SUMMER NEWSLETTER JULY 2022
enriching lives
through golf
president’s message Recent days have brought excellent weather and significant improvements to playing conditions at Priddis Greens. On behalf of Club Management and the Board of Directors, we hope all members are enjoying the golf as we head into the peak of our season. As outlined at our AGM, our Board now functions with three governance committees: Membership, Finance and Long-range Planning. Each of these is chaired by board members, and the role of the committees is to advance topics that specifically address the needs of the Club itself. These committees are set apart from three additional committees that Club Management chairs and attended by members of the Board, which deal primarily with the delivery of goals, benefits, and services for members. These committees are House, Green and Golf. As you can imagine, there is considerable overlap between the needs of the Club and its members. With respect to our operating results, which are reviewed every month by the Finance committee, we are mitigating the slow May and June start due to weather challenges, significant inflation and labour scarcity. What isn’t provided for as well in our budget is the Club’s capital needs. Said another way, it’s true this year, and in past years, our operating budgets have been positive, but they are negative after capital and debt service requirements are included. Practically speaking, we are not building capital reserves for Club needs and further member services. If we don’t build these, we won’t be able to generate positive operating budgets. In the past, the Club has used debt to address the gap between a positive operating budget and insufficient capital reserves. The Club is in a very healthy state currently but has inadequate capital to build on and remain competitive in the future. Past member surveys have touched on member interest in further capital requests. The feedback has been mixed and essentially challenging the Club to be more specific on what capital is needed and what would the strategic investments be. The LRP Committee is working on plans for improvements and the Finance Committee is looking at alternatives to attract capital to the Club. Nothing has been decided on, and a plan recommended by the Board will be actioned only with a vote by the primary membership. At this point we simply want you to know what the governance process is, our operating results as they are, and where the capital reserves are not.
David Donaldson President
P R I D D I SG R E E N S.CO M
board of directors
DAVID DONALDSON President
ROSS BABCOCK Vice-President House & Golf Liaison
DAVE GLADNEY Past President Green Liaison
BAS WHEELER Secretary Long-range Planning Chair
DARRELL DANYLUK Director Membership Chair
KEN BARON Director Finance Chair; House & Green Liaison
CAROLYN SOULES Director LRP Vice Chair; Golf Liaison
ROGER MASLEN Director Membership Vice Chair; House Liaison
club committees Membership (Board)
Long-range Planning (Board)
Finance (Board)
Green (Operations)
Golf (Operations)
House (Operations)
Darrell Danyluk Roger Maslen Paul Briske Will Grisdale Matt Entwistle Chad Thomlinson
Bas Wheeler Carolyn Soules Maggie McGee Allan Hazzard Chris Minnema Dan Butterwick Chad Thomlinson
Ken Baron Harry Reid Todd Heavisides Rob Hozjan Brad Trumble Michael Hodgson Darcy Michailuck Chad Thomlinson
James Beebe Dave Gladney Ken Baron Crandell Ruholl Diane Main Brian Head Ken Stasiewich Jordan Earl Cameron Huard Chad Thomlinson
Ron Laugher Ross Babcock Carolyn Soules Ryan Russell Don Bauer Doug Virginillo John Wilson James Beebe Chad Thomlinson
Franck Trutet Ross Babcock Roger Maslen Maggie McGee Kristan Goodwin Erin Rowley Dave Evans Hugh Hamilton Chad Thomlinson
Chair
@PRIDDISGREENS | #GOLFPG
Vice Chair
Board Liaison
membership committee The 2022 golf season is in full swing, and it is exciting to have a sense of normality at Priddis Greens once again. Golf has continued the popularity it enjoyed the past three years, and membership transfers are as robust as they have ever been. In addition, we are seeing an influx of younger members (below our current average age) which can only strengthen our already very active and involved membership base. The Membership Committee has been actively evaluating our current system for redemption (sale) of memberships and the allowing of sales through third-party platforms. One of the Board and Management’s key roles is to maintain the membership value and brand of our Club, and controlling memberships needs to be part of that mandate. We have the tool of a Sellers’ List contemplated in the By-Laws of the Club, but this list is made ineffective when sales of memberships are taken to sites where bartering and deep discounts are the norms. The lead seller on the 40-person Sellers’ list has been there since July 2012: this much of a wait time to sell a membership through the Club is untenable. The Sellers’ list will work if it is allowed to, given the 30 years of history we have in the number of annual membership sales. The Membership Committee has concluded private sales damage the Club’s brand and erodes the value of membership equity in one of the premier golf clubs in the Calgary area. When the By-Laws changed in 2009 allowing private sales at greater or less than the Initial Membership Fee (IMF), the IMF immediately began eroding. This erosion in value inevitably affects every member and must be controlled. The Membership Committee and Board are working on a timeline to revisit a change in the By-Laws to restrict private sales and bring membership sales into Management’s hands. The Membership Committee, along with the rest of the Board and Management are excited for the future of the Club, continuing to make the changes needed so the Club thrives over the long term, and keeps the membership engaged and enthusiastic. The Membership Committee is available to listen to your concerns and work with the Board to make Priddis Greens the most sought-after membership in the Calgary area.
Darrell Danyluk
Roger Maslen
Membership Committee Chair
Membership Committee Vice Chair
P R I D D I SG R E E N S.CO M
long-range planning committee The Long-range Planning (LRP) Committee membership has undergone changes, following the most recent AGM. Carolyn Soules, newly elected to the Board of Directors, is now Vice Chair of the Committee. Allan Hazzard has had to step away due to other commitments and we have added Phil Goodwin as a new member. Returning members are Chris Minnema, Maggie McGee, Dan Butterwick, and Rob Hozjan and we are supported by Chad Thomlinson as an ex-officio member. In the Spring Newsletter, we mentioned that the fall 2021 Member Survey provided good input to the Committee for its deliberations. Although the survey is primarily operationally focused (e.g., member views on everything from the quality of the bunkers to the size of food portions at The Grandview), for the 2021 survey, we added a number of questions to elicit member views on larger, longer-term issues such as golf facility improvements and capital development financing options. We were pleased to see the overall high level of member satisfaction with the Club (96% Agree or Strongly Agree) and willingness to recommend Priddis Greens to a friend (97% Agree or Strongly Agree). When it came to questions on capital projects, the consensus among Primary members was 40% in favour of new development (such as expanded practice facilities, a six or nine-hole short course or clubhouse renovations), and 60% against. That split was reversed with respect to expanding the outdoor experience at the Raven’s Nest, which has proven to be very popular. These results are not all that surprising when we consider that the suggested projects were very general in nature, with no costs or timelines included. The LRP Committee and the Board believe that to remain relevant to our current and new members, as well as to be attractive to prospective members, we will need to continue to invest in our golf facilities, clubhouse, and related amenities. Many of the golf clubs in our market have invested or plan to invest in significant upgrades to their facilities, including major clubhouse renovations and golf course improvements. Our clubhouse is aging and was not designed to support the activity we currently experience. The Club also has the potential to acquire some additional land that is adjacent to our current golf courses. We have been made aware that the land may be for sale, and we are looking into that possibility. The LRP Committee is involved in the discussions, including what the land could be used for in the future. Our By-Laws ensure that no projects of any significance (including the acquisition of additional land) can proceed without membership approval. The LRP Committee’s challenge is to bring forward project plans that can be taken to the Board and then to the membership for consideration. These plans must include details on what is proposed, when it will take place, what the costs will be and how these will be financed. It is interesting to note that throughout the Club’s history, there have been very few such projects, that once explained in detail to the membership, have been turned down. More information will be coming in the not-too-distant future on what these projects may entail.
Bas Wheeler
Carolyn Soules
LRP Committee Chair
LRP Committee Vice Chair
@PRIDDISGREENS | #GOLFPG
finance committee The Finance Committee has a number of initiatives to embrace in the coming months as it starts its work following the Annual General Meeting in May. As the new Committee Chair, I look forward to working with the other committee members; namely Harry Reid, Paul Fisher, Todd Heavisides, Rob Hozjan, Brad Trumble and Mike Hodgson. We are supported by management representatives Chad Thomlinson and Darcy Michailuck. Furthering the governance framework and direction from the Board, some very good work has been accomplished on proposing updated Terms of Reference for all committees including Finance. The Committee will be reviewing its terms in the near future with the aim to ensure continuity and focus. An area of immediate attention for the committee stems from working more closely with the Longrange Planning Committee (LRP) with the goal of future facing the capital needs of the Club. The LRP is indicating the need for reinvestments in maintenance and improvement capital. The Committee will be taking this opportunity to review and recommend a course of action to meet these needs. These needs will become more apparent in the near term and it is important that the membership be informed as clarity develops. In addition, some very preliminary concepts unique to our Club could create aspirational initiatives. These could be very exciting but will require much thought and input from the Committee and the membership on the planning of same. The Committee also is proactive in reviewing various Club finance policies on an ongoing basis. Our policy relating to the collection of accounts is up for review to ensure it is contemporary and reflects fairness to all members. Look for further communication in due course. Current results of operations indicate the Club is operating within the current year’s budget and will continue to look to improve against budget in areas where possible. Current reporting and controls in place are strong and management actively monitors the Club’s financial position. The Committee receives current financial reports to review and comment on as appropriate. And one other area that the Committee will be making recommendations on is the Club’s cash position and the best use of any current reserves. The future of the Club looks very exciting, and the Committee will be key to assisting in shaping its success.
Ken Baron Finance Committee Chair
P R I D D I SG R E E N S.CO M
welcome new members Please join us in welcoming the following Equity & Corporate Associate Members who joined the Club since last season: Megan Bufton Benjamin Chanyi Meghan Clarke Tim Coakwell Ryan Collinge David Colwell Karen Cooper Real Cusson
Francois Cusson Marc Debiasio Jordan Eberle Edward Emmett Robert Faktor Don Flowers Matt Forbell Dean Gallacher
John Halligan Jeff Hart Tobin Hayward Cory Kim David Leroux Jason Longshaw Wayne Mcleish Richard Mulvale
Gordon Neil John Peart Todd Prescott Chad Rolstad Ray Romeril Rick Schiller Tom Spatola Connor Ungar
Akhil Vohra Murray Walker Kim Wiggins Ronald Williams
ladies’ executive committee Leagues and tournaments are well underway, and it appears as though summer has finally arrived. Tuesday and Saturday leagues have had very steady participation so far this year - great to see ladies! For those who signed up to qualify for Solheim, points will be accumulated by the end of July to allow for teams to be selected by early August. Participation points (6) will also be allotted to qualifiers who participate in the Ladies Club Championships (July 30-August 1). Be sure to check out the Events and Registration section on the Priddis Greens website for upcoming events and registration deadlines. If you have questions or feedback on any of the ladies’ events at Priddis Greens, please reach out to any of the Ladies’ Executive.
Jodie Breadner Ladies’ Executive President
@PRIDDISGREENS | #GOLFPG
general manager’s message As we hit the middle of the golf season, the weather is finally looking like it will cooperate for more than six hours consecutively. Most members have played less golf than desired to this point especially compared to the last two years. I remain hopeful that will change over the next couple of months. We recently contracted a spray application of BTK to combat Spruce Budworm infestation on our property. It was great to partner with our surrounding community and neighbouring landowners to do our best to preserve the spruce trees. We will be provided with results on the efficacy of the application in late August. Thanks to James Beebe, Jim Good, Priddis Greens Community Association, and Priddis Greens Services Co-op for coordinating the program. For this edition of our newsletter, there are three topics that I will address; shotgun starts for member events, Men’s Member Guest, and the 2021 Member Survey. Men’s Member Guest This event expanded to a two-day event in 2022 showcasing both the Hawk and Raven courses. The event was very well received by the 192 participants and the weather cooperated nicely as well. Hosting all member leagues and tournaments is an important part of private club culture and we desire to make all of them successful. There has been negative feedback on hosting a two-day member guest event at 10:00AM as well as running first tee starts for most member events (more on that later). The decision to start at 10:00AM was made by management to provide the best possible experience for the members and guests participating. Any changes to the programming or schedule would have detracted from the event. An 8:00AM shotgun start reduces course preparation time by 40% (more info on shotguns in the member tournament section below) and having 200 members play prior to the tournament after less preparation than a normal day is counterproductive to running a first-class event. All member events involve sacrificing tee time inventory for non-participating members. We continue to make member leagues and tournaments a priority as they are part of our great culture at Priddis Greens. Providing access to the course every day for every member is not realistic and is not our main objective at the Club. Our golf operations team, in conjunction with the Men’s and Ladies’ Executives do their best to provide 25 events annually for our members - hopefully something for everyone. Member Tournaments We have recently hosted the Men’s Member Guest, Mixed Club Championships, and the Alberta Ladies’ Senior Championship. Thanks to Ron, Franck, James, and their respective teams for their dedication to running first-class events at Priddis Greens. We look forward to the Club Championships this weekend – good luck to all participants!
P R I D D I SG R E E N S.CO M
As communicated previously, we made the conscious decision to run all member tournaments in 2022 as first tee starts except for the three member guest events. First tee starts were utilized in the same fashion in 2021 with excellent feedback from members who participated. The 2021 member survey showed a 96% satisfaction rate for member tournaments (see graphic below) and the written feedback was focused on buffets, pace of play, and handicapping issues. Shotgun starts are not an efficient use of tee times even at full capacity of 128 players, they are especially inefficient when events are smaller, or they are restrictive if the field demand is higher than 128 (our recent Member Member event was 166). With the 30% increase in member play through the pandemic and minimal shotgun events, we realized the negative impact that hosting multiple shotguns per week in the spring when course recovery is slow. Add to this inclement weather experienced this spring and the cumulative effect is a significant loss of time spent preparing our courses for the busy season ahead at a critical stage. For an 8:00AM shotgun start, the Turf Care team loses 40% of their time working on the course compared to a normal 8:00AM first tee start. This time cannot be recovered. We cannot work efficiently during play and adding labour hours the next day to compensate is not possible due to limited equipment resources. If we run four or five shotgun starts in one week in May due to corporate and member tournaments coupled with multiple poor weather days, the resulting effect on Turf Care’s ability to maintain the golf courses to the expected standard is very negative. Unfortunately, the pressure to host spring member and corporate tournaments is compressed into three or four weeks in May and June when course recovery is slow, and the weather can be poor. Moving forward, we will evaluate our spring golf calendar to try and spread events further apart, combine events together or reduce corporate tournaments to accommodate the recent member feedback that shotgun starts are preferred for social events such as the Greenkeeper Challenge and opening senior, men’s, and ladies’ tournaments. The situation is similar in the fall for the closing scrambles like the Fall Classic but there is less daily maintenance required in September, the weather is typically better, and corporate tournament pressure is reduced. As a result, we are planning on returning to a shotgun start format for the four Fall Classics this September.
2021 Member Survey: Tournaments & Leagues OVERALL SATISFACTION WITH TOURNAMENTS, LEAGUES & GOLF PROGRAMMING
Overall member tournament & league experience Member tournaments Ladies’ leagues Men’s leagues Junior golf programming
@PRIDDISGREENS | #GOLFPG
Satisfied
Dissatisfied
96% 96% 86% 94% 94%
4% 4% 14% 6% 6%
2021 Member Survey The purpose of our membership survey is to check in with the members to see what is important to them and to identify issues or trends in satisfaction. Survey results were provided to all committee members, management, and the Board of Directors last fall to aid in decision-making for the upcoming season. The focus of the survey has traditionally been for management to use results to benchmark its operational success and find ways to improve the daily member experience. With the amount of time spent by various groups on strategic planning and looking to the future, some questions from a more fulsome survey in 2011 were repeated to gauge the feel of members regarding capital and club finances. The operating satisfaction from 2021 was very positive and Management has used the feedback from members to focus on certain areas of our operation and guide in decision making. A presentation of the operating portion of the survey has been included via this link. A summary of the top eight areas for improvement from the survey and Management’s response is provided below: • Ease of booking tee times This is not an easy one to fix. We don’t have a software or process problem; we had a demand problem in the form of a 40% overnight increase. Our plans for 2022 in this regard relied heavily on a prediction that demand would wane in 2022. This is also one of the reasons we continued with first tee starts for member events and chose to host fewer corporate events. We also maintained an annual cap on corporate associate memberships. • Pace of play management Ron’s team, in conjunction with the Golf Committee, have improved their communication of our pace of play program including how Tag Marshal is utilized. The Club’s pace of play policy was rewritten and approved by the Board prior to the season starting. New targets based on data from 2021 were communicated to all members and starters are communicating regularly on the expected pace for the day. Our results thus far in 2022 have been great except for Saturday mornings during league play. Match plays and some tournaments also present a challenge for our golf operations team to manage.
P R I D D I SG R E E N S.CO M
• Back Shop service levels – bag loading, club cleaning, general attentiveness Feedback this year has been excellent, a marked improvement over last year. Under Jimmy Farrell and John Wilson’s direct leadership, this group has responded very well. • Practice facilities – balls on chipping green, expand grass tee area, less congestion Most concerns require capital investment and are part of our Long-range planning. Balls returned to the chipping green before the end of last season. • Sand consistency & depth Although bunker issues are prevalent at every club, James and his team re-invented our entire greenside bunker maintenance program in 2022 to address this “Top 5” issue. Turf Care established a new standard for depth, appearance and firmness and then trained employees on how to use various pieces of equipment to achieve the standard under a variety of conditions. • The Grandview restaurant menu selection and consistency Consistency has improved this year based on feedback and Franck and Epi are doing their best to provide different menu selections. Both are difficult due to the broad desires and tastes of members, a small kitchen, a busy golf calendar, and labour shortages. • Expand outdoor dining at Raven’s Nest Capital is required to truly expand this area. In the short term, we added more couches, tables, and chairs, improved the tent with clear ceiling panels, purchased a new BBQ, and improved the BBQ location and serving set-up for 2022. • Create a casual dining experience Capital is required to tackle this amenity improvement. Long-range planning has this on its radar for the future. I thank you for participating in the member survey last year as it is an important tool we spend a lot of time analyzing and truly does help guide decision-making at the Club. I also thank you in advance for providing your feedback again this fall. I hope you enjoy the rest of the summer and I look forward to seeing you around the Club.
Chad Thomlinson General Manager & PGA Executive Professional
@PRIDDISGREENS | #GOLFPG
CHARITY CLASSIC 2021
Today I am writing you about a cherished tradition at the Club; the Priddis Greens Charity Classic. I am extremely proud of our Club’s crucial involvement in helping to create and sustain a world-class health facility here in the city. The Calgary Prostate Cancer Centre has benefited from our tournament for the past 23 years with this event raising over $7 million dollars of vital funding. Because the Centre receives no government support, it is not an overstatement to claim that the Centre’s viability depends on the success of our tournament. With prostate cancer being the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Canadian men and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths, the groundbreaking research and treatment model of the Centre is essential for Southern Alberta. Roughly 1-in-7 Canadian men are expected to develop prostate cancer during their lifetime and 1-in-29 will succumb to the disease. I would love to see our membership broaden its support and become more involved in this year’s tournament. Please see the next page or visit pgcharityclassic.com for more information as there are a number of ways to participate over the three days from August 9th to 11th; • enter a team and participate in the golf tournament and festivities; • a cash donation of any amount is always appreciated and adds to our success; • provide or solicit a silent or live auction item; • we are always in need of volunteers for the gala and the tournament - if you can contribute in that manner, please contact Paul Fisher. Thank you so much for your consideration. I hope to see you involved this year!
Brian Murray Chairman, Priddis Greens Charity Classic
P G C H A R I T YC L AS S I C .CO M
teams & donors
sponsorship
TEAM ENTRY - $10,000
ENTERTAINMENT - $5,000
• tournament fees for four (4) participants (verified handicap required)
• includes four (4) Azuridge Gala Evening passes
• eight (8) Azuridge Gala Evening passes (4 participants + 4 guests)
• one (1) double-sided 48” x 31” recognition sign
• one (1) double-sided 48” x 31” recognition sign
BEVERAGE - $5,000
• thank you signage displayed at first tee
• includes four (4) Azuridge Gala Evening passes
FUND-A-NEED DONORS - $2,000 or more
• one (1) double-sided 48” x 31” recognition sign
The Prostate Cancer Centre annually identifies specific requirements they have at the tournament such as specialized equipment, supplies or programs. This Fund-A-Need
FOOD - $5,000
program will be present throughout the tournament and attendees can donate directly
• includes four (4) Azuridge Gala Evening passes
towards those items in return for a tax receipt.
• one (1) double-sided 48” x 31” recognition sign
DIRECT DONATION
BEVERAGE CART SPONSOR - $2,500
All
donations
are
greatly
appreciated
by
the
Prostate
Cancer
Centre.
• company name/logo on beverage carts
Donations for any amount of $20 or more can be made directly to the Centre and a tax
• one (1) double-sided 48” x 31” recognition sign
receipt will be provided.
HOLE SPONSOR - $2,000
SILENT & LIVE AUCTION ITEMS
• company name/logo on sponsored hole
Promote your business while supporting the Prostate Cancer Centre by donating an
• one (1) double-sided 48” x 31” recognition sign
item or package of value to be included with our auction. Please contact us for details.
GOLF CART SPONSOR - $1,500
visit pgcharityclassic.com @ P R I D D I S G R E E N S | @ P R O S TAT E C A N C E R C E N T R E
• company name/logo on sponsored carts • one (1) double-sided 48” x 31” recognition sign
hole-in-one Congratulations to all members who have scored an ace or albatross during the 2022 season thus far. These individuals will be cordially invited to a very exclusive dinner at the end of the season, along with a guest, to honour their achievement and receive a commemorative gift. Please join us in recognizing the following: • Jenny McConaghy
• Jordan Beck
• Liam Bufton
• Sam Olschewski
• David Colwell
• Auralee Weinberger
• Calvin Onyszchuk
• Kim Wiggins
• Murray David
• Chris Marshall
• Brad Maheu
• Dave Tomczyk
• Mitch Diaper
• Gord Singer
• Ryan Goulard
upcoming events July 30 - Aug 1
Men’s & Ladies’ Club Championship
August 7
Condo Capers
August 8 & 9
Junior Club Championship
August 10 & 11
Charity Classic
August 16
Banff Interclub
August 17
Senior Member Guest
August 18
BILD Calgary Foundation Corporate
August 19 - 21
Solheim Cup
August 25
Foothills Society Corporate
August 26 - 28
Priddis Cup
August 29
Ladies Mystery Tour
August 30
Junior Ryder Cup
September 6 & 7 Senior Priddis Cup September 11
Mixed Fall Classic
September 15
MJT Fundraiser
September 17
Men’s & Ladies’ Fall Classic
September 21
Senior Men’s Fall Classic
October 21
Hole-In-One Dinner
*rescheduled from Sept. 14
tournament champions Our full slate of member events in 2022 is well underway with a great mix of competition and comraderie. In recognition of those victorious members from this season’s Club tournaments thus far, please join us in congratulating the following (see next two pages):
P R I D D I SG R E E N S.CO M
mixed opening day
PHILIP GOODWIN
men’s member member
KRISTAN GOODWIN
RYAN ARNOLD
VICTORIA ARNOLD
BEN COPELAND Black Gross
MARK GLOECKLER Black Gross
PAUL BRISKE Black Net
TROY NORCROSS Black Net
ladies’ spring bloomers
SONYA PARK
CAROYLN SOULES
TRESA LOUSTEL
MARY JO LOUGH
senior men’s opening day
DAVID REID
JOE PETRATUR
ROD BUTCHER
BOB ANDREW Blue Flight 1
JON GRIGG Blue Flight 1
JEFF BIERS Blue Flight 2
BEN PAINTER Blue Flight 2
RICK BOYLE
junior parent child
TIM MAIN & TYLER KIDD Father/Son Gross
ROSS AITKEN & PAYTON AITKEN Father/Daughter Gross
SALLY ALLAN & SEAN ALLAN Mother/Son Gross
MIKAELA CALMA & SHELBY ROBINSON Mother/Daughter Gross
PHILIP GOODWIN & AIDEN GOODWIN Father/Son Net
TOBIN HAYWARD & EMARI HAYWARD Father/Daughter Net
JEN PAINTER & JACK PAINTER Mother/Son Net
KRISTAN GOODWIN & AUBREY GOODWIN Mother/Daughter Net
mixed member member
MARK GAUDRY
junior member member
ALLISON AU
LAUREN AU
sr. men’s club champs
PAUL BRISKE
ROD SPROULE
sr. ladies’ club champs
SHANNON SHRADER
LYNN CRONKWRIGHT
mixed club champs
ALBERT DEFRANCESCO
CHRIS NG
P R I D D I SG R E E N S.CO M
ROSS BABCOCK
LISANNE BABCOCK
ERIN ROWLEY
men’s greenskeeper challenge
AL HAZZARD
NEIL LOVE
JOSH LEUNG
RYLEY KILLAM
ladies’ greenskeeper challenge
MARIANNE BELL
ELYSE KELBA
CORRINE HOUSTON
JO ANN PAWLIW
men’s member guest
WILL GRISDALE
COLIN CLARKE
ladies’ member guest
ROSE MCWILLIAM
NANCY WAITE
AUSTIN VLOOSWYK
DANIEL MATTHEWS
green committee Purpose: The role of the Green Committee is to provide feedback, input, and recommendations to Club Management with respect to golf course development, maintenance, and improvements. The Committee is also responsible to provide input and guidance in developing the long-range capital plan within the scope of the Committee.
The Green Committee continues to meet six (6) times per year to discuss the day-to-day operations of the golf courses and review longrange plans. One important function of the committee is to be a conduit for communication between management and the membership. The following communication platforms are used to keep members informed of pertinent information that can impact their golf experience: • Member Central: updated daily one (1) hour before the first tee time with information pertaining to golf course operations for that specific day including frost delays, projects, cart path rulings, green speeds, maintenance practices and cart path ruling • Member E-News: weekly emailed communication informing members of upcoming projects and/or practices that affect golfers • Newsletter (seasonal): high-level communication providing members of big picture issues in golf course operations • Report a Problem: quickly provide feedback to Club Management via the PG App’s report-a-problem function Tee Box Divot Repair Sand/Seed As a result of removing divot boxes to limit touch points and dedicating an employee to fill each divot on every tee daily in the last year, this proved to be very successful where divots healed quicker, and conditions improved. It was decided by this Committee to continue this beneficial practice. Please remember the sand/seed mix bottles on golf carts is for fairway and rough use only - seed used on tees is different. Ball Washers & Towel Dip Buckets On-course ball washers were initially removed to limit touch points; however, like numerous other golf courses, this Committee still unanimously endorses the decision not to replace the ball washers to reduce clutter and maintenance. Our current tee stations and accessories such as garbage, recycling, ball washers, hole signs, benches and divot boxes are in a state of transition. We are working on a simplified program that would see four convenience stations (in addition to concessions and starting areas) per golf course where members can rely on the consistent provision of sand and seed, drinking water, ball washers, waste & recycling disposal, and towel dip buckets. Standardized bench locations are also being finalized to provide a clean, simplistic course presentation and the amenities desired by members. Currently, to keep your golf ball clean prior to putting and teeing off, the recommended practice is to wet your towel and wipe your ball prior to putting so your ball is clean when putting and teeing off at the next hole. Water buckets are provided at the driving range, 1st and 10th tees of Raven and the 1st tee and Hawk Hideaway concession. Driving Range Grass Tee The turf on the driving range grass tee was replaced this spring to provide the membership the best possible practicing conditions when it opens in the first week of July. The schedule for the grass tee is Friday to Sunday weekly and holiday Mondays up until the end of Club Championships. Because the tee receives a high volume of traffic from golfers practicing, the grass needs significant time to recover and fill in so it is ready for the next season.
continued on next page...
@PRIDDISGREENS | #GOLFPG
green committee (continued) Raven Golf Course - Back Nine Start The Raven Golf Course is scheduled to start on the back nine for the months of May, July, and September. In the spring and fall, the back nine start helps get the golf course open earlier when frost holds on longer on the first hole. In July, the back nine start provides the Turf Care team extra time in the morning to hand water rough with hoses and portable sprinklers during periods of dry weather. This hand-watering process is a labour-intensive practice that demands extra time to apply water because the irrigation distribution on the front nine is insufficient to keep the turf alive. When Turf Care does not have enough time to perform hand watering (front nine start), the turf is at risk of damage as seen in the picture provided (right). The irrigation system is identified in the Club’s long-range plan to be replaced in the fall of 2023 which would dramatically improve turf conditions and playability.
James Beebe Golf Course Manager
golf committee Purpose: The role of the Golf Committee is to provide feedback, input, and recommendations to Club Management with respect to golf operations including pace of play, tee time bookings, member and guest golf privileges, on-course dress code, course playability, competitions, leagues, Pro Shop amenities and services including Back Shop, and Practice Facility operations. The Committee is also responsible to provide input and guidance in developing the long-range capital plan within the scope of the Committee.
The Tagmarshal report for the month of June is similar to our May results. Pace of Play has met or exceeded expectations on the Raven Golf Course every day except for Saturdays, and Sundays. The Hawk has met or exceeded expectations every day, with again Saturdays being the exception. Saturday league play continues to be an issue, the Golf Shop continues to monitor this unfortunate trend. Please encourage all players in your group to help us achieve our goal (85% of all rounds at or below the targeted pace) this month. Click here to view the full June report. To increase awareness and hopefully improve the pace of play, the Golf Committee will contact via phone those members that have had two or more Pace of Play issues during the current season. All rounds are expected to be completed at or below the targeted pace including all Match Plays, Leagues, and Members Tournaments. The Starters will continue to update you and your group as to the expected pace prior to the start of your round.
Ron Laugher
John Wilson
Head Golf Professional
Senior Associate Professional
P R I D D I SG R E E N S.CO M
house committee Purpose: The role of the House Committee is to provide feedback, input, and recommendations to Club Management with respect to the operation and maintenance of the Clubhouse, all Food & Beverage amenities and services, and member non-golf social programming. The House Committee is also responsible to provide input and guidance in developing the long-range capital plan within the scope of the Committee.
Our Food & Beverage and Clubhouse Maintenance teams are in full swing after a cold, wet start to the season. We are continually introducing new products to The Grandview, Raven’s Nest and Hawk Hideaway including locally and internationally sourced beers & distilled spirits. The culinary team continues to suffer from an employee shortage; however, Chef Epi Tubbali and his team have accepted the challenge and continue to produce excellent quality food for 200+ people daily. We believe in embracing our core values of excellence, enjoyment, and respect. Our menus reflect these core values with not only significant consideration of the members’ favourites, but also trying new things and adjusting to your feedback. We’re excited to introduce a chef-inspired vegetarian dish on the bi-weekly feature menu and continue adding new fresh sandwiches, pasta, and entrees that reflect our membership’s desires including healthier, dairy-free, and gluten-free options. Raven’s Nest and Hawk Hideaway We have changed the bread used in all packaged sandwiches in our concessions to improve the quality and feedback so far has been very positive. Also of note is the draught beer being offered at Raven’s Nest are local and trendy; Banded Peak Mount Crushmore and Blindman Five of Diamonds. Hawk Hideaway currently features Pabst Blue Ribbon. We have completed the construction of a new deck platform adjacent to the washroom and shelter building on Hawk #9. The tent has been installed for operating the weekend BBQ and beverage service. Unfortunately employee shortages have limited our ability to consistently deliver this program as scheduled. We will continue to do our best to offer this popular option on Fridays and Saturdays on Hawk 9. Thank you for your positive feedback, which helps us choose new products, improve our service and quality. Recently we introduced a placard number service at Raven’s Nest BBQ to help locate members when delivering food items based on member feedback. Clubhouse Maintenance We are continuously working on the maintenance and repair of all our buildings. You will have noticed the off-season improvements made to the on-course facilities on the Hawk Course. We are currently planning the replacement of the Clubhouse skylights as well long-range planning for The Grandview and the Raven’s Nest. The F&B team recognizes and rewards employees that are showing and creating exceptional experiences, going the extra mile, or giving that additional wow factor to any member service. If you’d like to share your experience, please contact me directly.
Franck Trutet Clubhouse Manager
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priddis greens golf & country club #1 Priddis Greens Drive | Priddis Greens, Alberta | T0L 1W3 403.931.3171 | www.priddisgreens.com