Golf Maintenance director Keith Ihms told the Joint Committee on Golf about damage to the courses at their meeting on Wednesday, last week.
Weather and overuse are both factors at the courses. A dry fall, followed by a cold winter and cool spring took a toll on the courses. A late freeze in April meant that the Bermuda greens on Scotsdale had to be covered. Also, the covid policy that kept golfers from sharing carts was also damaging.
Golf courses were busier than usual for the last year, Ihms pointed out, and with twice the number of carts for each foursome, there was damage. He said high-traffic areas are particularly bad.
Places where a shallow layer of soil was placed over sand or rock, did badly, Ihms said. Collars around the greens show the damage because, over the years, the greens have gotten smaller and that leaves Bermuda collars over sand. Most of the greens in Bella Vista are overdue to be rebuilt, he said.
The work has to be timed around the APT tournament, Bella Vista's professional tournament which begins on June 21, he explained. Some work will have to wait until after that tournament. Also, the cost of sod and the cost of installing it is too high to do all the bad spots. The smaller areas will be left and that may make them more resistant to the cold next winter.
A few areas may be seeded, Ihms said. Seeding the areas will be a cost savings if it's successful.
"I think we're going to be in pretty good shape by the end of the summer," Ihms said, "It's a challenge for everybody."
An irrigation pump on the Country Club course was damaged by gravel washed in by the floodwaters in April. It is being repaired, Ihms said and he has a plan in mind to shield the pumps from future damage by flooding.
Rounds are still up for the year, Operations manager Darryl Muldoon told the committee. Shotgun starts are back for the golf groups, he said, and water and ice machines are again available on the courses, he said. The driving ranges are also very busy, he said.
The committee approved a new member who is also a former committee chair and a former board chair. Ruth Hatcher will return to her roots on the golf committee for three years.
A discussion about how to regulate members' behavior on the courses brought up a question about play managers, a position that was once filled on Bella Vista courses. Committee Chair Jason Loyd said he would rather see the money spent on maintenance than salaries. The play managers never had real enforcement powers on the courses, he reminded the group.
Committee member Jeff Hendren suggested that other members can video rule breakers and turn them in. He asked if there are penalties that can be applied.
The board has the power to suspend memberships, General Manager Tom Judson said, but they only use that in extreme circumstances. The board does not have the power to fine members.
Muldoon suggested that after the new software comes online, the golf pros could send text messages to members reminding them of the rules if they hear of a member misbehaving. He is not in favor of hiring play managers because they would have a huge area to patrol and couldn't control all the players.
The committee will discuss the issue again at its next meeting and a subcommittee may be appointed to work on the issue.