APRIL 2007 GOLF COMMITTEE MEETING

Meeting called to order on April 6, 2007, at 9:05 a.m. by Chairman, Tom Guinther.

Followed by Pledge of Allegiance.

Committee Members Present:   Chairman, Tom Guinther and members: Jeanne Osborne, Tony Pitrulle and Suzanne Peterson.  Member Bob Peet, excused absence.

Also Present:  Pro Shop Manager, Sandy Lobello, Course Superintendant, Mike Henderson and Director of Golf, Jim Kormondy.

Guests in attendance:  Richard Bleau, liaison member from the District Board, Pat Dunckley, Flo Rodweller and Jack Barry.

 Minutes:  Following a motion by Jeanne Osborne, seconded by Tony Pitrulle, the minutes of the March 2007, meeting were approved as read.

Correspondence:  A letter from Dan Little, suggested that cart owners be given a credit toward their annual trail fees for carrying non-cart owner golfers.

Dirctor of Golf Kormondy said that the issue has come up many times in the past.  However, a credit to cart owners would result in a net loss of revenue collected from cart renters; hence a need to make up the loss by raising trail fees.

 There was a complaint that golfers heading out to their assigned holes for scrambles crossed in front of golfers who were already playing on the course.

Kormondy will remind starters to caution golfers to follow cart paths when proceeding to their starting hole.

 There was a suggestion that grass on the edge of lake banks (particularly on 14) be left slightly longer so that fewer golf balls would roll into the water.  Jack Barry opined that play would be speeded up if golfers didn't have to spend so much time searching for and retrieving water balls.  Course Superintendant Henderson said that one solution would be to extend the drainage pipe out, then extend the lake bank.  This led to discussion about the County's plan to replace the drainage pipe that runs between Barefoot Circle and the lake at 14.  Mr. Bleau said that he will follow up with the County.

 Unfinished Business:  Chairman Guinther asked Kormondy about progress on preparing budget.  Kormondy said that Grace Daddario indicated that she would not be starting budget preparations until June; so there was still time for the Committee to talk about and make suggestions.  This raised question from the Committee about this obvious change to the annual budget preparation timeline.  The District Board has historically held budget workshops in April; then held the public meeting in May; held a final District Board meeting in June; and finalized the budget in the first week of July.  Liaison Bleau will raise this issue at the April District meeting.

 The Committee has already suggested that the budget proposal include removal of the small palms along the lake bank on 2, and the replanting of greens.  The cost of expanding greens to original size and replanting grass will cost $8,000 to $10,000 per green. 

 The Committee members stressed the importance of completing the work on the lake banks and the culverts.  This work was begun under a contract connected to the current budget year.  The Committee is concerned that if the work is not completed the dollars budgeted to finish the project will not be carried over to the next fiscal year.  Henderson assured the Committee that the contract had been signed, and the work was due to be completed this summer.   The Committee asked to see a copy of the contract.

 The trailer between the 13th green and 12th tee has finally been removed.

 Flags for the practice range have been ordered.

 Member Pitrulle expressed concern about the replacement of the chemical hazard sign, that is required by law to be posted on the small chemical storage building (behind 13).  Superintendant Henderson assured the Committee that he had ordered the sign to be overnighted, and that it should have been delivered today.  That sign, which is to alert emergency personnel in the event of catastrophe, has been missing the 2004 hurricanes.

 Property Services personnel is working on a complete remodel of the bathroom on 16.  Their next project is the bathroom on 5.  The last project will be the green barn.

 Kormondy has bids in for new score cards, which will reflect the new course rating and the forward/senior tees.  He expects to place the order at the end of April.

 New Business:  There was a question about the recent placement of the red tees back at the white markers.  It has made the course play much longer for women.  Superintendant Henderson agreed to remedy the situation.

 Palm trees on the course will be trimmed this summer.

 In response to member complaints about outside tournaments bumping member start times, Kormondy said that every effort is made to schedule outside tournaments so as not to effect member play.  The difficulty with scheduling afternoon shotgun tournaments is that there has to be 90 minutes start times clear both before and after the shotgun start time.  If the shotgun tournaments are scheduled for a morning start, then we lose member start times for only the 90 minutes following the shotgun start.  Kormondy stressed that tournaments and greens fees players bring in additional revenue to the course; revenue which helps to keep member dues as low as currently.  The Committee agreed that Kormondy was doing a commendable job of promoting additional play, and handling the heavy play schedule.

 There was a question about whether the low turn out for the Community Fund Tournament would have had a better turn out if the format was changed to best 2 balls of 4 instead of a scramble.  Kormondy said that the problem with best 2 of 4 is that all participants need to have an established handicap.

He added that this years participation in the Community Fund Tournament was effected by the scheduling for Saturday, instead of the usual Sunday time.  The day change was made because the D & E Building was already booked on the usual day.  There was also a large fashion show that drew many of our women golfers.

 Member Osborne commented on the beautiful plantings that the District had put in around the 19th hole.

 Report from Director of Golf, Jim Kormondy:  Now that we alternate starting off the 1st and 10th tees, there is no central place for a starters shack.  To protect rangers from the cold, we have provided a cart cover, but the rangers felt that it was confining and restricted their vision.  We still have the cover, if it is needed.

 In response to last month's request by Mr. Morgan that we adopt a different method of assigning tee times, a slightly inaccurate response was given.  The issue isn't staff time.  In the interest of fairness to all start time requests, we'll spend whatever staff time necessary to the process.  The issue is that his suggested method of sorting would lead to less fairness, and likely more green slips having to be issued.  Right now we draw all tickets and give them the closest time to what has been asked for.  That has proven to be the most fair.  When we have this many people playing, there are always a lot of green tickets.

 In response to last month's question about golfers playing in both Sunday scrambles, course rules allow golfers to play only once in the same day.  USGA has no rule as to course play before a scramble.  However, it would set a dangerous precedent to allow golfers to play in both Sunday scrambles, even during the slack summer season.  The only exception would be for a charity event.

 Next tournament is the Pro-Am on 4/28.  The deadline for sign-up is noon on 4/20.  The format is best 2 balls of 4 - one net and one gross.  The drawing for teams will be on 4/21 in D & E Building.  There will be a bartender and hors d' oeuvres.

 Report from Pro Shop Manager, Sandy Lobello:  Membership is down 27 people because semi-annual memberships expired at the end of March.  We now have 560 members.  Members are beginning to head north, so the schedule is not as hectic.

 Report from Course Superintendant, Mike Henderson:  We've begun verticutting the greens.  We've started poking holes to get rid of some of the compaction we've had, as there have been a lot of people playing.  There's a lot of work to be done this summer, but the course will be in good shape for next year.  In preparation for the Pro-Am we'll be edging traps and cart paths.  Grass is growing great.  We've been fertilizing, and grass is really starting to fill in.  We had 6 inches of rain for the month of March.

 The quote on fixing the pump is $13,700.  It's more expensive than the last pump repair because they won't exchange the motor like they did for the other pump last year.  That fact, alone, adds $8,700.  Grace Daddario thinks that the quote is too expensive, so we'll be getting one other bid.  The malfunctioning pump is unrelated to the recent sprinkler problems.  The reason why the pump repair is so expensive now is that we've been nursing along repairs without  fixing the real problem.  This pump has had the motor rewound, but is probably 15 years old.  We've come to the point when it can no longer be repaired.  It must be replaced.

 The mower that is left at the course over the weekend is so that grounds crew, assigned to work over the weekend, and who live close by, find that it's easier for them to have the mower here for their use.  The canopy that will be added to the green barn will solve the problem of leaving the mower exposed to the elements.

 The tanks that are by the green barn have not been used for years.  They are owned by Glover Oil.  We will be submitting paperwork asking to have those tanks removed.

 Report from District Liaison Bleau:  The bathroom on 16 is due to be painted this weekend.  Also, the water will be briefly turned off, but should not interfere with player use. 

 Guest Comments:  Pat Dunckley thanked Liaison Bleau for his hard work and dedication to the golf course.  The Committee applauded Mr. Bleau.

 Pat Dunckley told of the Ladies 18 Hole Golf Association's Invitational Tournament, which was scheduled for March 21.  For the past 25 years, the check-in, doughnuts, juice, fruit and coffee have happened in the 19th Hole.  This year, with less than 24 hours notice, the 18 Holers were notified that the 19th Hole was now a "money making" proposition, and as such would, under no circumstances be used for giving away "free" food.  There were 124 golfers paid and signed up for play and lunch.  The Invitational Committee and the Social Committee had to change plans at the last minute, forego decorating and setting up the whole of the D & E Building, in order to use half the room for greeting/sign-in/coffee, and later hurriedly setting up the same half for the catered lunch.  This event has traditionally been quite elaborate, with centerpieces, flowers, etc., so was no easy task for the committee to change plans with less than 24 hours notice.  It did not go unnoticed that, on that morning, the 19th Hole sold zero breakfasts, and 2 cups of coffee.  The Ladies 18 Hole Golf Association wished to register a formal complaint about the last-minute decision to change what had been a long-standing tradition.

 In response to that complaint Golf Committee members asked for an accounting of how much money the 19th Hole is making on its addition of breakfast service; and, how much money it costs in staffing the 19th Hole for breakfast service.  The Golf Committee members suggested that for that event, it would have been more politic to have allowed the event to proceed in the 19th Hole for this one last year, but tell the 18 Holers that in the future they needed to make other plans.

 Jack Barry asked about the positioning of the out-of-bounds markers on the 14th fairway.  Apparently, the markers are no longer in a straight line.  Kormondy said he would check on the markers.

 Jack Barry asked whether the sand that had blown out of traps would be replaced.  Kormondy said that on non-windy days grounds crews would blow the sand back into the bunkers.  Barry also pointed out that many golfers don't rake bunkers after use.

 Flo Rodweller asked whether consideration had been given to giving a "free drop" to golfers who find their golf balls within the dirt area surrounding trees.  Kormondy said no.  If plantings are surrounded by bark, and the golf ball is within the barked area, then free drops are allowed, but not around the base of fairway trees.

 The next meeting of the Committee will be on Friday, May 4, 2007, at 9 a.m. 

 Upon a motion by Peterson, seconded by Osborne, the meeting was adjourned at 10:30 a.m.

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