


I would like to begin this message with a note of appreciation for our management and employ ees. On the financial side of Club operations, we are currently slightly ahead of budget for the year and expect to finish the year in that position. Based on initial reviews of the member survey responses, we have achieved many positive results in categories aimed at member satisfaction. These positive outcomes are the result of our hard-working and effective management and their supporting employees. Hiring, training and maintaining the team needed to run our operations was the single largest challenge for our operations this year. Priddis Greens has a wonderful reputation and legacy. This is due to the quality of the golf cours es, the culture of our membership as well the way we choose to fund and deliver our operations. Although each of these areas can and have been improved with every passing year, perhaps the largest change over the Club’s history has been the funding model. Priddis Greens started as a nine-hole semi-private Club and over time has grown in size and evolved its funding model.
Today, members retain an equity interest in their membership, and they contribute the majority of annual operating and capital funding. In the past, our budgets have been supplemented with debt and events (e.g. weddings and corporate tournaments) to reduce the cost to members. Except for major events like the CP Women’s Open, debt and/or outside events do not increase equity values and they put pressure on tee sheet access. Member equity and tee sheet access are the two largest challenges to continue building the legacy of Priddis Greens. You have also read elsewhere that some of our infrastructure is aging and will need significant upgrades or replacement in the coming years. The Club’s long-range plan is also contemplating improvements to our Clubhouse and golf facilities. The Board is dealing with these challenges with the expectation that members will pay for what they want. This is not a signal to concern people about a major dues increase or a massive capital call, but it is a reminder that member cap ital is the heart of a members’ club. When members invest, services and equity values increase.
Membership (Board)
Darrell Danyluk
Roger Maslen
Briske
Will Grisdale
Matt Entwistle
Ron Laugher
Thomlinson
Long-range Planning
Bas Wheeler
Soules
Hozjan
Minnema
Butterwick
Thomlinson
Finance
Ken Baron
Harry Reid
Fisher
Heavisides
Hozjan
Brad Trumble
Michael Hodgson
Michailuck
Laugher
Thomlinson
Green
James Beebe
Dave Gladney
Baron
Main
Head
Wilson
Earl
Huard
Thomlinson
Golf (Operations)
John Wilson
Babcock
Soules
Russell
Bauer
Schrader
Beebe
Thomlinson
House (Operations)
Franck Trutet
Maslen
McGee
Goodwin Erin Rowley
Evans
The 2022 golf season has provided us with another memorable year of golf at Priddis Greens. A return to a normal tournament schedule, upgrades to many of our existing tournaments, and an overall improvement in member services have all been well received by membership.
The Board and management have already begun looking forward to 2023 to make additional changes to improve overall Club enjoyment even more.
The Membership Committee and Board have changed our tact concerning a potential amendment to the bylaws restricting private sales and bringing membership sales into management’s hands. Instead, changes have been instituted to our policy statements which, in our opinion, will reduce the length of our Sellers’ List and eventually turn our membership balance into a Buyers’ List. The three most important changes are discussed below.
The first change was to Policy Statement #27: Non-Active Member, whereby an Annual Designated Player (“ADP”) will only be allowed for non-residency, as stated in our bylaws. Non-resident members will now need to provide their own ADP or switch to the new Non-Active dues billing category which will be at a reduced annual rate. Members applying to take a year off due to medical or other compelling reasons may designate an immediate family member to play in their stead or opt for the Non-Active category. This decision will reduce total membership by approximately 24 players in 2023, and in turn free up 850+ rounds of golf. This accomplishes two things: it will relieve stress on the tee sheet and golf course, and force past and currently planned ADPs to make an immediate decision to purchase or not to purchase a membership.
The second change was made to Policy Statement #31: Buying and Selling of Memberships, whereby a standardized application and approval process will be implemented to match the verbiage in our current bylaws. This change will allow the Board to properly vet new membership applications for approval into the Club.
The third change was made to Policy Statement #57: Young Professionals Equity Program, which opens this already successful program to non-family members. We will target past sponsored members who did not fall into this program when it was restricted to only family mem bers. This change, along with the changes to Policy Statement #27, will allow us to make additional sales this off-season, thereby reducing our Sellers’ List.
The Membership Committee, along with the rest of the Board and management, are working diligently to deliver to the membership a proper legacy plan and lay the groundwork to continue making Priddis Greens the premier golf club in the greater Calgary area. We as members and management are embracing the task of leaving the Club in a better financial position and better prepared for the future than when we arrived in our current positions. The Committee is available to listen to your concerns at any time. Enjoy your winter and see you all in 2023.
Darrell Danyluk Roger Maslen Membership Committee Chair Membership Committee Vice ChairAfter another great golf season, it is a reminder of what a truly special place we have to enjoy. It is also a reminder of the work and dedi cation of past boards, committees and management teams that continued to improve our facilities for the benefit of current and future members. The LRP Committee’s focus is on just that future, both near and longer term and we want to give you an update on initiatives that are underway.
In the last newsletter, we mentioned the possibility of acquiring additional land adjacent to the golf course. Meetings have been held with the landowners, who are contemplating how much land they may be willing to sell (if any) and when they may be willing to do so. Although no decisions to acquire and develop the land have been made by the Club (and would require a member vote), this is likely a one-time op portunity that we believe the Club should consider and either accept or reject. Options for the additional land, among others, are new golf holes, expanded and improved practice facilities and/or better turf care facilities.
The landowners are not in a hurry to make a decision and we are at the mercy of their timeline to move this issue forward. We are also con sidering adding the new land to our existing lease and have had preliminary discussions with our current landlord on that topic. Water avail ability is another important concern. Until we get more certainty on the availability of the land and related issues, it is difficult to move be yond high-level conceptual planning. We hope to be in a position to present more detailed information to you prior to our next golf season.
Renovations to the Clubhouse are also on our radar and a consultant has been engaged to develop both short and longer term options. Our kitchen is in desperate need of expansion to be able to offer the range of dining options the membership indicates they desire, according to our member surveys. The overall decor, including the movable walls in The Grandview, also needs upgrading. Longer term options include additional amenities (e.g. improved locker rooms, fitness facilities, golf simulators), improved office and storage facilities, and enhancing the Raven’s Nest area. We hope to have preliminary proposals from the consultant by the end of the year.
Carolyn Soules and Bas Wheeler have attended meetings of each committee this fall to update them on our long-range planning process and the current status of various initiatives. We also cannot put our future on hold while waiting for developments in the larger, aspirational initiatives and the other committees have been putting together their own “asks” to be included in the 2023 Capital Plan. The LRP Commit tee will be working with management to integrate these “asks”, along with normal maintenance and replacement capital needs, into a draft plan for the Board to consider as part of the 2023 plans and budget approval process.
We have a great facility to enjoy today but we also must consider what needs to be done to maintain and improve our offerings in the fu ture. Those who came before us had the foresight to make the investments for the next generation and we need to do the same.
I trust we all enjoyed another great season of golf and social connections at our Club. Now that the season is over, it gives us the opportu nity to pause, reflect and plan. Overall, your membership survey feedback indicated an overwhelming positive experience at Priddis Greens. Our collective goal is to continue this member experience and remain one of the premier golf clubs in our market. Looking forward is an important function of the Board and its committees. The Finance Committee is engaged in reviewing the current results and assessing the future needs of the Club.
The members of the Committee are Paul Fisher, Todd Heavisides, Michael Hodgson, Rob Hozjan, Harry Reid, Brad Trumble and me as Chair. I thank these members for their time and dedication in making our Club a great place to spend our time.
It is always a challenge to operate in such a weather dependent activity that is golf. With that in mind, the Club is forecasted to successful ly meet and slightly exceed the 2022 operational budget by $54K. Also, the capital spend set for the year is within budget ($689K). These results were challenged by rising costs and labour scarcity. Our thanks to management for their diligence in making these results happen.
In addition, the Board approved the repayment of an additional $0.531 million of floating rate debt over the scheduled amounts due in 2022. This effectively results in a $77K saving in full term interest expense.
10-year Plan (excluding any aspirational undertakings such as expanding the Club’s footprint and/or major Clubhouse renovations)
The Committee is currently in the midst of deliberations aimed at making recommendations to the Board on how best to meet the challeng es of the Club’s future capital requirements.
As previously communicated to the membership, the Club, through its 10-year planning exercise, has determined there is a need for approx imately $12.4 million in capital (excluding major aspirational type undertakings).
Of the total amount identified, $7.3 million relates to replacing /maintaining existing infrastructure at a comparable level enjoyed today. Much of that infrastructure is reaching the end of its useful life and even beyond. Examples of items in this category are Clubhouse struc tural, exterior, parking lots, Clubhouse interior furniture fixtures and workspaces, plant and mechanical equipment, Turf Care buildings and equipment.
In addition to this “maintenance” capital, $5.1 million of additional “improvement” capital has been identified as necessary to keep pace with member expectations for ongoing improvements, mostly in Turf Care for such items as bunker, greens and irrigation replacement, walkways and slit drainage as well as other minor enhancements to practice facilities.
Traditionally the capital needs of the Club have been funded through normal capital annual “allowance” incorporated in annual member dues and the occasional “improvement” spend approved by the membership through a Special General Meeting (SGM). In the past, the incremental improvement capital has been funded by debt which the Club is still repaying plus interest.
• Over 10-years, the total capital needs are $12.4 million
• Over 10-years, the capital included in annual dues is $7.0 million
• Over 10-years, the estimated shortfall is approximately $5.4 million
The future funding needs are also not projected to be even annual amounts throughout the next 10 years. As an example, for 2023 the preliminary spend is projected to be just over $2 million. This is approximately $1.3 million over the annual capital allowance in our dues. The preferred financial position for a Club would be to have sufficient capital reserves retained to pay for these larger maintenance and improve ment capital needs.
Currently, the Club does not have any capital reserves accumulated to pay for any future requirements. The Committee is looking at various alternatives to address this funding issue for our current and long-term needs.
There are several potential approaches to addressing the shortfall. Ultimately the membership is responsible for the Club’s financial position whether it be by repaying debt or direct funding in advance.
The past use of debt is not considered first choice in the current economic climate. The cost of borrowing has gone up significantly, leaves a legacy of future debt repayment requirements and does not address future additional needs. Exclusive use of debt for maintenance and improvement capital might limit the Club’s ability to respond to changing spend timing, inflationary pressures and borrowing capacity for future projects.
At this point no decision has been made as to the best solution for this funding shortfall. The Committee is also aware of membership sen sitivity regarding a large funding call from the Club.
The Finance committee is scheduled to meet prior to year end to finalize a funding recommendation to the Board as well as review manage ment’s preliminary budget for 2023.
Ken Baron Finance Committee ChairThank you for being part of another great season at Priddis Greens! We truly hope that you enjoyed your time with us this summer and look forward to seeing you at the Club over the winter months. 2022 was another great season for golf. Although we started a bit sluggish in May and June, the last few months were filled with great weather and events.
We are in planning mode for next year and are excited to start creating new products, amenities, and services for our members. One of the more challenging projects underway is forecasting the capital needs of the Club for the next 10 years. With the current inflationary market, predicting costs and determining availability is difficult, especially for larger projects. Once our capital needs have been forecasted, we will focus on operating budgets for all departments. The combination of the two will determine the funding needs and dues levels for 2023 which will be communicated in January.
The results from two key surveys play a significant role in shaping both our operating and capital budgets: the employee engagement sur vey and the member satisfaction survey. We utilize this feedback from our members and employees to help guide our decision making at all three levels: management, committee, and the board. Last year we did not provide a fulsome report on the member satisfaction survey results. Feedback was received that members would like to hear more about what others think and what the Club is doing in response to the feedback. The sections below provide a look back at what transpired in 2022 as well as a look forward to 2023 based on the surveys.
Following the 2021 survey we placed a priority on addressing areas of improvement noted by members in the annual survey. Some desired improvements were not possible due to constraints, such as grass tee availability on the range. However, we utilize all feedback in planning for the long-term when considering facility expansion.
The following areas were all noted in the 2021 survey and the corresponding changes were made:
1. Ease of booking tee times (general, lottery, less members & leagues)
Changes were made to host less shotgun events, increasing availability on some days and an assumption was made that demand would decrease significantly from 2021 due to easing of restrictions. This will be addressed again in planning for 2023 as tee time access was only marginally improved from 2021.
2. Pace of play management (communication and action)
The Pro Shop focused on communicating the newly established pace standards to groups daily, as well as publishing monthly reports com pared to targets. Staffing levels were improved in the Pro Shop to allow for more hands-on management of groups playing slowly. Our pace improved again in 2022 over 2021 statistics.
Hiring a full-time manager for our outside services to ensure a focused improvement on the member experience proved valuable as validat ed in the 2022 survey results.
Range balls were once again provided on the chipping green for members to use. However, the 2022 survey highlights the dissatisfaction by members encountering a green full of range balls left by the previous user(s). The turf on the grass tee was replaced to provide a better experience although the total surface area will remain the same until a major renovation is completed.
We made a concerted effort to address this very common challenge at golf courses. We established very detailed standards for bunker sand depth and how we maintain bunkers depending on their moisture levels, location, and level of usage by members.
6. The Grandview (menu selection and food consistency)
We provided menu specials and updates on a regular basis throughout the season to improve the selection while keeping the menu small enough to produce good delivery times and dish consistency. With the current kitchen size and varying demands and desires, it is difficult to provide a broad menu that appeals to all members without creating a large, unmanageable selection. Labour challenges also made training for consistency more difficult.
Our Handicap Committee did some great work this past year developing standards for inputting scores and communicating directly with members who were having difficulty.
We reintroduced buffets for many member events in 2022 with a focus on larger portions for the plated events. Although a few member event menus were not well received, many events were very successful and satisfying to the members who participated.
We added one rubber walking path between Hawk 13 & 14 during the season and recently a second path between Raven 12 & 13 was com pleted after the courses closed.
Our horticulture team did a wonderful job in enhancing the program around the Clubhouse. Concerns from prior years were mainly due to budget constraints implemented during the pandemic.
We developed a system for removing and disposing of duckweed from our ponds that significantly improved their appearance in 2022, as well as decreased seasonal labour resources to manually maintain our ponds.
We introduced two new types of bread on sandwiches served in the concessions last year as well as new air-tight packaging.
13. Expand concession hours of operation (Raven later in PM, Hawk earlier in AM)
The Raven’s Nest was open for one hour later and Hawk Hideaway opened a half-hour earlier each day throughout the season. Unfortunate ly due to labour shortages the BBQ on Hawk 9 was open on a limited basis.
This year, the survey results were again excellent overall. It is easy to get caught up in what members want to see changed or improved, but the overall theme is that members are satisfied with their membership and are proud of their Club. The link provided on the next page contains the scores for each question as well as the summarized individual comments noted for improvement in each area. Below are the key areas noted for improvement by members that management will focus on as we continue to embrace continuous improvement in 2023 and beyond.
1. Tee time access (general, mornings, too many tournaments, not equitable, system)
2. Food quality in The Grandview
3. Menu variety & style in The Grandview
4. Ability to bring guests (hard to book, costs are high)
5. Driving Range / Practice Facility (grass tee, driving range length, short game area)
6. Ball washers on course
7. Bunkers (sand consistency and depth in bunkers)
8. General course conditions (greens consistency)
9. Pace of play management
10. Clubhouse renovation (locker rooms, dining room, member only lounge, washrooms)
Thank you for being a member at Priddis Greens Golf & Country Club. We are proud to be a part of this great community and look forward to enriching your lives by creating exceptional experiences!
to all members who scored
achievement
Jenny McConaghy
Olschewski
Onyszchuk
Marshall
Diaper
albatross
the 2022 season. Many of these individuals attended an exclusive din
the following:
Trevor Bell
Trevor Bell (again...)
Mike Board
Fred Serjeant
Dennis Huculak
Barry Adamson
to
members
helped
pick
practice facilities.
Kevin Ingalls
Jim Harris
Colin Petryk
Mike Cronkwright
Members
joined
Sagi
Club
full slate of member events in 2022 were well attended with a
mix of competition and comraderie. In recognition of those victorious members from this season’s latest tournaments,
us in congratulating the following (see next page):
Team Pothier
Malcolm Munro
Malinda Chanyi
It was an extremely successful season from a Golf Operations perspective and the weather, and your positive energy were large contributors to that success. We had 24 members events, 10 match play events, and 10 weekly leagues, and all were well participated in.
The total number of member rounds between May 1st and October 10th was 23,369 on the Hawk and 25,728 on the Raven for a combined member round experience of 49,097. The highest total of any member was 153 rounds in 163 days - amazing! Total rounds of golf played for 2022 was 58,140 compared to 63,299 in 2021.
We continue to manage the member experiences and a big part of this is pace of play. Using Tagmarshal, we have seen a number of success es: average pace of play for both courses is under 4:06 which is great, and having 10-minute tee times has certainly helped the flow. We will continue to look at ways to improve members experiences using Tagmarshal. Click on the link below to view the most recent report.
We have started to look at all member events including tournaments, leagues, and match plays. The Golf Operations team in conjunction with the Golf Committee and Ladies’ and Men’s Executives will be looking at formats, participation, dates, tee times vs shotguns and start times will all be looked at to confirm and finalize the 2023 schedule.
The Golf Committee has looked at handicap qualifications for all member events and using the advice from the Handicap Committee we have determined that all members that want to participate in member events must have entered a minimum of 80% of their starts into the Golf Canada handicap portal.
On behalf of the Golf Operations Team, we wish you a happy and safe off season and we look forward to seeing you at the Club when time allows.
Food & Beverage had a great season financially, the best since hosting the CP Women’s Open in 2016, thanks to the support of our membership, guests and surrounding public communities. The Grandview restaurant has been bustling since May 1st with an astonishing 7,159 online reser vations, excluding all member leagues, tournaments, weddings, and events. On average, 138 people were served daily, including 40% walk-ins, excluding take-out orders. However, the volume was a great challenge for our culinary team.
The Grandview features one of the largest dining areas with the tiniest kitchen facility for any 36-hole private club in Alberta. Due to our large dining room, we have the ability to accommodate larger groups more than any Calgary restaurant, which is excellent but puts more pressure on our small kitchen and affects delivery time. This year has become even more challenging due to difficulty recruiting skilled workers for many positions - many chefs have changed careers and less immigration due to the recent pandemic closures, as per a Restaurant Canada survey; increased commuting costs due to the price of gas; and the current size of our kitchen does not attract talent easily.
Based on the survey results, the Food & Beverage team understands and fully recognizes the areas our members want to see improve including: overall menu variety & selection; food quality & consistency; more regular menu changes; more casual fare; and atmosphere/ambiance.
The Grandview received a satisfaction rating of 95% in overall service and 96% in employee knowledge and attitude – a 2% gain over last year’s results. A special thank you to Catherine, Tatjana, Madison, Karl and Danielle for their hard work, commitment and contribution to improve ment, along with the great help from their team of servers, bussers, runners, and hostesses. I would like to also recognize our Executive Chef, Epifano Tubbali, for his first year at the helm of the kitchen, and our Executive Sous Chef and Senior Sous Chef, Rodelio Ruiz and Jae Jun Kim, respectively, for their loyalty and dedication following their first season of long hours and limited days off.
The On-Course Concessions received an overall 98% satisfaction rating – outstanding job. With the help of Marley and her team, Danette main tained a superior level of excellence in both the Raven’s Nest and Hawk Hideaway. I would like to personally recognize Danette for wearing two hats, one for managing on-course concessions and one for organizing events, both of which involve long hours. However, we recognize a few issues include BBQ availability, ice machine, sandwich consistency, and product shortage, all of which we will improve next season. Due to the extremely small kitchen in the Raven’s Nest, it is and will be very difficult to improve the selection of products until an expansion is completed.
Thank you to our Wine Club members. With sales of $176k YTD, it has helped the Club obtain better pricing, which is passed on to members. Due to the bulk volume purchased, more beer and wine sponsors have also helped with member tournaments and supported the Priddis Greens Charity Classic. In return, a Wine Club member benefits from: lower prices for wine, beer and liquor; reduced corkage fee; discounted pricing on wine dinners; and complimentary wine tasting events.
In the area of Clubhouse maintenance, we have now finished installing new ceiling tiles and LED lighting in the lower hallway and completed the repair of our Clubhouse skylight (no more leaks!). Thank you to Doris, Aaron and their team for a tremendous job this past season.
The Grandview will remain open for regular dining Wednesdays to Saturdays from 4PM to 8PM with features beginning November 9th: Wednes day “Theme Night”, Thursday “Pub Night”, Friday & Saturday prix fixe and a la carte; and special events including the Kids’ Christmas Party, Christ mas Brunch, and New Year’s Eve dinner. We look forward to seeing you throughout the winter.
Franck Trutet Clubhouse ManagerThe Green Committee met in mid-October to discuss: 2022 season review; long-range planning (incl. putting surfaces); member and employee survey results; committee, member, and employee feedback; 2023 putting green aeration schedule; 2023 budget development plan.
To prepare the golf courses for winter, numerous essential maintenance tasks are re quired which take approximately two weeks to complete. Our team was able to com plete 90% of the required tasks prior to the golf course receiving 6” to 8” of snow on October 22nd. We are confident that the remaining 10% of tasks will be completed as employees have begun shoveling snow to expedite the process. The scheduled final day of golf on Thanksgiving Monday proved once again to be the effective date for closing to ensure the golf courses were winterized properly. The following is a list of essential winter preparation tasks:
• aerate greens, surrounds, and traffic areas; topdress tees, greens, and select fairways
• snow mold prevention fungicide application (75 tank loads): greens (4), tees (4), fair ways (25), rough (42)
• irrigation system blowout
• general clean-up including leaf, debris and accessory removal & storage (rakes, pins, tee markers, hazard stakes etc..)
• install wildlife fencing and green covers on select holes
Once the essential winter preparation tasks have been completed, the Club will open winter access for members to the golf course. If the weather is conducive, the paths will be open for walking, cross-country ski trails will be groomed, and skating on Hawk #17 pond will be available. Please visit the website under Services > Outdoor Activities for updates on access and winter conditions.
James Beebe Golf Course Managerpriddis greens golf & country club
#1 Priddis Greens Drive | Priddis Greens, Alberta | T0L 1W3 403.931.3171 | www.priddisgreens.com