5-6-2015 Golf Commission Minutes
Ron Krawczyk calls meeting to order. Motion to approve minutes by Ed Santalone, second by Brit Lawlor.
Commissioner’s reports
Jim Dowd/ There is an area between 12 and 13 where carts are being driven that needs to be protected.
Jim Von Eschen/ I took care of it yesterday, I was out on the course with Brit and I roped off the area
Jim Dowd/ we need the water turned on at the starter booth
Jim Von Eschen/ it was done today
Jim Dowd/ There was talk of the village repairing some bad areas of the cart paths
Ray Fell/ right now the roads in the village are the priority it will be at least 2 more weeks before we can make repairs at the Golf Course.
Ed Santalone/ the practice nets are installed and operational
Millie Brown/ Gus serves the Lions Club twice a month but will be able to host the Wine and Dine later in the season.
Carol Cassel/ I received a letter from Sally Hayes the Captain of the WMGA second team who said that there were no real complaints on the golf course conditions under the circumstances with the damage to many courses we are in fairly good shape. The “Wine and Dine “is coming up. Eddie has volunteered to have a golf cart on the course to provide wine and cheese. We will ask the caterers for permission
Brit Lawlor/ Golf Commission 5-6-2015
Tournaments
Ryder Cup this Saturday May 9th shotgun with breakfast and lunch after.
Tom Curley and Bill Hilti won the 2015 MGA qualifier at Bellport. They will be playing at Port Jeff CC on May 27th, good luck.
Greens committee
As members have seen we have extensive damage to many fairways throughout the course. Greg and Chris have done a tremendous amount of work in these areas to promote new growth. At this point we need warm weather badly to help our efforts.
We received the USGA report with their recommendations. It is posted on the website with our Plan of Action.
Members who have played in the last 10 days will notice that the aeration process is being done differently. Greg has removed larger 5/8” plugs and aggressively top dressed. He is trying to get as much sand into the greens as possible.
We are presently working on beginning the tree removal that is strongly recommended in the USGA report.
Parkland has lost time this past week using resources required to open the Tennis Courts and maintain the Catering grounds. Parkland was informed at the last minute that this work needed to be done immediately. Greg is not fully staffed yet and wasn’t expecting this. Going forward we will ask the Village if they can provide a schedule much earlier. There were some normal daily tasks that the staff was not able to complete this past Saturday due to the manpower working on the Tennis courts. Greg’s maintenance schedule is tightly driven this time of year and we can’t afford to have this interrupted. Hopefully in the future there will be better coordination between the village and parkland with at least a week to 10 days’ notice of this work. That being said we will move forward and do better in the future. We also want to make sure that the labor required from Parkland for these tasks comes from the Tennis Membership budget and the Caterers not the Golf Membership.
We have purchased the posts for the split rail fencing replacement. The split rail fencing alongside the green surrounds will begin to be replaced with posts and ropes. The reason is twofold first we will be able to change the areas where players walk off to better maintain the grass in these areas. Secondly the ropes will be used to keep all carts away from the green complexes.
I just want to say to Greg and Chris I appreciate all the work you have been doing, we see you out there. It’s been great with how responsive you have been and staying in touch with us. It’s a breath of fresh air and it’s been great working with you.
Ed Santalone/ were you (Greg Fox) aware that there was extensive work to be done at the Tennis courts in your contract?
Greg Fox/ I wasn’t aware of it
Ray Fell/ I can cut this short it was always in Parklands contract to maintain the tennis courts and around the caterers. This is the first year. They are responsible for putting up the wind screens and taking care of the bushes.
Ed Santalone/ don’t you think we should prioritize the golf course
Ray Fell/ the tennis courts are just as important to tennis members as the golf course is to the golf members. It has to get done perhaps the scheduling wasn’t handled correctly but this is the first year and we will do better to schedule this next year.
Brit Lawlor/ Ray does any portion of that labor cost come out of the tennis members’ dues?
Ray Fell/ Yes sure
Brit Lawlor/ so that is allocated every year in the budget.
Ray Fell/ yes part of their dues goes to that cost.
Ron Krawczyk/ I think the golf course is on its way and in a few weeks should be in great shape. There is a lot of damage but the guys are doing a great job. I got a lot of complaints today at the Men’s club about not being allowed to bring the golf carts into the parking lot. It’s very simple why we are not bringing carts into the parking lot. Because our insurance company does not want golf carts in the parking lot. We have gotten away with it for so long its time that we bit the bullet and blocked it off. So no carts out there. We are also trying to bring this club to a certain level and by doing this it will help a little bit. It’s a safety issue and they shouldn’t be out there with people driving around and walking around and it’s not going to change and I think this is the way it should be.
Ron Krawczyk/ Greg do you want to give a report?
Greg Fox/ Just to cover what Brit said we just need some heat now to promote growth. We have put a lot of effort in out there we have over seeded, Quadra tined, verticut. We need people to stay off the fairways with the golf carts. It’s not a question of please we just have to stay off. Jimmy’s on it I know but we have to stay off or we will end up going backwards.
Ron Krawczyk/ We have a 90 rule should we go to rough only?
Greg Fox/ 90 I don’t mind but people have to actually do 90. Rough only causes problems also.
Ed Santalone/ people don’t understand they have to stay off these areas
Ron Krawczyk/Ray, do you have a problem with rough only? You will get complaints.
Ray Fell/ No whatever they want to do.
John Daley/ Rough only will bring us to 4 hour rounds
Don Stephani/ we used to have rough only but they drove always close to the fairway in the same spot and ruined the rough.
Ed Santalone/ we need germination in the fairways and that should supersede anything
Jim Von Eschen/ I looked at the fairways today and I did see growth. The tire marks today dint look as bad. We have to keep reminding people.
Jim Dowd/can we rope off the bad areas?
Greg Fox/ no there are too many
Ron Krawczyk/Make an announcement before the Ryder Cup.
Ed Santalone/ Jimmy can you appoint one member of each group to be the ranger of the group. You know we don’t have Rangers.
Greg Fox/ Let us be the Rangers. At Islands End I do the Rangering myself. They accepted that my rules are my rules. If you can’t follow these rules step aside.
Jim Von Eschen/ that’s a good idea
Ed Santalone that’s better than what I said
Brit Lawlor/ “Let the Fox run”
Ed Santalone/ You may have to be armed.
Jim Von Eschen/ Some golf course have no carts or haven’t open due to the winter damage.
Greg Fox/ we are waiting on a third estimate on the Tree removal. It has went from around a 10K project to a 20K project.
Ron Krawczyk/we have 15 K from last year’s assessment money that we can use for that as long as the village is ok with it.
Jim Von Eschen/ I just wanted to encourage members to go onto to the website the USGA report is there. It’s a good report it explains a lot of what is going on. There is also a new report from the USGA with an update on winter damage in the area. We also have a new page on the website “Aces and Eagles” where we can post holes in one or eagles. The first Men’s club today we had 58 players. The ladies yesterday was cancelled because so many ladies were playing in the WMGA event. Our first outing will be next Monday Spotlight on Children. We have the Ryder cup Saturday approx. 68 people. Governors Cup Memorial day Weekend. Men’s senior club championship will also be posted shortly. We will be starting the Ryder cup at 9:15 tee time if possible. “Go Black Team”!!
Ron Krawczyk/over the past few years what teams have won?
Jim Von Eschen/ Not my team
Brit Lawlor/ has your team ever won?
Jim Von Eschen/ No
Jim Von Eschen/ we are over 40 new members, we won’t have a total last year vs this year until the end of May. The sponsorship referral program is working great.
John Daley/ Can we have the benches for the tees put out. I need a place to sit and rest I am old.
I will get it done.
Ron Krawczyk/Motion to adjourn. Ed santalone makes motion second Carol Cassel.