Take note!

Course aeration to occur this month

The Bella Vista Village Property Owners Association's Golf Maintenance Department is planning to aerate golf courses in September.

By core aerating greens, water and air movement are allowed throughout the greens profile. Aerating the greens will promote the overall health of the courses' turf, said Keith Ihms, golf course maintenance manager.

Aerating creates openings in the surface for water and nutrients to be absorbed, as well as the sand that will be used to smooth the putting surface and fill in voids and amend the green profile, Ihms said.

A second sand topdressing will be necessary a week or so after aeration to help fill in aeration holes and smooth the surface.

Aeration and maintenance dates and locations, weather permitting, will be:

• Sept. 19 -- Kingswood Golf Course will be closed for aeration.

• Sept. 20 -- Kingswood will be closed until 9:58 a.m. for maintenance.

• Sept. 22 -- Berksdale Golf Course will be closed for aeration.

• Sept. 23 -- Berksdale will be closed until 9:58 a.m. for maintenance.

• Sept. 23 -- Highlands Golf Course will be closed for aeration.

• Sept. 24 -- Highlands will be closed until 9:58 a.m. for maintenance.

• Sept. 24 -- Scotsdale Golf Course will be closed for aeration.

• Sept. 25 -- Scotsdale will be closed until 9:58 a.m. for maintenance.

• Sept. 25 -- Bella Vista Country Club Golf Course will be closed for aeration.

• Sept. 26 -- Country Club will be closed until 9:58 a.m. for maintenance.

• Sept. 26 -- Dogwood Hills and Brittany golf courses will be closed for aeration.

• Sept. 27 -- Dogwood Hills and Brittany will be closed until 9:58 a.m. for maintenance.

Scotsdale support group forming

Lads and Lassies for Scotsdale Golf Course, an organization to support maintenance, make improvements and promote play on the Scotsdale Golf Course, is being formed.

Anyone wishing to be an active member of this group and/or receive information on activities and events needs to contact Barbara Downs at [email protected] to be placed on the email list.

An organizational meeting will begin at 3 p.m. Sept. 14 with a nine-hole golf event. The sign-up sheet is at Scotsdale's clubhouse desk.

A hot dog roast will follow at the new Scotsdale picnic area. Attendees are asked to bring a covered dish to share, their own beverages and lawn chairs.

The meeting will start at approximately 6:30 p.m. Especially needed are ideas and direction for the group's organization. People are welcome to attend the meeting even if they are unable to play in the scramble.

For more information, call Annette Allsup at 479-866-6127 or email [email protected].

Sign-up under way for Fall Mixer

Enjoy the fall foliage and reunite with old friends while playing in Bella Vista Village's annual Fall Mixer.

The three-day couples' tournament is scheduled for Oct. 9-11 at the Kingsdale Golf Complex. The tournament, which is open to members and their guests, is a modified Scotch format. Spouses are not required to play together.

The tournament entry fee is $100 for annual golf green fee cardholders, $130 for value cardholders, $138 for members with a photo identification card issued by the Property Owners Association and $156 for guests. The fee includes green fees, tee favors, flight prizes, closest-to-the-pin contests, range balls at the Tanyard Creek Practice Center and soft drinks on the course.

Carts, which are not included in the entry fee, are $30 per person.

Practice round tee times are available for tournament participants. Practice rounds are not included in the entry fee. To reserve a tee time, call 479-855-5079.

Additionally, six to 10 couples will play a six-hole alternate shot/alternate tee shoot-out event where the objective is to be the last group standing. Couples will be eliminated during the play of the six holes with the high score or scores on each hole.

A team scramble will be available for those seeking more relaxed play. During this event, three to four couples will be paired together to play nine holes of alternate shot/alternate tee scramble.

Players participating in the shoot-out or team scramble will be required to pay a separate entry fee of $30 per team, member or guest, which includes a picnic at Riordan Hall following play. Picnic reservations are required, and no refunds will be given.

The tournament is limited to the first 120 paid couples. The registration deadline is Friday, Oct. 3. To sign up, stop by the Golf Division Office, located in the Bella Vista Country Club, 98 Clubhouse Drive, or visit www.bellavistapoa.com.

Tourney lets guests experience courses

The Bella Vista Village Property Owners Association is introducing a new, one-day tournament in which all golfers may play at member rates.

The Two-Person Open, which will begin with a 9 a.m. shotgun start Friday, Oct. 24, at the Bella Vista Country Club Golf Course, is open to all members and guests. Guests will pay the member rate as part of the village's "Member for a Day" promotion. Golfers without a member sponsor may register as a guest of the association.

The tournament will be an 18-hole "best ball" event. Handicaps are not required. Flights will be determined upon completion of play.

The entry fee is $75 per team, which includes prizes in the form of golf shop gift certificates, range balls at the Tanyard Creek Practice Center and lunch at Café Amici at the Bella Vista Country Club, 98 Clubhouse Drive. Green fees and cart rentals are not included.

Green fees are $15 for value card holders, $19 for members with a POA-issued photo identification card, $19 for guests and free for annual golf green fee card holders. Golf carts are $15 per player.

The registration deadline is Monday, Oct. 20. To sign up, stop by the Golf Division Office, located in the Bella Vista Country Club, 98 Clubhouse Drive, or visit www.bellavistapoa.com.

Village introduces 1-Person Challenge

The Bella Vista Village Property Owners Association is unveiling a new tournament that is open to all golfers.

The One-Person Challenge will begin with an 8 a.m. shotgun Saturday, Oct. 4, at the Bella Vista Country Club Golf Course. It is open to all members and guests, and handicaps are not required.

In the one-person scramble, players will be allowed to play a second ball on any shot they deem not worthy; however, if a second shot is hit, it must be played. The golfer may not go back and play the first ball.

The only exception to this rule is on the putting surface. Once on the putting surface, the golfer may play two balls and take the best of the two.

Pairings will be a random draw -- no pairings requests will be accepted -- and play will be in twosomes. Flights will be determined after the completion of play.

The entry fee is $30 per golfer, which includes prizes in the form of golf shop gift certificates as well as range balls at the Tanyard Creek Practice Center. Green fees and cart rentals are not included.

Green fees are $15 for value card holders, $19 for members with a POA-issued photo identification card, $28 for guests and free for annual golf green fee cardholders. Golf carts are $15 per player.

The registration deadline is Monday, Sept. 29. To sign up, stop by the Golf Division Office, located in the Bella Vista Country Club at 98 Clubhouse Drive, or visit http://bellavistapoa.com/golf/tournament/2014/onePersonChallenge/index.asp.

Marina changes hours for fall

The Loch Lomond Marina has introduced new fall hours.

The facility, located on the southeast side of Bella Vista Village's Loch Lomond, is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 31.

The full-service marina features year-round and daily boat slips, gas and bait sales, fishing licenses, guide service and information about what's biting and where on the village's lakes. In addition, members and guests can rent a pontoon, fishing boat or kayak at the marina, 103 Marina Drive.

For more information, including rental prices or to reserve a boat, call 479-855-8182 or visit www.bellavistapoa.com/lakes/marina.asp.

Sports on 09/10/2014