Last Wednesday, Bella Vista Village's Joint Advisory Committee on Golf heard from Golf Division officials about a recent tournament in Hot Springs Village that utilized 15-inch cups on the greens.
Andy Mar, golf operations manager, and Keith Ihms, golf maintenance manager, visited Hot Springs Village to watch the tournament.
The cups, about four times the size of regular golf cups, are an attempt to make the game of golf more fun for less experienced players.
The two Bella Vistans agreed that the big cups could be used in Bella Vista, but not very often. They reported that the Hot Springs staff had cut the large plugs out of each green and kept them. The plugs were put back the next day, but it was a time-consuming process and would probably leave some marks on the greens.
Mar said the large cups did not make scoring as easy as he expected because the balls can bounce out of a 15-inch cup easier than out of a 4-inch one.
Ihms said he would rather use 8-inch cups -- about twice the size of a normal cup. His department has mowers that could go over an 8-inch cup, so the plugs would not have to be restored immediately. The mower decks aren't wide enough to go over a 15-inch cup, and mowing around them would be difficult.
Also, the smaller cup means less damage to the green.
The committee agreed that a tournament featuring 8-inch cups should be tried before the larger cups are attempted.
"Make it a family event," Ruth Hatcher, Property Owners Association Board liaison, suggested.
Ihms warned some large pieces of maintenance equipment need to be replaced and he's already over budget. Some equipment can be shared between courses, but some pieces have no backup.
Committee member Bob Nelles said it may be time to raise golf fees.
A new volunteer group is forming to support the Scotsdale Golf Course, committee member Kirk Van De Walle said. A tournament and an organizational meeting were planned for Sept. 14.
Volunteers, headed by ZaDean Auyer, at the Metfield Golf Complex raised more than $2,000 that will go toward improvements around the outside of the clubhouse, committee member Jake Grasmick said. Earlier this year, a sign was installed on the Dogwood Hills Golf Course thanks to funds raised by an earlier tournament.
The committee also discussed unapproved memorials that have appeared on the Highlands Golf Course. Last year, the committee adopted a policy about memorials that included the stipulation that any memorial must be approved by the golf course maintenance manager. Plaques are not allowed, and neither are flower beds.
Board liaison Bob Brooks said people who place unauthorized memorials should be contacted in person and advised on a better way to memorialize their loved one.
Grasmick suggested that a copy of the policy should be circulated at the next meeting of the Highlands volunteer group so everyone will know what type of memorial is allowed.
Sports on 09/17/2014