New policy to be implemented on golf courses

The Joint Advisory Committee on Golf heard about a new policy from golf operations director Phillip Wright at its monthly meeting last week.

Beginning in April, golfers will be issued a tag to put on their golf cart when they pay for a round. The tags will have both a date and a time and will be issued in various colors so play managers can tell at a glance if someone has paid for his or her round. There have been times, Wright said, especially during shotgun starts, when people have slipped onto the course without paying the fee. The time stamp will allow play managers to ensure that each foursome moves along without holding up the players behind them.

Even golfers who pay the annual greens fee need to check in at the pro shop, golf operations manager Darryl Muldoon said. It's important to know exactly who is on the course in case of emergencies. They will also be issued the colored tag when they check in.

One person can pick up tags for a foursome, Wright said, so the check-in process should not be slowed down.

Both Wright and golf maintenance director Keith Ihms will be at a monthly question and answer session on the second Tuesday of each month at 9 a.m. Their session will precede general manager Tom Judson's Coffee and Questions. In February, both sessions will be at Riordan Hall.

They will also address some rumors and provide news via the POA newsletters. Their section will be called "In the Know," Ihms said.

During his report to the committee, Ihms said the weather has closed the golf courses more often this year than in the previous three years -- his time in Bella Vista. Scotsdale has been closed more often since covering the Bermuda grass greens is labor intensive. If the weather warms up in midday and temperatures are expected to dip again in the evening, there's not enough time to uncover and recover the greens.

The weather has also delayed work at Dogwood, where the bunkers are being renovated. The crew, Ihms said, will work weekends when weather permits, but still may not be done on February 28, the target date to reopen.

Because of the number of weather closings, the closings scheduled for maintenance are changing. When possible, Ihms said, his crews will work with the course open and close only one hole at a time.

Muldoon told the committee that he is working on a different concept for junior golf this summer. He plans to call it a golf camp and add activities that are more fun for the participants.

General News on 01/17/2018