

- this is the only programme in Europe

where 3 generations in the same family

(including both the parents and the

parents-in-law) all acquire permanent

residency by buying one property!;

- dependent children up to 25 years

old qualify;

- the property can be rented out; and

- there is no requirement to live in

Cyprus, nor be domiciled there for tax.

Cyprus also has the following lifestyle benefits: 1. Cyprus is economically stable and politically secure – the country is not flooded with refugees.

2. Properties in Cyprus offer excellent value for money when compared to other European countries – especially homes right on or near to The Med. 3. The lifestyle is similar to South Africa: the golf courses are world-class, the countryside is breathtakingly beautiful and Cyprus has 57 blue-flag status beaches, the cleanest seas in the Med and a mountain range where it snows for 3 months.

4. No inheritance tax: on your death you can dispose of your assets to your loved ones without having to pay any tax. This is advantageous for legacy planning.

5. There are no social problems in Cyprus: and because of this Cyprus has huge appeal as a destination for relocation, retirement, holiday-making and investment.

Some other attractions that Cyprus offers are: • being an ex-British colony, there is no

• • • • •

language barrier – everyone speaks English and all your documentation is in English. No need for a translator!; the discovery of natural gas is already having a positive impact on foreign investment and infrastructural development; low cost of living; Euro-accredited education gives your children a distinct advantage when they enter the global job market; Europe on your doorstep: Cyprus has 2 International Airports and several marinas; and First world medical facilities and affordable healthcare with highly qualified doctors and specialists.

An astute offshore property investment that works for you in the short, medium and long term is the achievement of a lifetime. In Cyprus investing in the ‘Citizenship through Investment’ or the ‘Fast Track’ residency programme not only makes financial sense, but it will tangibly benefit your family for generations to come. Can you afford not to take advantage of this while the programmes are still open?

Cypriot Realty – a proudly South African company in operation for nearly 9 years – can assist you. We are recognised and respected as Southern Africa's authoritative offshore investment specialists, promoting Cyprus as an ideal destination for acquiring EU citizenship or permanent residency, property investment, immigration or retirement and starting an EU-based business - we understand investor's needs.

Contact us for a confidential meeting to discuss how we can help you realise you and your family’s ‘Plan B’ in Europe.

Contact Jenny Ellinas Founder and Managing Director Tel: +27 83 448 8734 Email: jenny@cypriotrealty.com LinkedIn: https://za.linkedin.com/in/jennyellinas Twitter: https://twitter.com/jennyellinas Visit: www.cypriotrealty.com

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The for the harmony of country ambience and state of the art living in a secure environment

Your Woodhill Resident Agent

082 703 1380

marinda.remax@outlook.com

Your Woodhill Resident Agent

082 703 1380

marinda.remax@outlook.com