April 2010 Newsletter

From the President
Well, we have finally had some decent weather for golf. The past few weeks have been fairly steady with play, nothing exceptional, but at least were bringing in some income. For the entire month of February we had basically one day of play that brought in $ 570.00 in green fees and cart rentals, other than that… February was a tough month for the Club.
Mikel and Javier are working on getting the course in shape; they have fertilized some areas and will continue to get the course ready for the spring and summer play.
The board of directors has authorized some changes to the golf course. We are proposing making modifications on our tee boxes to set the par as a 70 for both the Men and Women. It will require the course to be re-rated, but we are required to update our course rating in the next year or two. Johnnie and Cindy Guelker are looking at getting certified to do course ratings to help with our cost. We will be adding a third set of tees for both the Men & Women. This will give a slightly different look to every hole. By making these changes we will comply with the Texas Golf Association & the USGA in making Number 3 a legitimate par 5 for the ladies. The ratings guide states that a par 5 for ladies must be at least 400 yards long.
Other changes will include removing a few trees where the new tee boxes will be and leveling & mowing these areas. We are also looking at filling in both sand traps on the course. The sand traps are mainly a maintenance and aesthetic issue. It really makes no sense to have just two sand traps, either we need to add more or remove what we have. The truth being told, the majority of Board of Directors would really like to add several more sand traps however, sand traps with proper drainage (unlike number 4) cost around $5,000 to $7,000 each. Obviously this is something we cannot afford to do. These areas would be filled in to follow the natural contour of the surrounding area and seed will be put down. By the summer these areas should be completely grassed over and ready for play. Mikel, Casey and the Board are also considering letting the grass around the greens to grow a little taller, to add more emphasis on accuracy.
Again this is all being done at no additional cost to the club. Rick Dabney has agreed to cover the cost to add the one new sprinkler that we need to add and any cost associated with it (renting trencher & irrigation pipes).
With these changes, the great news is if you don’t like where the new tee box is located you can go back and continue to play the same tee box you have played for years. This is just going to give you another option. The men’s red/blue tees and the ladies yellow/white tees will pretty much remain the same with the exception of one or two holes. Therefore if you don’t like the new tees, continue playing the ones you’re used to.
Jerry Neufeld - President

From the Golf Shop
Spring is officially here (so says the calender and the goofy weathermen), although I don't agree with them yet. Eventually the sun will shine and the grass will green up and the snow of this year will be a distant memory. One thing that has been said by the weathermen is that it will be a very stormy spring. That means lots of lightning and hail. I hope that they are wrong, but in case they are not, keep in mind that if you hear thunder – lightning is near. If you are on the golf course and see any lightning please seek shelter immediately. The golf staff will be watching the radar and sounding the horn if we see any potential danger. If you hear the horn, please come back to the shop (that way we are not worried about where you could be). Remember – we aren't trying to ruin your game by bringing you in, we just want to keep you safe.

Women's Working Wednesday Play
All ladies are invited to play golf starting in April on Wednesday nights in the Women's Working Wednesday Play Day. There will be a different game every Wednesday and prizes at the end of the year. Please call the golf shop by 4:00 to sign up and play begins at 6:00. Once again, all ladies are invited to play – so come out and have a great time playing golf and meeting new friends.

Adios to Winter 3-Person Scramble
We didn't get to say “adios” to winter on the week that we wanted to. The tournament has been rescheduled to April 17th & 18th. This is the same weekend that the 2-Man Low Ball was scheduled to be on. The 2-Man Low Ball will not be played this year. Please call the golf shop if you are interested in playing (there is still room) at 499-3397.

Friday Night Scrambles
The Friday Night Scramble will begin play on April 23rd. If you are interested in playing, you need to call the golf shop by 4:00 p.m. Play begins sharply at 6:00 p.m. All members are invited to play. Teresa makes a wonderful meal following play so be sure to stick around when you are done playing. Remember to call in by 4:00 p.m.

The Friday Night Scrambles will be played on April 23rd & 30th this month. .

WT Bowlers Tournament
The WT Bowlers Fundraising Tournament is scheduled for Wednesday, April 21st h with a 12:00 shotgun. Please note that the course will be closed that afternoon till around 5:30 p.m.

Spring Aerification
We will be closed on Tuesday, March 31st for spring aerification. We will re-open Wednesday, April 1st at 8:00 a.m.

Reminders
Please be sure to fill all your divots with sand and to repair your ball marks on the green. This will help keep Canyon Country Club looking great.