4-15-18

This past week has been another wild and crazy seven days.  We were able to get outside and accomplish some of the “to do” list.  Sitting here looking out my window, I don’t think outdoor work will be high on the list.  Day by day and step by step…..or simply one shovel full at a time.

The most important issue I would like to touch on would be the tiling on hole 16.  As you all know this area was given a temporary repair last summer which at best was a light bandage.  I have spoken to Matt Hagedorn about additional tile being laid around this area and tying it into the plastic line running off the course.

I want the situation resolved as much as anyone else.  The result needs to be affordable and make the most sense so we no longer have this issue and the golf course returns to normal playing conditions.  Matt and I will be meeting, on a nicer weather day, to discuss more details.

Our parking lots are still very messy with standing water.  Once the frost is gone, the parking lots should dry out and we will be able to add more material and have them graded.  Staff has worked on some of the worst areas this past week by spreading crushed concrete in heavily foot trafficked areas.

Several cart path areas were also repaired around the golf course.  The new bridge, on number twelve, was also finished with crushed concrete on the south side.  We will continue to address some of these areas in between blizzards this spring.

The biggest challenge ahead will be our budget over the next three months.  It will be a huge process to try and finish with the revenues exceeding expenses.  I’m always up for a challenge but this one might be a little daunting.

4-8-18

As I sit here this morning, I’m trying to determine if we are waiting for the golf season to start or is 2018 already winding down to the winter months.  This is a very difficult wait for myself and all the golfers in our community.  Patience will eventually pay off.

This past week we have continued to work on the remaining equipment repairs and set up.  Touch up painting and cleaning of other amenity items.  Obviously there has not been much of an opportunity to get outside to accomplish projects.

I have all the part time staff hired for the season.  Now, it’s just a waiting game to provide them the chance to train and understand the business.  I am very happy with all the staff and have the utmost confidence in their abilities and commitment.

Please contact me with any comments or questions.  I’m going to grab my shovel and play in the snow.

4-1-18

This weather pattern has not been cooperating much to start a golf season.  This will officially be the latest I have opened the golf course in a  long time.  The upcoming days don’t show too much improvement either.  My hope is to open the course for our scheduled tournament next Sunday.

The clubhouse has been open this past week.  We have had a fair amount of people stopping in to pay their fees.  Thursday evening men’s league held their annual meeting this week.  The Wednesday evening men and Tuesday evening ladies will be holding their meetings this upcoming week.

Grounds staff has been busy putting the reels back together on the mowers and working on other equipment.  The majority of the equipment repairs have been completed but there seems to always be small things that need to be addressed.  We will continue to work on equipment this next week.

Pixler Electric was on site most of the week.  They have completed the work in the pumphouse.  The pumphouse was raised two feet as part of the water quality project.  SMU also moved their transformer to higher ground.  This required the building to be rewired from the transformer and throughout the building.

The building was previously removed and concrete forms were set to eliminate the higher pond level from damaging the pumps.  The pumps will continue to set on the pumphouse floor in the same place as prior.   This left the wiring two feet short running to the pumps and made it necessary to replace the wire instead of making a bunch of splices.

The building was placed on the new foundation and soil was added around the surrounds.  I still need to add some sod and seed the area to complete the process.

This coming week I will be meeting with Dave at Golf Ball Country to purchase pro shop items.  We started selling used golf balls last year and it worked out very well.  I am going to add golf shirts and some other options to our inventory.  This will allow us to offer more while costing us much less in overhead.