August Meeting Minutes

Hills Golf Committee

8/17/23, Dye Clubhouse, 5:00 PM

 

Attendance Roster

Name

Assigned Role

Attendance

Steve Zeigler

Chair

Y

MiSuk Koch

HLGA

Y

JD Darling

MGA

Y

Steve Dicus

SMGA

Y

Patty Landgren

Ladies 9 Hole Group

N

Laurie Cope

At Large

N

Jerry Obenour

Handicap Committee

Y

Brad Ray

Member Experience

Y

Kyle McClintick

Hills Superintendent

N

Jon Maddern

Director of Agronomy

Y

Trevor Ries

Hills Head Golf Professional

Y

 

  • Opening – Steve Zeigler
    • Brad Ray has been added to the Board of Governor’s for 2024 and will be taking over as Committee Chair
    • Jon welcome we appreciate all you are doing to get the golf course back in shape and we are here to support you however we can. The weekly turf report is great, please continue with this process.

 

  • Association Reports
    • HLGA – MiSuk Koch
      • Kelly Pearson to take over as Committee Representative
      • Entirely new board for 2024
      • 8/26 - 27 President’s Cup with 30 signups
      • Less play on playdays with Dye now open
      • 9/11 Play day starts back to 9am per Trevor
      • 10/28 – 29 Fall Fling
    • 9 Hole Group – Patty Landgren
      • No report again  -  need to participate if you have an association
    • MGA – JD Darling
      • 140 golfers for the Tri-play event was a good day for all
        • Good to sell out again as we have lost over 20 players to resignations who played in at least 3 tournaments LY
      • Treasurer’s Cup 2 man and 1 match play are in final stages
      • 9/30-10/1 - Fall Classic, major points, last tournament of the year will determine POY and the Cup team
      • 11/4-5 - The Hills team is “Still Feared” and will be holding its own 2 day Stonebridge Cup team challenge with 42 players
      • 2024 season kicks off 11-18 with an up and back tournament
      • Trevor’s team does a great job putting on a first class event
      • Rachel in membership experience continues to ensure our members have a complete day of golf, beverages and fun
    • SMGA – Steve Dicus
      • Added a few new members
      • Participation has been low due to weather and pace of play
      • Implementing timing each hole and groups will be disqualified if they are not keeping up with the recommend pace
      • Fall banquet is set for 10/4, Rachel ensured a top notch event

 

 

  • Superintendent Update – Jon Maddern
    • Thanked the committee for the support and the MGA for providing the grounds crew with lunch last Friday
    • Hills golf course will receive the same maintenance practices and attention as the Dye course going forward. Jon is very familiar with Arthur Hills courses, knew him personally, and will get the course to play as designed.
      • Resources will be moved between both courses as needed
      • Jon takes pride in ensuring the golf course is in the best condition possible, his own worst critic and looks forward to the progress we will see in the coming months
    • Saddleback greens 19 -27, are filling in quickly, working on smoothing them and the collars/approaches
      • 25th anniversary of Saddleback is in September, celebration is being planned in conjunction with reopening, tentatively planned for 9/8
        • Committee voiced concern over opening too early, which is the mistake made during the first reopening of the Dye
        • Calendar of Events seems to be dictating this date
        • Need to ensure the decision is made for the longterm playability and life of the greens
    • 2024 Greens replacement as of now scheduled for early May on Cimmaron and the main practice putting green
      • Committee and overall membership would like to do all 18
      • Jon has proposed a staggered rotation plan that would allow us to have 18 holes longer and get them all done in 2024
    • Aerification planned for October will be a deep core on the fairways
    • 2024 aerification plan is in place - gone way too long without this important process, staggered to allow play on 18 holes at all times, membership will need to get accustom to this practice again
      • This week the greens were aerified when the temperatures dropped below 100, with future planning in place this should not happen before events, such as the couples tournament
      • Weed issue has been exacerbated by lack of Verti cutting and aerification in the recent past, the turf has not been healthy
      • Very aggressive herbicide approach during cooler months leading into spring
    • Greens – see attached turf report
      • Several new practices in place, should see signs of new growth in bad spots on 1,2,4,8,11,12,15 this weekend
      • Goosegrass see turf report
        • Can’t put down any herbicide until cooler weather and the irrigation is 100% operable
        • Will be very aggressive following normal agronomy procedures already being put into place will help alleviate weed problems.
    • Member-Guest working to have greens 90-95% playable, will have pin sheets to ensure pin placements are in best conditioned areas, continuing to work on smoothing them out and getting all greens rolling as consistent as possible.
    • Bunkers – New sand is being placed and has increased the playability of the green side bunkers
      • Receiving 14 truck loads over the next few weeks
    • Fairways & Rough – good definition and playability despite weather
      • Unable to water the rough currently due to broken pump station
      • Plan for rough in 2024 will be to take it down to 1.5-1.75” as it then will grow to 2” before next mowing will speed up play as it has been over 2” this year and it’s hard to find a ball in it
    • CPO - any relief on this during heat? Friday – Sunday none?
      • Invited policy dictates 1 per side daily
        • Trying to put on the shorter holes when possible
      • Why does DYE have no CPO days then?
      • NO CPO for association or club events unless dictated by bad weather
      • Committee concern is the heat is excessive and we do not want to see any incidents  as well as speed of play in the heat
    • Gate Practices will be reviewed
      • Currently using them to alleviate cart traffic in the rough due to not being able to water it
        • Will have a better plan to move the entrance/exit more often
    • Irrigation update – pump station is broken, waiting on a part, using a replacement generator running 24/7 to allow greens, collars, tees and fairways to receive water
      • – 2, 7 have main  line breakage that will take an outside company 2 days to repair, until we get rain, we can not shut down
      • 7 is now marked as GUR, should have been done sooner will be more proactive in the future
      • 13 fairway appears to have a leak as well will be checked
      • New agronomy practices will be used on Saddleback as the salt content of water from 19 pump is higher than Chisholm/Cimmaron pump stations
    • Staffing update
      • Hiring always, lots of contract labor currently, Kyle and Scott are constantly training the staff in proper procedures
    • Agronomy Plan
      • Putting together a comprehensive agronomy plan for 2024 and forward to ensure agronomy best practices are implemented and followed routinely

 

  • Pro Shop Update – Trevor Ries
    • Impact of new tee sheet policy
      • Dual & Hills unlimited members no movement on 11 days vs 9 to Trevor’s knowledge
        • The BOG  has made a recommendation to Craig to allow members who downgraded prior to knowing of this change could be reinstated for the dues increase only
      • Full Dual members making tee times for limited and dropping out
        • No action despite receiving numerous emails including screen shots of consistent abusers
          • No rule against it, but should there be since this is a new policy. At the very least it’s unethical and not fair to the overall golfing community at the club
    • Pace of play and weekly groups any further discussion/revision to timing
      • Worse than ever taking 4.5 hours to play on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings
      • Senior group is asking Trevor to put the time each group should arrive at the next hole, if they don’t catch up they will be DQ’d
      • Marshal’s refuse to enforce as there are many golfers who do not respect them and treat them unfairly
      • Jim Sanders has Trevor testing shotguns/double tee times to allow more players in the mornings and help speed up play
    • Rules update and enforcement
      • Not pairing up in carts is still a major problem
        • Jon has asked for our help as the increased cart traffic affects his ability to get/keep the course in its best shape
        • Trevor during the fall will be a Staff person to the Starters boxes to support this initiative as marshal’s are unable/unwilling to enforce this best practice
      • Why were different rules updates in the GM’s note vs. what was rolled out earlier this year? Not sure
    • Mega Millions/Stag Night – back to weekly? No
      • COED event now, normally only 1-2 females playing
      • Allow the general membership who does not want to play in an event every other Wednesday
    • Couples Championship
      • Down to 14 couples due to heat, course conditions
      • Adding CTP prizes, day money to stimulate couples to play
    • Labor Day 9am shotgun
    • Down to only 6 outside events this fall starting after labor day
    • Merchandise update
      • Fall apparel arriving bringing in a breadth of assortment instead of depth will allow more members to have different choices
        • Women’s options have been well received
      • Monthly shipments going forward
      • Clearance sales will be ongoing and includes bags currently
    • Staff update
      • Still looking for female pro
      • Derwin will be teaching more and have less days in the shop
      • Need afternoon & weekend outside service, BTS impact
      • Fall is slower will protect inside staffs hours may work as starters, marshals and outside service at times

 

  • Discuss Golf Committee focus areas
    • Handicap/Rules Committee - Jerry Obenour
      • No major issues
      • Have had several medical adjustments
    • Member Experience – Brad Ray
      • Reiterated how happy we are to have experience agronomists on board in Jon and Kyle, looks forward to the progress
        • Challenge to get the course in best shape possible for member/guest considering current conditions and ongoing hot weather
        • Shared with Jon how many friends we have lost to other clubs mainly due to course conditions
      • Safety concerns on 2 & 9 paths by the green the deteriation of the soil has created a hazard

 

  • Board of Governors update– Steve Zeigler
    • 252 resigns for far this year
    • 2 new membership directors have been hired

 

 

 

 

 

Next Meeting Thursday 9/21 Dye Clubhouse 5pm