April Fox Monthly Newsletter

President’s Letter
Hello and Welcome to the 2017 Golfing Season. I trust everyone survived the winter. The late snow storm and the ensuing stretch of rainy weather caused our course to be extremely wet and effected our opening schedule. A look ahead is projecting a cool and wet trend to continue. Something about April showers bring great May golf. 
Your Board, Committees, and the Staff were busy during the winter months as we strive to provide you the best golfing experience possible and to continue to be the “Capitol District’s Best Golf Club Value”.  The Board did look at our membership meeting schedule and felt that based on meeting in October and the December attendance that the December meeting was no longer necessary. We will have an informational session in the spring (5 May in conjunction with the Season Opening Kick Off Party) and our Annual Meeting in October. We will add a December issue of the Fox newsletter to keep you informed on the plans for the upcoming year. The popular discounted guest passes which were offered during the December meeting will still be available during a specified week in December.

Membership Committee was extremely active and their work is paying off with new members. Check out Cindy’s article listing the new members and when you see a new face be sure to welcome them to the BSCC family. While this is good news I am a believer in “the more the merrier”. I believe that the current members are our greatest source for generating the new members we require to continue to grow. If you are happy with the condition of the course, with the member tournaments, with the BSCC leagues, with the pace of play, and with the number of reciprocal courses to name a few then let your friends and acquaintances know why you are a member and invite them to join.

The biggest challenge during the winter came when Laura McNeil, our Office Manager, informed us that she would be resigning March 3, 2017.  Laura was an integral part of the club who had been our office manager for 14 years.  She served our members well whether it involved the finances of the club or simply answering questions or giving specific information. For other staff, our caterers, new members, non-members or vendors she was a positive representative of Ballston Spa CC and often the first person to whom people spoke.  The Executive Committee under the leadership of Dick Cody embarked on the daunting task of replacing Laura. After many interviews and conference calls I believe we have found an excellent addition to the BSCC team. Julia Guerin lives In Ballston Spa and brings strong financial, accounting, and people skills to BSCC. I know you join me in welcoming Julia to the BSCC family.
The club calendar on our website has been updated with all known activities. Things change quickly so be sure to check back often.  Below are a couple of important upcoming dates. Please mark your calendars.
 
5 May – 5:30 to 6:00 PM – Membership Information Meeting.
5 May – 6:00 to 8:00 PM – Season Opening Kick Off Party
13 May – Men’s & Woman’s 4 Person Scramble. Always a fun event which fills up fast. Pick your team and start practicing.
26 May – Cocktail Tasting Event - Margaritaville! First of 3 scheduled.
3-4 Jun - Men's & Women's 2-Day Member/Member Event
10 Jun – Brenda Adams Scholarship Event. Expect another huge crowd for this event.  

We continue to try to stay ahead of the changing world of technology and provide you information over the many social media platforms. Website continues to be updated on a regular basis. If you see something missing or incorrect please let us know. Our Facebook page has 744 total page likes and some of our more popular posts reach over 2000 people. After 2 years of the Golf Genius App I cannot imagine not having that tool when scheduling weekend golf and following the results of the Tuesday night league. Check out our new Ballston Spa CC free mobile app. If you are having any issues check with Todd who is very patient and understanding with some of us technically challenged members.

A special thanks to that aspiring author Tucker. For as long as I can remember the final page of the Fox Newsletter has been his article, Parring the 19th. He can also add the informative “A Conversation with” to his repertoire with this editions subject being our longtime Golf Professional. 

See you on the course.
Paul

The first impression I had of Todd Christopher Manderson was his resumé. It was 1999 and we were considering applicants for the position of PGA professional at BSCC. We'd pared the selection down to ten applicants and asked for their resumés in advance of their interviews. To say Todd's was better than the rest would be like saying the Taj Mahal is prettier than our maintenance shed. It was a large leather bound book almost two inches thick and contained everything you would expect in a resumé plus a picture of his family, examples of his leaderboard calligraphy and lots more. He took professionalism to a new height and basically sold himself before he had said word one at the interview.

His three awards for best PGA Merchandiser in his region reflect this professionalism, as does the total makeover of the Golf Shop (again, this year), the implementation of a Junior Golf Program, his constant work at keeping BSCC on the forefront of social media innovation and this year the establishment of a Golf Academy on site at no cost to the membership, to name just a few.

He was born in New Hartford, NY on October 27 1966, to Gayle and Todd Manderson.

Tucker:  How did you get the nickname Skip?

TM: This came from my parents as my Dad’s name is Todd also and his middle name is Armstrong, so Skip is much better than that name.

L-R Tim Goldstone (fiancé of Taylor), Maryellen, Jake, Todd & Kyle

T: Let's get up to date on your family.

TM: My wife Maryellen has been with me for 25 years. She is the best. I have 3 kids, Taylor Rose (23) who is graduating with a MBA this year from Cornell University with a Bio Medical Engineering Degree and she has a BS in Chemical Engineering from Clarkson University. Kyle Elizabeth is 21 and is a Junior Attending Ithaca College studying Public Relations and Marketing in the Music Industry. She is currently at an Internship in LA at Warner Bros. Music and MTV. Jake Christopher is 15 and a Sophomore at Ballston Spa High School with plans to study Engineering and Management in College and is an avid Sports enthusiast. He is the starting catcher on the Varsity Baseball Team and has strong aspirations to play Division 1 baseball.

T: Education and career?

TM:  I graduated from Utica College of Syracuse University in 1988, have been a PGA Member for 24 years and will enter the Quarter Century Club this June. I have held two head professional positions with nine years at Sadaquada Golf Club and starting my 18th season here at Ballston Spa Country Club. I was a Non-Member Head Professional to start off my career before attaining my PGA Membership, a rarity in the business. I have always been intrigued with today’s technology and I've tried to bring this to our membership to enhance the playing and overall experience for our membership enjoyment.

T:  What brought you to BSCC?

TM: I felt that I had much more to offer a golf facility than what I was able to at Sadaquada Golf Club.  This facility played about 4,000 rounds per year and I was totally bored after nine years.  I mentioned to Maryellen that we either had move or I was getting out of the business. She agreed to move as long as we stayed within a days drive back to our hometown of Frankfort, NY. 

T: What are your thoughts on golf teaching methods?

TM: I try to make it simple for the student. Some players can’t do certain things with their body physically, so with that in mind, I try to get players to do one thing and that is to return the clubface back to square on a repeating fashion. My definition of a good golf swing is one that repeats regardless of what it may look like.

T: How's your game? I know you still have a few course records.

 TM: I currently still hold or share four course records.  Ballston Spa Country Club with a 63, Sadaquada Golf Club in Whitesboro, NY with a 61, Pine Hills Golf Club in Frankfort, NY with a 61, and The Skenandoa Club in Clinton, NY with a 65. My golf game was much better years ago than it is now for one reason and that would be time. I had more time years ago to work and practice my game and improve. With my family and the job, I still love to play and the challenge of always trying to get better year after year is a major passion that still drives me to this day. The golf industry has changed tremendously in the past 25 years so much that it is more of Golf Management instead of being just a great player.

T: Golf rounds/year have been declining nationally for the last decade - how do we reverse the trend? 

TM: There are several reasons for golf's decline. The days of the adult leaving for the golf course on a weekend in the early morning and coming home at 3 pm are gone. Today's family doesn't always have the time to play 18 holes. Then you have the rules, the difficulty of the game. We have to promote the idea of playing 9 holes or from the shorter tees like the ones we just installed last year. We need to be more receptive to people who want to play music on the course and be less demanding that the old customs have to be enforced. We need to welcome the new player into the game.

T: But what if music is annoying to other players?

TM:  People just have to use common sense. You should know if your foursome is okay with your music and obviously playing it so loud that other foursomes can hear it isn't right.

T: Would you suggest the dress code be less stringent as well?

TM:  We already accept some clothing we wouldn't have in the past and a lot of that is driven by what we see on the pro tours. As long as a shirt is in good taste it's no longer necessary to have a collar, for example, but we're not going to accept a ratty T-shirt. The women on tour have changed even more dramatically, and yoga pants etc. are now seen on the LPGA. Golfers are wearing clothes that are more comfortable and yet are accepted as athletic wear. This constant change makes our responsibility in the Golf Shop to monitor acceptable golf wear more difficult.

T: Tell me about the Golf Academy.

TM:  John Souza had been at Stadium for 17 years and was looking for a change. We came up with the idea for the Golf Academy at BSCC, something that would make us stand out among other local clubs. John is certified by Titleist and is also a certified trainer and we'll have stretching apparatus as well as swing analysis equipment for interested Members. The building will be here in 2 weeks (late April) and the roof will be put on once it's here, as it's an A-frame. John and I are paying for this through sponsorships, so there will be no cost for the building to the membership. It's going to be located at the back edge of the practice range and won't impact any use of the range.

T: If you could give just one piece of advice to every BSCC member, what would it be? 

TM: My advice to all would be that golf is a GAME. Games can have highs and lows. We are in the entertainment business at golf facilities and people are showing up to play a game.  Have fun with it and enjoy it.  Allow others to enjoy it and remember that there's a mix of personalities on a golf course at any given time, so respect the others on the course because they too are out playing to have a good time.

T: How would you characterize our course compared to others in the area?

TM: Ballston Spa Country Club is a great facility and has changed over the years. Our turf conditions are so much better now than when I began here. The major reason is the expertise of our Superintendent and his tree removal efforts. Our membership is very involved and that is a great thing as it is their club.  The game has changed quite a bit as clubs are vying for members and players and we have a fun 6,300 yard facility that won’t beat you up in length but
 is a great challenge day in and day out. Our turf conditions are fabulous with the amount of revenue available in our budget to maintain this level of perfection. Steve has done this with one of the smallest course maintenance budgets in the area.

T: Like some other local club professionals you have remained with the same club for a long time. You're only a couple of years from celebrating 20 years with BSCC - what has kept you here so long?

TM: I enjoy being at BSCC and living in the Saratoga Region as there are many things to do here. I have always tried to do the right thing that is beneficial to the ENTIRE Membership not just a select few. I enjoy a challenge and with trying to bring something new to the game year after year, this has kept me excited to return each and every year.
 

Welcome back returning members and welcome aboard new members.  You have come to the right place, and we hope this is the first of many April Fox ‘s you will be reading  at Ballston Spa.    For those who traveled, glad to hear you are home safe and sound.   For those of you who spent the winter in the Great Northeast, it’s time to trade in the snow shoes for golf shoes.  I for one, did snow shoe over the  course and  it did look like nice in its winter white.  However, I am glad to see its true colors coming back to life. 

Below you will see the current memberships,  as well  as the names of new members.  When you see a new face, please say hi and welcome him or her.  We are all looking forward to the new season and great times ahead.   We are currently planning an Informational meeting and Season Kick off Party for all members on May 5th.     It will be a chance to catch up with old friends and meet new ones.   Mark you calendars and watch for emails for the details. 

Also listed below are some additional member benefits.  They are also listed on the ballstonspacc.com website.   These include the Friends and Family member campaign, the discounted season cart rates for shareholders, and the family rates for children of shareholders.

The membership committee has been kept busy over the winter making plans to meet, greet and help to make your membership and enjoyable one.   I would like to thank the committee members for their time. 

Membership Committee-Cindy Walkanowski (Chair), Kate Oppedisano, Rick Funaro, Bill Tucker, Joyce Bassett, Lauren Petraske, Don Cramer, Phil Klein, Joan Johnson, Todd Manderson(ex-officio).




 
Additional Member Benefits -2017
 
Friends and Family Member Incentive Program: Current members who recruit a new member(s) for the 2017  season will earn the following reductions off their dues if the  new members also joins  for the 2018 season. Additionally, the current member will receive the 2019  reduction if the “new” member  also joins  in 2019. These reductions are per membership, but cannot exceed the recruiting member’s dues.  The reductions are based on the new member category .

As I write this first Fox article, finally spring has arrived.  The Masters is being played and the sun has heated us up to the 60s.  Soon the course will be ready to open.  Some heavy snow storms in late March and heavy rains the first week in April are going to lead to a mid- April opening date.  Some record high temperatures back in February tried to trick us into thinking that we were getting an early opening.  I guess Mother Nature has the final say.  The course will eventually dry out and we will get the 2017 season underway. 

            During the winter months we kept ourselves busy with snowplowing, equipment repair and service.  Tree work behind the 11th green was accomplished before the end of the year.  A lack of morning sun has always hurt the back of the 11th green.  About a dozen tall trees were removed to gain sunlight to the back of the green earlier in the day.  Also drainage was installed around the collar of the green to help drain the green after heavy rain events.  Both the drainage and additional amount of sunlight should help this green dry out so that it plays like most of the other greens on the course.  The other area of interest for tree work this winter was the 13th hole.  The left side of the second half of the fairway has always suffered from lack of sunlight.  The fairway is thin and the rough is always soaked.   The 16th tee has also suffered from lack of sunlight.  This removal of trees should allow enough sunlight to make the tee and fairway look as good as the rest of the fairways on the course.  This area will get cleaned and raked and eventually seeded into native grass area.

            This winter has really seemed to fly right by for me.  Keeping busy at the course as usual and my wife and I had our second child born in February.  A healthy baby girl we named Emily.  Her brother Michael will be three in a couple weeks and they both keep Annie and me busy. 

I am excited about our upcoming season.  The turf has made it through the winter months beautifully.  It is always nice to start out the season with grass that is alive.  We completed two green surrounds last year on #9 and #1.  We are planning to work on two more this year {7 and 8}.  Hopefully the weather will cooperate this season and we can enjoy the course as much as possible.  I want to say hello and welcome to all our new members.  Always good to see some new faces around the course.  And welcome back to our returning members. Hope to see you all out on the course soon.



Welcome back to our returning members and our new members for another great golf season at  BSCC. Hope everybody had a good winter. The course is in great shape for this early in the spring season. Steve and his crew did a wonderful job of of closing the course up last fall . Work was done over the winter to help improve sunlight on the course on holes 11 and 13 . This will help make sure the green on 11 and fairway on 13 provide us the best playing conditions possible.
 
Spring project day is scheduled for April 29 staring at 8am. We are going to be working on the flower beds on the course plus a few small painting project . Hope to  see you then.
 
Please remember to replace all divots and repair  ball marks starting now will endure we keep the course in the best possible playing condition.
 
If you have any concerns or comments about the course please contact me at 518-669-9534.




We would like to welcome all of the current and new members back here to Ballston Spa Country Club.  We have many new features this year at the club including a new App.  It is a free App for all.  It has many great highlights that will make all users very happy.   Users will be able to make tee times, order food, schedule a lesson, enjoy a loyalty program for frequent users, keep score, have a built in GPS, get up to date News information and much more.  We hope you all enjoy and download the App for up to date information.
 
Academy of Golf
 
We would like to welcome John Souza here for the start of the season this year and soon, all will have the opportunity to have access to furthering your golfing experience to become a better player.   Our 14 x 36 foot building should be arriving within the next few weeks.  We think you will all be happy with the addition of the academy and the instructional knowledge that John has to offer.  Once again, the start of this new operation is at no cost to the Ballston Spa Country Club. 
 
Updated Golf Shop
 
We have done some updates to our Golf Shop.  We think that all will be happy to the updates that have been made bringing the look to the modern age.  We would like to thank Dan and Jason Loewenstein,  Larry D’Alberto, John Souza, and Rick Funaro for their help with the Golf Shop changes. 
 


Following from Dave Foster at Henry’s
 
Henry’s on the Green is now open for the season
 
Memorial day to Labor day Hours
 
Restaurant Hours:
 
11 - 9pm Mon – Thurs
 
9 - 9pm Fri – Sun
 
Cart Hours:
 
10 - 7 Mon – Thurs
 
9 - 7 Fri - Sun
  
Mothers Day
Taking reservations now. We will be taking them from 9am to 3pm and we will also have regular restaurant hours.
 
$29.95 Public per person - $26.95 member per person..
 
Fridays and Saturdays from 4 - 6pm we will be doing $1 off Happy Hour all season.
 
Check out the new Ballston Spa App and enroll in the Loyalty Progam
 

Tucker, left. Spud Webb, right.
 

In the twenty-six years I've been a member at BSCC (this makes me sound old, but because of my Canadian heritage I use metric years), there have been many instances when the degree of difficulty of our course has been challenged. This generally happens on the first tee when a newcomer looks at the scorecard and makes a deprecating remark about the yardage, which is akin to mocking Spud Webb just before he won the 1986 NBA Dunk Championship. Spudd stands 5' 6". It's like saying a ski run is tough based solely on its length.

When confronted with this disparagement, I mention the fact that our club hosted the Pro Junior Championship for many years, a tournament that brought 30 or 40 local pros with four of their juniors to BSCC each June. Winning scores were seldom below par and seldom if ever in the 60's. Other Pro tournaments Todd has brought us in recent years have mirrored this scoring.

Our course has many defensive aspects that are obvious: a creek or pond in front of several greens, small greens with serious breaks surrounded by rough that in many cases is prohibitive. But that's not enough to make it the challenge it is. Let's look at some other features.I like to describe BSCC as a second shot course. The second shot is obviously most important on par 4's. We have only four par fours on the front nine for men (only two for the women), and holes #1,4,5 and 7 are all difficult approach shots for the average golfer, in most cases because of the penalties awaiting even a slightly inaccurate shot. Short-siding yourself is suicidal in most cases. Many courses (I won't mention any names, but I'm thinking of the inventor of the light bulb), will slap your wrist if you miss the green. BSCC will hand you razor blades.

#1 has a green-front creek with a bunker and steep slope at the rear with tough rough and a tree to the left where you're chipping to a green sloping away from the golfer. If you're going to miss this green, right is the only bailout and it's a small bailout area.
#4 is the toughest front par four in my opinion and should you be fortunate enough to drive it in the fairway you realize there is only one place to miss this green on your second shot and that is short. Anything else is probably going to be a bogey.
#5 may be the easiest second shot on the course for men, unless you have a short drive, but missing short is not advised because of the creek and long or right are nasty places to be, even just a few feet off the green.
#7 may offer the shortest second shot on the front but it's home to the course's smallest green, which is also elevated, enthusiastically sloped, tiered, guarded by a trap left and backed by OB stakes a few yards off the back. Other than that, it's a piece of cake. Of the 4 options of where to miss, there are exactly 0 choices.

On the back nine, your drive may leave you close to the green on #11 but you can't miss the green anywhere other than the narrow throat in front without being faced with a dilemma.

#12 Once again, there is no option other than hitting this green. Other than the short level in front, disaster lurks everywhere, especially long.
#14 The Thursday Seniors treat this hole as a par 5 for their quota competition and once again short is the only safe option (and for most, the only option at all). Tucker, left. Spudd Webb, right.
#16 Severely elevated, long is dead, right is a tough downhill chip to a runaway green and left is no picnic, with some gnarly rough. Any second shot left short will be followed by a chip up the hill that will never reach the pin, unless it's up front, in which case don't move, the ball was just taking a look - it'll be right back.
#18 Requires me to take 2 extra clubs if my drive leaves me short of the 150 marker. Then it's uphill to a canted green that breaks twice as much as it looks. Right is wrong, and long is wronger and short in the grass bunker can be the wrongerest of all.
Other than the par 4's, our par 3's are moderate to tough and our par 5's may be the only beers in a sea of murky sludge (I mean that in a good way), and even those can kick your butt with a less than average drive.
Basically, what I'm saying is BSCC is not a course you're going to bring to its knees unless you have a GIR stat that's 'way above average. Say it with pride: "We're short, we're spunky, we're the Spudd Webb of local tracks."