Increasing the number of golf rounds played at the POA's seven courses should be a goal of the Joint Advisory Committee on Golf, General Manager Tommy Bailey told the group as he reviewed the 2015 tasks for the committee.
The committee should work with the new marketing manager, he said, to increase play overall and to increase play in the afternoons and evenings, he said.
Newly-elected chairman Jake Grasmick said there is already a subcommittee in place to help with marketing and they would like to meet with the new manager.
One program the committee developed to increase play is the annual Golf Expo and it's scheduled for Feb. 18, Grasmick reminded the committee. The Golf Expo gives dozens of golf groups the opportunity to recruit new members.
The sixth annual Golf Expo will be from 4 to 6 p.m. at Riordan Hall, 3 Riordan Drive. The event is free and open to the public.
Also, a golf group leaders' meeting is scheduled for that same afternoon, so the committee can review procedures for the upcoming season.
One topic that will be discussed at the leaders meeting is the reservation procedure. Leaders will be reminded not to reserve more tee times than necessary since it keeps other members and guests from playing. The committee should work on programs to limit those unused tee times, Bailey said.
Golf Operations Manager Andy Mar said new software that should be online by the first of February will make it easier for employees to find open tee times at other Bella Vista courses. Now, they have to call the other pro shops to find an opening, but the new software, called Total E, will allow them to check for open tee times and reserve them for a member from any pro shop.
However, golfers making reservations from their home computer will need to reserve tee times a day in advance.
This year, with the POA's 50th Anniversary on the calendar, Golf Committee members should consider volunteering at special anniversary events, Bailey said. One golf event is scheduled for May 30, he said, but others will be added and volunteers are needed.
Also, GRIP, the Goose Reproduction Intervention Program, will need volunteers again this year, Bailey said.
GRIP arms volunteers with spray bottles of vegetable oil in the spring so they can search out and oil the eggs of resident Canada geese during nesting season. The eggs don't mature and hatch, so the goose population doesn't grow.
The administration, Bailey said, depends on the JAC's to provide information and recommendations. He encouraged the committee members to continue monthly inspections of each course.
Each committee member is assigned one course and Grasmick provided assignments to two new committee members, Terry Predl and William Barr, at the meeting.
Members also should serve as liaisons with the community, Bailey reminded the committee members, and answer questions about the golf operation.
Sports on 01/21/2015