MGA
General Membership Meeting
July 9, 2013
Meeting called to order at 3:00 pm by President Ken Brace.
The Minutes of the June 2013 meeting were approved.
Don Kasper gave the Treasurer’s Report:
• We currently have 123 members
• Current balance is $824.39
• The only remaining expenses are the entry free for the Rally for the Cure Tournament, which the MGA donates to annually, and the fee for the bagpiper at the annual memorial service on the morning of the Crystal Cup
News from the Course:
Vice-President Frank Beaty updated the current status of the golf course.
• The course is so wet from the abundant rainfall that the maintenance crew is having difficulty keeping up with grass growth, especially in the rough. It is simply too wet in spots to support the weight of a mower.
• The green on the 4th hole has been tested professionally and has been found to have damaging nematodes, which are eating the roots of the grass. As there are no longer any chemical treatments for nematodes on the market, Gary is trying to use a natural cure--encouraging the growth of beneficial nematodes--to solve the problem.
Several questions from the floor were raised about various issues on the golf course:
• When is additional sand going to be put in the bunkers on the course--especially on the ninth hole? Answer to come.
• Why are the greens so slow at this time and why are the mowers leaving ridges on the green? Answer: the course is aware of the problem and is having the blades resharpened.
• Are any of the tee boxes going to be redone in the near future? Answer: yes,but this has been delayed by the wet weather.
• When will the stump removal be completed? Answer: the course is trying to get the contractor to come back to complete the grinding, but has not been able to get an answer about timing.
• Will something be done about the eroding cart paths on holes 17 and 18? Answer: Yes the course is aware of the problem and will be addressing the situation.
• Are the cart paths on holes 17 and 18 “ground under repair” (GUR)? If not, they need to be declared to GUR as the current course rules call for playing the ball off of these dirt paths if it lands there. The MGA will speak to the course about this.
OLD BUSINESS:
Ken Sabol reported on the results of the Cobblestone tournament held in June.
Golf pro Kenny Evenson gave his golf tip of the month, the importance of a good weight shift.
Dean Wood presented details of the July tournament, to be held at Golden Hills in Lexington, SC on July 25 at 9:00 am. The game will be straight golf, but players will have the ability to throw out one hole’s score on each nine. No equitable scoring. There will also be an optional skins game at the tournament with par or better needed to win.The fee is $37 and 80 percent handicap will be applied.
Ray Naramore presented details of the August tournament, to be held on August 23 at Cedar Creek. It will be an ABCD tournament, with each team having 4 players ranging from equivalent low to high handicaps. Fees are $10, $27, or $38, depending on the players membership level at the course. Details are on the MGA website.
Ray Naramore is still collecting used golf clubs for Silver Bluff High School. Members who have clubs to donate should contact Ray. The MGA has been supporting the Silver Bluff golf team for several years. Dean Wood noted that the team could use some assistance from MGA members and will contact the new coach to see how the MGA volunteers can assist the team in the future.
NEW BUSINESS:
A motion was made, seconded, and passed to have the MGA again support the Rally for the Cure by sponsoring a team of MGA members for the tournament. As in the past, a drawing of attending MGA members will be made at the next meeting. The first four names drawn will be the team members; the next four will be alternates.
President Brace made the first call for nomination of new MGA officers. The hope is to have a slate of candidates at the August meeting, with the election to be held at the September meeting.
It was brought to the board’s attention that there have been several violations of the Cedar Creek Golf Course’ dress code recently. President Brace inquired about current policy and was told by Mr. McNair that the dress code is the “typical” dress code for golf courses: no tee shirts or cutoffs, no blue jeans, golf shoes are required, players must have a collared shirt. Exceptions may be made for special circumstances, however. MGA will speak to course about more rigorous enforcement of the policy.
A question was also raised to board about handicap issues. It was felt that some handicap manipulation was contributing to unfair results in MGA tournaments. Dave King reviewed the money winners of all past MGA tournaments and no pattern emerged. There were many different money winners and very few repeat winners.
Many questions have also been raised about the action taken by the MGA membership at the June meeting to amend the Dogfight’s 180-day absence rule by being able to waive said rule for “legitimate medical reasons.” A vigorous discussion among the membership ensued, centering on: the legality of having had a membership vote on the amendment without having given the membership 30 days notice that a vote was to be taken about a Dogfight rule change; and whether the new rule would even be enforced as most players in the Dogfight opposed the change.
Dean Wood made a motion that the amended rule be rescinded and that the old rule be reinstated. The motion was not seconded and did not come up for a vote. Instead, the discussion shifted to the MGA’s role in governing the rules of the Dogfight. Many members think that the MGA should have no role in the Dogfight, as most Dogfight players are not MGA members; other members weighed in that the MGA inherited the Dogfight from the old CCGA and that there is no other organized body to govern the Dogfight. (The MGA purchased a new Dogfight computer a couple of years ago as there was no other body available to fund the purchase). Although the discussion was heated, none of the issues were completely resolved, as no votes were taken--or proposed. The board, at its next meeting, will appoint a subcommittee to examine all of the issues involved with the Dogfight and will report back to the membership with its recommendations.
Ed Sabo requested that he MGA contact the Cedar Creek Golf Course’s Rules Committee to review the current local rules. Because of current course conditions, they may need to be modified. The board agreed to do so.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:16 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Ken Sabol
Secretary
General Membership Meeting
July 9, 2013
Meeting called to order at 3:00 pm by President Ken Brace.
The Minutes of the June 2013 meeting were approved.
Don Kasper gave the Treasurer’s Report:
• We currently have 123 members
• Current balance is $824.39
• The only remaining expenses are the entry free for the Rally for the Cure Tournament, which the MGA donates to annually, and the fee for the bagpiper at the annual memorial service on the morning of the Crystal Cup
News from the Course:
Vice-President Frank Beaty updated the current status of the golf course.
• The course is so wet from the abundant rainfall that the maintenance crew is having difficulty keeping up with grass growth, especially in the rough. It is simply too wet in spots to support the weight of a mower.
• The green on the 4th hole has been tested professionally and has been found to have damaging nematodes, which are eating the roots of the grass. As there are no longer any chemical treatments for nematodes on the market, Gary is trying to use a natural cure--encouraging the growth of beneficial nematodes--to solve the problem.
Several questions from the floor were raised about various issues on the golf course:
• When is additional sand going to be put in the bunkers on the course--especially on the ninth hole? Answer to come.
• Why are the greens so slow at this time and why are the mowers leaving ridges on the green? Answer: the course is aware of the problem and is having the blades resharpened.
• Are any of the tee boxes going to be redone in the near future? Answer: yes,but this has been delayed by the wet weather.
• When will the stump removal be completed? Answer: the course is trying to get the contractor to come back to complete the grinding, but has not been able to get an answer about timing.
• Will something be done about the eroding cart paths on holes 17 and 18? Answer: Yes the course is aware of the problem and will be addressing the situation.
• Are the cart paths on holes 17 and 18 “ground under repair” (GUR)? If not, they need to be declared to GUR as the current course rules call for playing the ball off of these dirt paths if it lands there. The MGA will speak to the course about this.
OLD BUSINESS:
Ken Sabol reported on the results of the Cobblestone tournament held in June.
Golf pro Kenny Evenson gave his golf tip of the month, the importance of a good weight shift.
Dean Wood presented details of the July tournament, to be held at Golden Hills in Lexington, SC on July 25 at 9:00 am. The game will be straight golf, but players will have the ability to throw out one hole’s score on each nine. No equitable scoring. There will also be an optional skins game at the tournament with par or better needed to win.The fee is $37 and 80 percent handicap will be applied.
Ray Naramore presented details of the August tournament, to be held on August 23 at Cedar Creek. It will be an ABCD tournament, with each team having 4 players ranging from equivalent low to high handicaps. Fees are $10, $27, or $38, depending on the players membership level at the course. Details are on the MGA website.
Ray Naramore is still collecting used golf clubs for Silver Bluff High School. Members who have clubs to donate should contact Ray. The MGA has been supporting the Silver Bluff golf team for several years. Dean Wood noted that the team could use some assistance from MGA members and will contact the new coach to see how the MGA volunteers can assist the team in the future.
NEW BUSINESS:
A motion was made, seconded, and passed to have the MGA again support the Rally for the Cure by sponsoring a team of MGA members for the tournament. As in the past, a drawing of attending MGA members will be made at the next meeting. The first four names drawn will be the team members; the next four will be alternates.
President Brace made the first call for nomination of new MGA officers. The hope is to have a slate of candidates at the August meeting, with the election to be held at the September meeting.
It was brought to the board’s attention that there have been several violations of the Cedar Creek Golf Course’ dress code recently. President Brace inquired about current policy and was told by Mr. McNair that the dress code is the “typical” dress code for golf courses: no tee shirts or cutoffs, no blue jeans, golf shoes are required, players must have a collared shirt. Exceptions may be made for special circumstances, however. MGA will speak to course about more rigorous enforcement of the policy.
A question was also raised to board about handicap issues. It was felt that some handicap manipulation was contributing to unfair results in MGA tournaments. Dave King reviewed the money winners of all past MGA tournaments and no pattern emerged. There were many different money winners and very few repeat winners.
Many questions have also been raised about the action taken by the MGA membership at the June meeting to amend the Dogfight’s 180-day absence rule by being able to waive said rule for “legitimate medical reasons.” A vigorous discussion among the membership ensued, centering on: the legality of having had a membership vote on the amendment without having given the membership 30 days notice that a vote was to be taken about a Dogfight rule change; and whether the new rule would even be enforced as most players in the Dogfight opposed the change.
Dean Wood made a motion that the amended rule be rescinded and that the old rule be reinstated. The motion was not seconded and did not come up for a vote. Instead, the discussion shifted to the MGA’s role in governing the rules of the Dogfight. Many members think that the MGA should have no role in the Dogfight, as most Dogfight players are not MGA members; other members weighed in that the MGA inherited the Dogfight from the old CCGA and that there is no other organized body to govern the Dogfight. (The MGA purchased a new Dogfight computer a couple of years ago as there was no other body available to fund the purchase). Although the discussion was heated, none of the issues were completely resolved, as no votes were taken--or proposed. The board, at its next meeting, will appoint a subcommittee to examine all of the issues involved with the Dogfight and will report back to the membership with its recommendations.
Ed Sabo requested that he MGA contact the Cedar Creek Golf Course’s Rules Committee to review the current local rules. Because of current course conditions, they may need to be modified. The board agreed to do so.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:16 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Ken Sabol
Secretary
