Tuesday, April 27, 2010

May 2010 Newsletter

From the President:

With the snow finally gone and winter a distant memory, we had a fairly descent month in March. We had nearly 700 rounds played in March, up considerably from February but still down from March of 2009. We are hoping the economy is turning around and that the weather will be conducive for more golf. There is not a lot to report from the board except we are ready for some spring weather and hopefully lots and lots of income.
I want to say THANK YOU to Rhonda Stephenson and Kay Reynolds for tackling the painting project in the restaurant. I need to mention some others that had a big part in the new paint job, Ron Reynolds, David Stephenson and Roger Senter. Thanks also go to the Ladies Auxiliary for buying the paint.
The board went into great discussion about was the pace of play and the need for marshals and/or starters on the course especially on weekends. Casey is working on some options with some of our retired members to see if we can work out some type of bargain with them. With that being said, a couple of weeks ago we had a very busy Saturday and the course got backed up. Some of the blame came from some green fee players, the other half of that blame unfortunately is with our own members. I understand the frustration with slow play, but when you play the front nine holes in 1 ½ hours because you’re the first ones out and want to make the turn with no delay, then get mad cause your back nine takes 2 to 2 ½ hours. Some of that responsibility comes back to you. I know the course belongs to the members, but we need to a little more understanding when trying to make the turn. There may be times that your groups get separated on the turn, but that is just the price we have to pay for being a 9-hole course.
As for as our daily fee players, so far they are responsible for putting nearly $9,000 in our accounts since the first of the year, and that is with us being closed nearly all of February. There is absolutely no way we can afford to exist without our daily fee players.
We would like to encourage everyone to call and make tee times and stick to them. As members we can make tee times a week in advance, leaving daily players to call on Friday to get what’s left for Saturday’s and Sunday’s. We need their income so we if are not needing some tee times let the Pro Shop know so they can fill it in with others. By doing so it keeps us from having to raise our monthly fees.
Since there are members that would like Canyon CC to be totally private, then I encourage you to help recruit new members so we have enough income to be totally private.
Jerry Neufeld - President

From the Golf Shop
It was nice to see our golf course being played on for a change. What a winter we had. Merchandise is rolling in with the latest and greatest equipment. Is it time for a new driver? Come to talk to me or any of my staff and we can fill you in with what you may need. I also have the latest hybrids and golf balls. Now is the time to make an equipment change so that you can fully enjoy your new stick through the summer. May is a busy month here so be sure to check the calender and also the Latest News Bulletin on the front page of the web site (canyontxcountryclub.com).

ATO Golf Scramble
The golf course will be closed the morning of Saturday, May 1st, for the ATO Golf Scramble. We will re-open around 1:30 for regular play.

Ladies Guest Day
Ladies Guest Day is scheduled for May 6th. All ladies are invited to play in this event. We will have a 9:00 shotgun start with a meal following play. There will also be a light breakfast in the morning before play. This is a great event, all of our ladies get to show our great golf course to other women from around the panhandle.

High School Fundraiser Day/Night Tournament
The Canyon High School Golf Team Fundraiser Day/Night Tournament in scheduled for Friday, May 14th. Please be aware that the Friday Night Scramble is scheduled for that Thursday, May 13th.

Bucks & Does
The Bucks & Does Couples Scramble will be held on May 22nd and 23rd. All couples are invited to play. There will be a morning and afternoon shotgun start on both days. There will be a meal following play on Saturday for both the morning and afternoon shotguns. Cost for the tournament will be $120 per team plus the cost of a cart. This event is always fun so come on out.

Members Scrambles
The scrambles have started and are in full gear. This is a great way to meet new members and have a lot of fun with the ones you already know. Remember, the scrambles start at 6:00 and the deadline to sign-up is 4:00. The dates for the scrambles are:
May 7 – Friday
May 13th – Thursday
May 28th – Friday

Ladies Auxiliary News
Wednesday's Ladies Night is in full swing. Remember all ladies in the auxiliary are invited to play. Call in by 4:00 on Wednesday and let us know if you plan to eat so that Teresa can have a good head count. Come on out on Wednesday and enjoy the fun.

The Ladies still have raffle tickets available for the $500 gift card. These tickets will be on sale until September 3rd. Don't miss out to not only help out the Auxiliary (who do so much for the club) but a great chance to win.

Kay Reynold is the director for CCC for the Hi-Plains Ladies Play Days. The Ladies play the 2nd Wednesday of every month from April to October at different courses in our area. Cost to join the Hi-Plains Association is $15 and the cost to play that Wednesday is $35 (includes fees, carts, and lunch). Call Kay Reynolds for more information.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

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.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Adios Postponed

The Adios to Winter 3-Person Scramble will be postponed until next weekend March 20th and 21st. If you are entered into the tournament please call and double check your starting time next week. If you are not entered and would like some more information - please call (806) 499-3397 ext. 21.

Thanks

Casey Renner

Monday, March 1, 2010

March Newsletter

From the President

It’s been a tough start to the new year, first with the bitter cold weather then all the snow; it has been pretty quiet around the golf course. We had just a little over 300 rounds of golf played in the month of January and with all the snow we had, we have not been able to open the golf course at all in February. If there is any good news to the lack of income from green fees and carts, it is definitely some much needed moisture. Come springtime we will be very thankful for the moisture from the snow.

In the meantime the board of directors is looking at ways to increase our membership and make course improvements at very little cost. Over the course of the next month or so we will be addressing these with the stockholders. I don’t foresee any of these changes being too drastic, just trying to expand on what we currently have.

A special thank to Roger Senter and Goodman Distribution for the donation and installation of 3 programmable thermostats for the clubhouse. Roger was able to get them to donate the thermostats in exchange for a couple of rounds of golf with cart, and Roger installed them on his own time. Thanks Roger for once again going above and beyond board member duties.

Let’s all hope for some better weather so we can get out there and chase that little white thing (golf ball not snow ball) around the course.

Jerry Neufeld – President
Board of Directors

From the Golf Shop
As I am writing this, it has been a whopping 29 straight days since we have been open for play. February flew by, especially since we didn't see most of you, and I hope that the snow will eventually melt off. One good thing is that much needed moisture that the golf course is receiving. According to Mikel we have had about 20 inches of snow in the last 30 days. The golf course will look great once it gets uncovered and dry enough to play.

While the snow was on the golf course, the golf staff did a few projects. We cleaned out the closets by the south door (there were two pickup loads of junk that were thrown away) and we also filled up the cart batteries with water (ensuring that your cart won't go down once we do get to play). These are just a few things we did to fight off the boredom (which is ironic considering that these things were really boring to write about).

We did have a Super Bowl party and Jimmy Jones, Roger Senter, Johnnie Guelker, and Trish Giacomazzi were the big winners on our squares pot. It was a fun time and such a good game to watch. Thanks to Teresa for the great food she cooked and thanks to everyone who came to the party.

The Adios to Winter 3 – Person Scramble will be held on March 20th and 21st. There will be a morning and afternoon shotgun on both days. If you would like to play please call the golf shop for more information or to sign up.

Ladies Auxiliary
The Ladies Auxiliary will be meeting on Thursday, March 12th at 7:00 p.m. All ladies are invited to come and be a part of the Ladies Auxiliary

Just a quick reminder that annual dues of $16 needs to be paid by March 11th for your information to be in the ladies yearbook.

Kay Reynolds, Director from CCC for the High Plains Women's Golf Association, is attending the March meeting in Clovis to set the play dates for 2010. Play is the 2nd Wednesday of the month, April thru October. $18 to join and $35 per meet. The $35 pays for green fees, cart and the meal. Any Canyon Country Club lady golfer is eligible to join. Please contact Kay Reynolds @ 499-3310, if you are interested in joining.



Thank You
Thanks to Roger Senter for finding and installing digital and programmable thermostats for the clubhouse. They were donated by Cory McClusky with Goodman Distribution Company. Thanks to Mr. McClusky and thanks again to Roger for all of his hardwork that he does around here.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Febuary Newsletter

From the President
I want to thank all those who attended the annual Stockholders board meeting on January 18th. Three new board members were elected to 3-year terms. The three new members are Trish Giacomazzi, Johnnie Guelker, and David Stephenson. We welcome our new members and look forward to working with them.

Some of the highlights from the stockholders meeting were:
The by-laws were amended to prohibit a private cart owner from placing any commercial advertising on their cart. This does not apply to an individuals name or the promotion of a particular school or sports team. It only applies to advertising a specific commercial business.

Stockholders approved the use of monies from the land account to pay the remainder of the advalorem taxes (approximately $4,700).

Stockholders recommended keeping dues the same until we received word on some of these grants that have been written. Speaking of grants, our grant writers have re-submitted several grants with several more to go. Keep your fingers crossed over the course of the next month or two in hopes that one or more of these come through.
As was discussed at the stockholders meeting, we need more members. I know this sounds like a broken record but the non-member green fee and cart income was down over $9,000, and our member dues income was down more than $7,000. If it weren’t for 2 outside tournaments (ATO & KA) and a tax reimbursement from a landowner we would have suffered a loss of income of more than $25,000.

Please help us in recruiting new members. Talk to your friends and co-workers, tell them what Canyon Country Club has to offer, unmatched scenery, a challenging course & outstanding members just to name a few.

Jerry Neufeld – President
Canyon Country Club

Super Bowl Party
The Super Bowl Party at the club will begin at 4:30 on Sunday, February 7th. We will have plenty of food and there will be a chance for you to win some money with our annual Squares Pot. We would love to see everyone there, so don’t forget the party starts at 4:30.



Mikel’s Revenge / Beat the Pro
Our wonderful superintendent gets to play the role of the Evil Greenskeeper on Saturday, February 20th. Mikel will be setting the pins in the most difficult positions that he can find and the tees will be set way back. Find yourself a partner and see if you can stomach the six-putts that are inevitable. The format will be a two person scramble. There will be a 10 stroke handicap limit on your team. Also, there will be an optional Beat-the-Pro tournament. Mikel and I will play in the scramble, and yes we will be zero handicaps – (although many could argue that we probably need a few strokes!). The costs of the tournament will $20 for the scramble per player and an extra $10 per player for the Beat-the-Pro portion of the tournament. If you play in the Beat-the-Pro portion, you will automatically receive a $10 credit in the golf shop. If you beat Mikel and me, then you double your wager! You can’t lose! Teresa will be making dinner following play and if we can get enough people to stay, I will conduct a Handicap and Rules Seminar (this is part of the entry fee). The tournament will tee-off at 11:00 (tee times). To sign-up just call the shop and enter you and your partner.

Ladies Auxiliary
The Ladies Auxiliary will be meeting on Thursday, February 11th at 7:00 p.m. in the bar. All ladies are invited to come and be a part of the Ladies Auxiliary.

Thank You
I would like to extend a special thank you to our board members who served their term on the board the last couple of years. This is a thankless job and they deserve a big pat on the back. Thank You to Bob Lang, Frank Self, and Travis Loe. There efforts this last year and beyond have made Canyon Country Club one of the best places to play golf and be a part of. It is also nice to know that I can call on them now, even though they are not on the board anymore, if I ever need anything.

Welcome New Board Members
Trish Giacomazzi, David Stephenson, and Johnny Guelker were elected to serve three year terms at the last Stockholders Meeting in January. I look forward to working with all of them and I feel confident that they will help lead Canyon Country Club in the right direction.

Thank You, Part 2
Thanks to Dick Archer, Joe Godfrey, Garry Erdman, and Red Higginbotham for helping me clean out our storage area and making it easier to get around in there. They were playing golf one day after the stockholders meeting, the wind got up (surprise, surprise) and then I put them to work. It is so nice to have members pitch in and help out with even being asked. Thanks again guys.

Monday, December 28, 2009

January Newsletter

From the President

I hope each and every one of you had a wonderful Christmas holiday, and that your New Year is off to a fantastic start. As we start this new year, I look forward to good news and fortune for Canyon Country Club. While we have had some difficult times in the past, I am confident that 2010 will be a terrific year for the club.

Our grant writers have been in contact with some foundations that are very interested in our situation and they (foundations) will be meeting after the first of the year to start on their 2010 awards.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank those board members that have fulfilled their term. Thanks to Bob Lang and Frank Self for their 3 years of service. Thanks also go to Travis Loe for his volunteering to serve the remainder of Frank Castleberry’s term. I am always impressed with the work our board members do on their own time and what they give to make Canyon Country Club what it is.

Just a reminder to every one that the annual stockholder meeting is on January 18th. The meeting will be at 7:00pm in the clubhouse. We will be going over the normal business reports and electing 3 new board members. There will also be discussion on the grant process and the financial stability of the club.

See you at the Stockholder’s meeting.

Jerry Neufeld – President
Canyon Country Club



From the Golf Shop
Happy New Year to everyone. Hope your holidays went well and were spent with the ones you love.

The Christmas Gala went very well this year. Teresa and her staff made a wonderful meal. There were 80 people this year (and it was great to see everyone there). A big thanks to Cliff Webb and his singing group for the entertainment. They did a fantastic job. Also, thanks to Wilma Higginbotham for a job well done in helping Teresa organize this event. And last, but certainly not least, thanks to Teresa for the delicious meal. I think many people will agree that Canyon Country Club has the finest chef around, and if you haven't had a chance to eat anything that she cooks (and she can cook just about anything), you need to come out and give it a try. You won't be disappointed. Thanks again Teresa and a job well done.

New Year’s Eve Party
The Club will be hosting their annual New Year’s Eve Party. The party will start on December 31st at 7:00 p.m. The club will furnish snacks and finger foods. This is always a fun time so we hope to see everyone there. If you have any questions regarding the party, please call the golf shop at 499-3397 ext. 21.

Polar Bear Golf Tournament
Our annual Polar Bear Golf Tournament will be held on January 30th and 31st. We will shotgun start at 11:00 a.m. both days. The format is a two person scramble. Hopefully the weather will be good, so grab a partner and get the year started off right.

Stockholder’s Meeting
The annual Stockholder’s meeting will be held on Monday, January 18th at 7:00 p.m. I encourage all stockholders to come down for the meeting. A letter will be out around the first of January explaining the agenda of the meeting. Please come down and show your support of the club.

2010 Tournament Schedule
The 2010 Tournament Schedule will be available at the Stockholder's Meeting. It will also be available online at www.canyontxcountryclub.com. If you would like a copy of the tournament schedule please give me a call and we will mail you one after the stockholder's meeting.

Happy New Year
The staff at Canyon Country Club would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year! My golfing resolution this year is to become a better putter. My putting costs me 3 to 4 strokes a round. I plan on really working on that part of my game this year. What costs you any unnecessary strokes during your round? Where do you think that you could become better in your golf game? Is it your short game or maybe off the tee? These are some questions to consider while there is snow on the ground and its really cold outside. If there is any way that I can help, don't hesitate to call me. See you on the course, hopefully soon when the snow melts and it warms up!

Monday, November 30, 2009

December Newsletter

From the President
It’s hard to believe we come to the end of another year. We have some seen some very positive changes over the course of the last 12 months, and we are optimistically looking for even more changes in the coming year.

While nothing is final yet, we have had some very good responses from some of the grants that we have sent out. We should not be discouraged as I have said before, we are at the end of a lot of foundations fiscal year but we will continue to work to find assistance. My hope is by our annual stockholders meeting will have some good news for everyone.

One item that the grant committee is looking into is to look for some funding to rebuild the clubhouse and Proshop. Dick Archer and the grant committee are putting together ideas that we might consider as possible floor plans. If you have any ideas that you feel that needs to be looked into, please let someone know. As we get closer to a “final floor plan” that we would like to submit to the grant writers we will keep everyone informed.

At the last regular board meeting the Board of Directors approved Mikel’s request to go cart path only during the winter months. We realize that this may be an inconvenience to some people but it will make for a much healthier fairway next spring.

Don’t forget the Canyon CC Christmas party on December 12th, mark your calendars and join us for a holiday dinner and entertainment.

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New year.

Jerry Neufeld – President
Canyon Country Club

From the Golf Shop

Happy Holidays from all of the staff at your Canyon Country Club. I hope everyone had a great golfing year and has an even better one next year. I would like to thank, once again, Mikel Walser and his crew, for their hard work all year long. I personally think that we have the best 9 hole facility in the state and with out their hard work that would not be possible. Remember that you can do your part in helping them out by sanding your divots and repairing your ball marks on the green.

Christmas Open House

I will be hosting my annual Christmas Open House on December 12th. All merchandise in the shop will be marked down and you will have chance to win an even bigger discount on the items that you would like to purchase. There will be free gift wrapping, holiday treats and spirits, and good prices on quality merchandise. This will also be a good time to clear all that credit that you have won throughout the year. Don’t forget – the sales starts at 9:00 a.m.

Ladies Auxiliary Christmas Party

The Annual Ladies Auxiliary Christmas party will be held on December 7th at 6:00 p.m. All ladies are invited to attend (you do not have to be a member of the auxiliary). Please bring a covered dish for dinner and a $15.00 gift for exchange. Please put your name on the gift so that the person receiving it will know who it is from. Remember – the fun starts at 6:00 and lasts until 9:00.

Canyon Country Club’s Christmas Gala

On Saturday, December 12th, everyone is invited to the Christmas Gala. Dinner will start at 6:00 p.m. Teresa is making us a wonderful Christmas dinner, which includes pork tenderloin, cranberry sauce, rosemary potatoes, broccoli salad, dinner rolls, and a chocolate dessert. Cost will be $10.00 per person and guests are welcome. Please RSVP Wilma Higginbotham at 622-3405 or email her at shelbywilma@amaonline.com and let her know if you can make it. There will be entertainment by Cliff Webb's singing group (who are very good) and there will be a few games played after dinner. Please bring a $2.00 scratch off ticket for each person. There will also be smoking and nonsmoking areas designated. We hope to see everyone here at the club for what will be a wonderful meal and a great time.

New Year’s Eve Party

The Club will be hosting their annual New Year’s Eve Party. The party will start on December 31st at 7:00 p.m. The club will furnish snacks and finger foods. This is always a fun time so we hope to see everyone there.

Teresa's Holiday Baking

If you would like Teresa to bake any of her delicious holiday treats for you or your family give her a call at 499-3397 ext. 25. She also has made tamales that are ready anytime. Teresa said to call her anytime and she can have your favorite desserts ready in no time at all.

Happy Holidays

From Zach Glasgow, Billy Pope, Courtney, John,Carrington and Barrett Thomas, Mikel Walser, Javier Solis, Rachel Huddelston, and Cameron and Casey Renner, we would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Be safe in all your travels and we’ll see you on the course.