What a difference a year makes! Last year we
opened Glass Hill on March 31st, and this year it looks like we’ll open
hopefully April 21st. That’s three weeks of lost play already so let’s hope for
better weather as the year progresses.
Your Board has been hard at work developing an
irrigation plan under the leadership of Board member Dave Reichert, and is
prepared to receive the member’s decision at our Annual Meeting Thursday, May
17th at the
This is my last letter to the membership so I’ll
keep it relatively short and ask for everyone’s attention to the water Proposal
attached instead. Having been associated with Glass Hill since the early ‘90’s it’s
been my pleasure to have met the many great members we have in our Club and to
have worked with past and current course Superintendent’s and previous Board
members to better Glass Hill. I leave Glass Hill in great shape physically,
financially and in the capable hands of our Superintendent Frank Shaler and the very able current Board of Directors. To all
past and current Board members I’ve served with and all of those members who
have assisted Glass Hill in many ways over the years I offer a very sincere
thank you … it’s been a great time!
I know I’ll see most of you over the ensuing years
at Glass Hill. Keep your head down and follow through …
Wink
Doolittle
Well, it’s April 15th
and here we all are heading into a nor’easter. With any luck we’ll be golfing
by May, but it sure isn’t looking good. What a contrast to last year when we
played our first rounds on March 31st!
I want to start off the
new season by once again thanking Mr. Tree, that’s Jim McGuire, for all the great
work he’s done each year for thepast several. Each
year he has taken the time from his busy spring schedule to donate all of his
equipment and even some of his laborers, not to mention his own time to Glass
Hill. It’s been with his help that we’ve managed to take down several dead
trees each spring and clean up the edges of many fairways. The aesthetic appeal
of the work he’s done is tremendous, and it sure makes what the rest of us do
look the better for it. I can’t thank Jim without also thanking all the great
volunteers that showed up last season also. We where rained out on our first
scheduled day, but many people hung in and rather then work outside they
decided to paint and clean the clubhouse! What a difference that made. Then to
top it off many of them returned later in the week to work again on some trees.
It’s important that people remember how vital volunteer work is to Glass Hills success.
This summer, we should see a few minor changes on the course. Late last
year the guys and I began work on a new side tee on the 7th hole. We plan to
continue work on that tee this spring when the weather breaks, as well as
opening the small tee off the pavilion on number one. In
addition, we will be adding a second set of tee blocks to the 5th and 9th
ladies tees. These new tee areas will be designated as “gold tees” for
senior or high handicap players to use during casual play. I’m hoping this will
help some of our members to enjoy the course a little more,
yet still let us maintain it in a manner that allows us to keep the roughs
healthy and a little challenging.
Another new change this spring will be a new range ball dispenser in the club
house. This machine will accept cash in return for tokens which can then be
used to purchase buckets of balls. Gone will be the unsightly
rows of range balls from the sign in area, as well as any temptations
associated with having those balls so readily available.
So lets all starting wishing for some warmer weather and soon. I hope to
see you all at the course in the days to come!
Ladies League Information
The Glass Hill Ladies League will begin play Wednesday May 9th. Please
plan to meet at 8:30am with a shotgun start 9:00 am.
This year’s league membership fee will be $15.00.
We will except Glass Hill Golf Club Members. Please
note that greens fees will be due for non-members in addition to the membership
fee for the league.
This year’s contact’s are:
President, Carol Reichert
865-4050
Vice President, Jane Christ
896-6721
Treasurer,
Lorna VanBuskirk, 896-2088
Secretary, Sharon Jones
865-4498
The Board of Directors will present at the annual
meeting May 17,th a proposal that addresses
the concern expressed by the membership to update the course irrigation needs
of Glass Hill Golf Course. With cost
being foremost in mind we will describe two approaches toward implementing this
system. The following is a brief description of those two approaches.
The first is a full course irrigation system that
services tee’s, greens and fairways as previously described at the last annual
meeting. The full course system would
have 245 sprinkler heads that would apply water as needed to any part of the
golf course. The full course irrigation
system is estimated to cost $394,000.
The second approach would be to limit the system
to tee’s and greens, and not install sprinklers on the fairways. This option is directed at the critical needs
of the tee’s and greens with the installation of 73 sprinkler heads, while
postponing the fairway development to a later time. The basic mainline piping on the fairway
would be in place – the additional work to add fairways would be installing
lateral piping and sprinkler heads. The
installation to the fairways could be added one fairway at a time as recourses
became available. It is estimated that
the tee’s and greens approach without doing fairways is estimated to cost
$290,000.
With either approach, the critical need of
replacing the old and worn piping would be accomplished. Permanent sprinklers at each green in either
proposal would allow efficient water distribution during off play hours,
avoiding the disruption we sometime experience with greens being watered during
play.
Whichever approach the membership approves, a
course irrigation system will be a significant and long over do improvement for
your golf course.
Water Proposal
The
Board of Director’s of Glass Hill have been working off and on to develop a
plan for course irrigation ever since a survey of the membership during the
1990’s revealed this to be the member’s number one priority. The current Board
unanimously recommends to the members the following:
Approval of an
estimated $290,000
This package would allow for the members to enjoy a significant improvement
to Glass Hill that provides the following benefits:
1)
Significant improvement in play with consistently watered tees, greens and
green approaches.
2) Improved water resource management through the
use of a pond to draw from as needed. Our current water system requires
inefficient, wasteful means of watering limited holes at a time, sometimes
leaving hoses on overnight.
3) The use of a pond for watering will improve the
course aesthetically; as well provide an enhanced challenge to course play. The
pond will naturally provide a collection point for needed water during periods
of rain, lessening the need to pump from our primary water source. It is
estimated that we will use a similar amount of water compared with existing
water requirements and systems utilization.
4) Irrigation infrastructure will be in place to
provide for continued course irrigation development on a pay as you go basis.
We can long range plan to do fairways as the financial means are available
without significant strain on the membership.
5) Your membership will be considerably enhanced
through the increased real estate value because of these improvements.
6) The finance cost is manageable at a minimal
cost to the members compared with these benefits. Please review below.
Forecasted
financing estimates:
Available
from normal operations: 2008
2009 2010 2011
7,133
10,500 10,500 10,500
Additional source of cash:
Incr. dues by 5% for 2 years 4,500
9,100 9,100 9,100
One time assessment to the members:
$100.00 from each member ($250.00
Family membership cap) = $40,000
$40,000 to spend as needed 11,971 4,004 4,004 4,004
Total 23,604 23,604 23,604 23,604
Cost (incl. Taxes and over-runs) 290,000
Down payment from club (30,000)
Balance financed @ $7.75%
(10 yr. term/25 yr. amortization) 260,000
Monthly payment 1,967
Annual Cost 23,604
The above proposal allows for a seven year cushion
before assessment funds are exhausted for debt service purposes. During that
time the Club will enact an Initiation fee policy for new members in an amount
equal to a minimum of $200.00 to equalize the investment of existing and
previous members. The club could have a member’s only golf tournament in late
June of each year to raise an estimated $1,500 annually for debt service
purposes, and as a last resort the club could raise dues a nominal amount with
each 1% increase equal to approximately $1,000 or increase the membership cap
(10 new members brings in an additional $3,000 at a minimum).
The Board of Director’s believe his plan is essential to providing the best
and most affordable benefit to the membership at this time. We hope you will
support this endeavor by voting yes either at the Annual meeting on May 17th,
or by conveniently returning the Proxy included in this mailing with the hoped
for yes vote. Your consideration and response is greatly appreciated