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Communication
If you have a good idea or see something around your club that needs attention let us know. There are many ways to communicate with your Board. The suggestion box located to the left of the office door, an email to suggestionbox@ballstonspacc.com, or an email to any member of your Board. Suggestions and ideas will be forwarded to the appropriate Board personnel for comment and resolution and you will receive a response. All correspondence is shared and discussed at the monthly Board meeting and copies filed in the office for future reference.
Stockholders Meeting
In October, we will have our annual meeting of the stockholders for the purpose of electing members to your Board of Directors. New Board members will be elected to carry out the important work of operating the golf course. It is not too early to consider running for election. Anyone who has served on the BOD can tell you that it is hard, but rewarding work. I have listened to many opinions on how things should be done these past few years. It is now time for those with the time, ideas and dedication to step forward and lead, not just observe from the sidelines.
The date of the Annual Meeting will be October 14th, 2016 commencing at 7:00 PM. Please mark your calendar and plan on attending. The purpose of the Annual Meeting is to elect a total of four (4) members for the Board of Directors. Three seats will be for a term of three years and one seat will be for a term of one year.
No Director shall hold office for more than two (2) consecutive terms. A Director shall be elected and serve for three (3) years. He/She must have at least three (3) consecutive years of membership and be a Member in good standing to be eligible to serve as a Director. He/She must also own at least one share of stock in the club to be eligible to serve as a member of the Board.
STATE OF THE CLUB
On numerous occasions I have alluded to the fact that I have a “Glass Half Full” mentality and I tend to accent the positives. An example is the recent demise of our 32 year old tri-plex mower. While I am saddened that we need to spend money that was not in the budget I am heartened by the fact that we got 32 years out of a piece of equipment, we have sufficient cash reserves to replace the much needed mower, we have a Superintendent who can find good used equipment at reasonable cost, and we have a great mechanic who will try to get us 32 years out of the new (to us) mower.
With that said I can assure you that the Board does not look at every situation through rose colored glasses. We are a diverse group with diverse backgrounds and opinions. When you cannot get 7 Board members to agree on a subject we understand that trying to please everyone of our 229 members is not feasible. We understand the trials and tribulations of breaking in a new restaurant vendor and continue to work with the Henry’s staff to improve the dining experience. We understand the disappointment when a member cannot play on their course when they want to. We continue to explore ways to properly balance our need for revenue with member access to their course.
Below is an email that Todd received from a fellow PGA Professional who had a relationship with BSCC many years ago. At times I think members, me included, forget where we were as a golf course and what we have become today. Our goal is to continue to be the “Capitol District’s Best Golf Club Value” and I think we are succeeding.
COMMENTS FROM KEVIN HUGHES. PGA PROFESSIONAL
I took pictures of your greens, member guest scoreboard, cart wash area, landscaping and front porch area of Shop with info boards. I did this because I was impressed.
I grew up playing the club and was a jr. Member from 1978 thru 1983 and have probally played more holes in that time than some of your 20 year members. I worked on Maintenance staff in 1980 and 1981 working under Dick Osborne and worked with a old great man named Pappy. My time at Ballston Spa CC made realize the business that I wanted to persue.
I never in my mind thought that Ballston Spa could be as good as it was Monday. From the new parking, the awesome looking Shop and cart barn facility the first impression was great. The Golf course speaks for itself. The changes with
Of the new tee on #2, clearing of trees behind 7 Tee, and the new green bunkers and mounding on 8 and 9 are awesome. #8 latest changes with the Christmas tree farm taken out and the bunker with the Heather grass makes the tee shot play just as hard as it used too but allows for turf quality. Huge kudos.
The Entire course was in great shape but your greens were awesome and I described them to my guys as Filet Mignon.
We finished the day with Lunch. And the new look in clubhouse look was great. I had maybe one of the best pieces of Salmon I have ever had over a Kale Cease salad. The prices were very reasonable. Service was great.
I think that Henry's could be a long term food and beverage partner that should both be good for the Club it's members and them.
In closing I wrote this between bring carts up on Wednesday for my ladies day on my cell so please excuse gramer. The leadership and decisions that you have helped your membership make are incredible and I never in my mind thought my little old place I grew up at could be that good. Keep up the good work!
Kevin G. Hughes
PGA Professional
N.E.N.Y. PGA President
Saratoga Golf & Polo Club
Shop- 518-584-8122
Cell- 518-796-0720
Kevinhughes@pga.com
Sent from Samsung Cell.
I look forward to seeing you on the course.
Paul |
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The outlook for 2016 continues to look good and we fully expect to meet our bank requirements and end the year with a reasonable cash position. This months report is currently projecting an end of year balance of $37K. Within the past week, we have come upon another unanticipated expense. Our 32 year old tri-plex mower has broken down and is not worth fixing. This mower is used for cutting the first cut of rough and the paths in between tee boxes. The Board has approved spending $6K for a used mower. This will be reflected in next months financial report.
Al and I did a further analysis of our greens fee and cart revenue projection and while we did not change it for this month, we do expect to exceed our current projection of $263K. If, for July through November, we do the same as last year, we will end the year at nearly $270K. We also expect to do more than last year because we have some large tournaments booked that we did not have last year. We will continue to monitor this revenue and make changes to the projections when appropriate.
That leads me to an important point I would like to make this month. These outside tournaments are critical for us. The Board has heard the complaints and are working to lessen the impact of these events to the membership but the revenue these events provide are vital.
For example, for the years 2008 through 2013, our membership revenue averaged $559K, with a high of $587K and a low of $525K. That revenue provided over 60% each year of our total overall revenue with a high of 64% and a low of 60%.
For the years 2014 through 2016, our average dues was $489K, with a high of $493K and a low of $483K. The percent of total revenue has been 57%, 56% and this year 53%. That is a significant shortfall that is created as a result of our current membership level.
We cannot simply raise dues to make up the shortfall, that would only lead to fewer members, not more. It is a balance we are working to strike between outside events and the needed revenue it provides and impact to membership (in both inconvenience and dues). As we increase our membership levels and our revenue, we can then scale back and be more selective in the tournaments we book. We are fortunate that we have an outstanding golf course and during these tough times with membership, people do want to hold their tournaments and events at our course.
I hope everyone saw the payment terms that are now included at the bottom of your monthly bills. If not, go back and take a look at your bill. It is very important that everyone is aware of these policies. We do not want to see anyone have their playing privileges suspended for non-payment.
Below is an updated table that reflects restaurant sales for the past three years. It includes current month June data as well.
As always, if you have questions on anything that I have mentioned or you have been wondering about, please email me (tucats@nycap.rr.com) or talk to me when you see me at the course. I would be happy to provide you any info you need.
Sincerely,
Rick Funaro,
Treasurer |
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Greetings all and happy summer. We are really in the thick of things now. The course is in great shape and people are out playing and enjoying the club. Several members have purchased smart passes and are bringing their friends and family to play. For those friends and family who may have been on the fence about joining BSCC. Now may be the time. Beginning July 15th, we will be prorating the membership dues to 50%. Therefore if someone you know who is interested in joining he/she can join at 50% off the appropriate rate, and he/she will be considered a first year member. If he/she chooses to comeback in 2017, he/she will be considered a second year member, and his/her rate will be 25% off the 2017 posted rate. Plus, you will receive a reimbursement based on his/her membership category. Beginning September 1st, the prorated rate will be 75% off. Again the new member will be in year one and next year will be considered year two. If your friend/family member rejoins in 2017, you will receive the friends and family benefit. It is a good time to play golf and a great time to join.
See you on the greens,
Cindy Walkanowski
Infrastructure Improvements
A long-standing tradition at our club has been willingness of members to volunteer to work on a variety of course and building projects. This year we had many members step forward to work on the course, the clubhouse and the pro shop/cart barn. These projects could not have been completed without members’ help.
Stand on the 8th tee and look at the beauty of hole. If you try to challenge the right side be prepared to play out of the trap or heather.
I know we are enjoying the modernized bar and dining room and the freshly painted pro shop/cart barn.
Pro shop/Cart barn painters:
Previous releases to the membership recognized the volunteers who worked on the 8th hole and the clubhouse. Special thanks to Mike (Ziggy) Zegarelli was the leader, coordinator and was responsible for getting this project done. Here are the members who worked on the cart barn.
Mike Zegarelli Tim Preston
Mitch Johnson Al Squires
Bill Tucker Heidi Harkins
Max Tucker Matt Gormley
Pete McNamara Tony Lupino
Mary Funaro Wayne McCormack
Donna Nevulis Brian Foster
Thanks to Wayne for loaning his equipment on the project.
Flowers:
Thanks to Dick Fox and Pete McNamara for the hanging flower baskets around the pro shop/cart-barn and gazebo.
A Special Thank You:
In the coming weeks check your emails for a get together at the club to thank all of you who help to make Ballston Spa the special golf club it is.
Please make sure you read Kevin Hughes email to Todd in this addition of the FOX. Here is a local golf pro whose golfing roots are here at BSCC and he is proud of what has been accomplished at our course.
Be proud of the accomplishments and enjoy all of it.
Dick Cody
Alternate Tees
Earlier this month, we marked off alternate tees with Steve Solsky. This effort in conjunction with Kate Oppedisano and Todd Manderson’s input last month has given us a very interesting new challenge. The current yardage from the Red/Gold Course is 5505 compared to 3880 yards from the alternate tees. Last week, one old guy and his grandson tried the new tees on the front nine. They are fun and challenging and oh yes, the greens are still difficult and Todd and Steve will not entertain a 6” cup.
A concrete block in the ground will identify tee markers. Todd will have temporary score cards for the alternate tees plus a location sheet for each tee. Members will receive an email shortly that the alternate tees are ready.
Mike Farina and Dick Cody
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As we make our way into summer, the course has really shaped up quite nicely. We have been drier than normal which for us is a good thing. This course does not like a lot of water. Greens get soft and the fairways get rutted up. Other than a few dry spots out there we look pretty good overall. Of course it is always better to play golf on a sunny day as well.
A few updates to bring you. We continue to move fill from the driving range to #8. The area left needs to be covered with fill to cover up large stumps and holes. Once we get the area filled in we will seed the area and cover it with straw. I’m sure you remember the area closer to the tee that was seeded earlier in the year. It has filled in nicely.
I have been getting a lot of questions about the pond on #18. It has a huge weed and algae problem like we have never seen before. My guess is the mild winter and warmer spring has caused these plants to flourish. Removing by hand is not a very realistic solution so I am researching having someone come in to see about treating the pond with a dye or chemical. I want to be sure that if we need the water for irrigation that it will not kill our grass if a chemical is used to treat the pond. So we need to be careful. I am hoping to have someone here next week so we can figure out what will be the best course of action.
Lastly another question posed to me was about divot mix and divots on the fairways. To replace or not and why are we using sand for divot mix in the carts. First, with regards to replacing your divot in the fairway or not. Most of the year the divots that you replace will survive and not turn brown and die. If the divot was thick enough with some soil it will grow right back where it came from once you replace it and firmly press it back down with your foot. If it is thin or broken apart most likely it will die so instead use your divot mix. Fill the divot to the top and use your foot to press firmly and then smooth the divot mix with your foot from side to side. DO NOT pile the divot mix up in the air. All this does is dull the fairway mowers. Now the divot mix you have in the carts is straight sand with no seed. Our fairways have really filled in nicely over the years. All the tree work and aerifying has really helped make the creeping bent grass out compete the poa on most of the fairways. When creeping bent grass is healthy it will fill in on its own. That’s why I don’t want to use ryegrass seed in the fairways when the bent grass will fill in anyhow. Look at our fairway now. With all the play that we get you would think that the divots would be enormous and they are really not that bad. I do want the surface of the fairway smooth that is why I would appreciate it if you use the sand that is provided please. For the tees we use our regular divot mix with ryegrass seed because of all the divots we get in a small area. Thank you for helping with fixing divots and ball marks. We have seen a lot of play this year and the course seems to be handling it quite nicely and a big part of that are your efforts. A good rule of thumb is fix your divot and ball mark- PLUS ONE. If everyone fixes theirs plus someone else’s than we should have a pretty nice course. If anyone wishes to help fix divots you can come by the shop anytime and we can get you fixed up with a cart and divot mix. Thank you.
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Bunker Renovation Update
The course is and great shape and hope you are enjoying the great summer weather. The greens committee would to update the membership on the recommendation made to the board regarding the bunker renovation project. The committee proposed in the 1st year of the project we renovate the 1st and 9th hole bunkers on the course. The board approved the recommendation to work on these holes. We will work with Steve to firm up the timeline for the project. Once available it will be distributed to the membership.
Please see the FAQs below.
FAQs
When will work be done?
Work will be done in fall based on weather and fall scheduling.
How will bunkers be chosen?
The bunkers to be renovated will be based need, available resources along with input from the course superintendent and the greens committee.
Will the hole be closed during the renovation?
Yes, a temporary green will be in place during the work
The goal is to cause as little disruption to play as possible.
Will the membership be notified of which bunkers will be renovated?
Yes,
Once the project for the year is decide on the greens committee will notify the membership
If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact a member of the greens committee.
Mike
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Men’s Member/Guest
Perfect weather, some excellent golf and a perfectly manicured course all made for a very enjoyable weekend for the Men’s M/G Tournament
Jeff Yattaw and Josh LaPlante were the overall winners in an exciting 3 hole shootout that was highlighted by Jeff’s chipping in on the fourth hole from an almost impossible spot.
Flight winners:
1st - Thornhill and Scott Knapp
2nd - Rich Van Buskirk and Matt Dufort
3rd - Bruce Zeh and Eric Zeh
4th - Jeff Yattaw and Josh Lapland
5th - Eli Moskal and Damon Bennett
6th - Matt Riggins and Paul Shepardson
7th - Dave Ziobrowski and Steve Prout
8th - Chris Kieper and Tom Kieper
Golf Course Etiquette
Just a quick reminder to all that when starting on the 10th tee, please check in with the golf shop if possible to see if it is okay to begin your round there. If the Golf Shop is closed, then please use your own judgment as to the right thing to do. At this time of year with the golf course getting so much play, we also ask that you please fill in the divots with sand so the bent grass can fill in the rest of the divot. Thanks to all who help make this place so great in continuing with our fabulous conditions.
Golf Tip of the Month
Putting is a major part of our game and this can help or hurt a player’s score quite dramatically each time they play. Distance control is the biggest reason why this happens. I recommend practice putting with just your dominant hand to allow the putter to swing freely back and through. Another easy tip to help with this is to practice putting with your eyes closed and not to look up until you think the ball has come to rest. Before you look up to see if you have missed the putt if not hearing it fall into the cup, take a guess as to where you missed the putt. For example, low left or high right or short or long. I think you will be quite surprised to see some of your results but it should be helpful in getting some needed feel into your game when actually putting during your round. Good Luck and I hope this helps
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It's hard to believe that this is already the middle of July.
After a few hiccups with Henry's, things seem to be running more smoothly. They will be serving breakfast sandwiches both Saturday and Sunday, which can be ordered at the bar starting at 9AM. The beverage cart will also be on the course starting at 10 AM both days.
On August 13th, they will be hosting an 80's prom night party, with reduced price tickets available for members. This event will start at 8PM and tickets will be on sale at both Henry's and the pro shop. Sounds like an interesting event!!
Todd and Henry's are still working on a date for the next cocktail tasting event which is rumored to involve Vodka!! If it's anything like the margarita tasting, it should be a lot of fun!!
There will be a meeting of the restaurant committee on Monday the 18th, so please send in any thoughts or ideas prior.
Thanks for your support!
Beth
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 Working with the public is pretty much pure hell as any retail clerk or wait person will
acknowledge and working at a golf course can be just as bad. Even private courses
have their share of bat crap crazy members, but at least the staff knows who they are
and what their (I'm being nice here, totally out of character) idiosyncrasies are, with the
emphasis on idio.
At BSCC (the Capital District's Best Golf Club Value), the staff must deal with both Members and green fee paying walk-ons, so our Golf Shop staff has seen just about everything. One particular Golf Shop employee, the introverted, wallflower Larry D’, has kept a well guarded journal on the more interesting interchanges he's had with golfers over the years and he's now into his second volume. I have done everything in my power to get access to these tomes but Laurence of Ballston won't budge. I have no doubt that he has plans of his own that stop short of blackmail but may include movie rights.
Resigned to the fact that I will probably never set eyes on this vast treasure of recorded stupidity, I have researched the subject of Golf Shop Patron Subnormality and hereafter present a composite of a day in the life of a Golf Shop. The staff dialogue doesn't reflect the actual responses of our very professional staff at BSCC but it may represent how most Golf Shop employees would like to respond to the idiocy they encounter from time to time.
Phone rings.
Golf Shop.
Yes, I'd like to book a tee time around 10:00.
Certainly, what day?
Uh, today would be great.
Not a problem, sir. It's 8 am on a beautiful Sunday morning in June and as usual there's hardly a soul on the course, but I appreciate you calling well in advance to facilitate our scheduling.
I'm a single, is that okay?
Okay? You jest, sir. We prefer single players, especially on beautiful June Sunday mornings. Singles minimize bothersome things like all those extra names on the tee sheet as well as positive cash flow and stuff like that. If only every tee time would be a single!
I see your phone number has changed. Did you move?
You're very perceptive for a malodorous troglodyte. Yes we did move the course but we've pretty much unpacked all the holes and got them arranged, so you shouldn't see much change.
I need to have your earliest tee time on Monday.
We open at 5:45, that okay?
I would prefer 10:00
I have 9:52, you cesspool of humanity.
I would prefer 10:00
Tell you what I'll do, knob jockey. Give me an hour or two and I'll see if I can get everyone playing on Monday to start 8 minutes later than they're currently scheduled. Once I've described your unbounded stupidity I'm sure no one will have a problem with the change.
A golfer walks into the Golf Shop
I have a tee time today. Can you tell me when it is?
Certainly. What name was the tee time made under?
I don't know which member of the foursome made it, I just got a phone call and was told to show up.
Can you possibly call the imbecile who gave you this information and ask who made the reservation?
Certainly, (makes cell phone call) ....... It's Smith.
I have three Smiths booked in the next 2 hours, do you know the cretin's first name?
Yes, it's Dick. His last name is Smith. Dick Smith.
Will you be walking or riding today?
I don't know. What is the rest of the group doing?
Well dipstick, let me check our Group Ambulatory Notes......ah yes, seems your Mr. Smith is using a pogo stick, Mr. Jones is trying out a new snowboard and Mr. Green says he'll be walking....backwards on his hands, apparently. How the hell do I know what they're doing, they're not here yet, you vacuous stool sniffer!
We'd like the twilight, senior, frequent player discounts taken off the green fee, plus I saw where you had a coupon for a 10% discount as well.
Is it twilight, dimwit?
No.
Are you and the other three canker blossoms over 65 years of age?
No, not really.
Have you or your fellow bladder barnacles ever darkened our door before today?
No.
Does any member of your group of Dream Team Dipwads actually have the supposed coupon?
No.
Do you sell snacks here in the pro shop?
Of course we do, you skankmuffin, and if you're looking for golf balls, tees and that sort of stuff you'll find them in the club restaurant.
Do you have a restroom?
Absolutely!, we have two convenient holes in the ground on the fringe of the 6th and 14th greens.
I would like to purchase some driving range balls.
Excellent! I can't tell you how ecstatic I am that you didn't inform me of this credit card purchase while I was processing your credit card payment for the green fees. I just love the thrill of the whole operation.
Will you call us when it's our turn on the tee?
We'll do even better Captain Booger! We have a Special Tee Time Courier who will seek your party out, no matter where you are and let you and your microbrained miscreants know what time it is so you'll be able to check that against your scheduled tee time and figure out whether they are one and the same. Our Special Tee Time Courier is very good at this, because he has a watch and a cell phone.
Starter: Do you have any questions about the course?
What does cart path only mean? I realize we've just had two inches of rain in the last 10 minutes but I paid full price and should be able to go anywhere I want to.
It's obvious to the trained eye that you're a special person Mr. Crapdrawers. We usually don't allow other, less important golfers drive on the fairways, because they cause damage that takes weeks to repair, but you go right ahead. See if you can do some doughnuts on the green while you're at it!
Is there room on the cart for the case of beer and 8 bags of Doritos we brought?
Certainly, and feel free to ask the restaurant staff to assist you in loading them up! By the way, you should also be aware that we allow cart renters to bring their own gasoline to get the BYOG discount. You can also do our a la carte program where you get discounts for only playing the holes you want, plus you can get an additional 25% off if you don't putt and the BYOBR rate will save you an extra $1.98.
BYOBR?
Bring Your Own Bunker Rake, knuckle-dragger.
Can my three children ride with me in the cart for free?
Certainly, Mr. Picklesmoocher. It's a well known fact that rambunctious, non-golfing, bored as hell children enhance the golfing experience for all players on the course. Maybe your 97 year old deaf aunt would like to join you as well, and let's not forget your pit bull.
I have a full set of clubs but no bag. Can I just rent the bag?
Of course, dingleberry. Would you like a left- or right-handed bag?
I know the different colored flags tell you if the flag is front, middle or back but what colors mean left side and right side?
Can't help you there buzzard bait, but if you see a flag the color of month old curdled schmutz, the pin will be in the nubiferous quadrant.
How much is a cart?
A cart will cost $20 per person.
Is that for both of us?
You wouldn't by any chance happen to have a small hand gun I could borrow briefly , would you?
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