Golf Commission

The following are the minutes of the Brewster Golf commission held on August 10, 2010. The meeting was called to order at 4:00 PM.

Commissioners present: Rob Harris, Chairman Cindy Bingham, Vice-Chair Jim Ehrhart, Lori Arnold, Anne O'Connell, Jeff Odell, Marc Fontaine, Joseph Shaw, Commissioner Emeritus

Staff present: Mark O'Brien, Director of Operations
Steve Mann, Superintendent
Others Present: Jim Foley, Board of Selectmen Liaison Ron Senatore, Ginnie O'Louflin, Dick Martinez, Jim Knowles, Bob Kinscherf,  Wally Berger, Charles Stanley, Orin Seagall, Ray DiPietro, Ray Gomez, Ted Nabywaniec, Joanne Liberles, Joanne Hughes

The July meeting minutes were reviewed and amended. Marc Fontaine moved to approve amended minutes, Cindy Bingham seconded. Amended minutes approved.

CORRESPONDENCE

• Request from Max Guilbert Cell Phones for Soldiers, closest to the pin contest. Cindy Bingham moved to approve the request, Jeff Odell second. The request was approved.
• The following requests for donations were denied: Families affected by cancer; Parish of Christ the King, St. Vincent DePaul society; Our Lady of Victory Parish for substance abuse counseling; Team 6 Boosters—meals on wheels, adopt a highway, special Olympics; Community Health center. Jim Ehrhart pointed out that Mark does not need to bring similar requests to the Commission when the requests do not meet the Commission guidelines. Others agreed. Mark will respond directly to requests for donations that do not meet the Commission guidelines.
• The following requests for donations were recommended for approval: Gosnold on Cape Cod; Bob Redd Memorial Basketball Tournament; NRHS gymnastics team; Cape Abilities; Chip in for Haiti. Jim Ehrhart moved to approve the requests, seconded by Cindy Bingham. The requests were approved.
• There was a request for credit received on July 28 to apply 2010 membership dues to 2011. The request technically fails to meet criteria for credit and was denied.

DIRECTOR'S REPORT

• July Green fees down $37,000 as compared to last year.
• Tee time change instituted about half way through month. May have slight impact. August green fees up about 10,000 dollars, no closed days. Selling pretty consistently up through 10:30. Twilight rates are up. Not taking away from $66 rate, perhaps from after 12 rate.
• Calendar YTD- green fee revenue down about $43,000 for calendar year.
• Play totals: member play was up in July as compared to 2009
• Calendar YTD play total – nothing great to report, Jeff Odell noted guest play down 800 rounds from July 09 to July 10
• Pro shop numbers – 33% gross profit margin, compared to 26% last July
• Inventory levels, $138,000, right on target compared to $180,000 last year
• Numbers are not improving, other area course managers reporting similar situations
• Preferred lies posted this afternoon (lift, clean and place in your own fairway within one club length)
• Cart revenue level , seems more players are riding, since number of rounds down
• Pace of play signs in carts done as of today
• Water cooler needs replacement instead of repair
• Temporary restroom signs made
• Cindy will work with Mark about restroom access from #9 Starboard

SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT

• Golf course conditions – old fairways with 4 diseases, Fairy Ring, Enthracnos, Dollar spot, summer patch (worst), root born, expensive to treat with chemicals i.e. 1 gal/acre $22,275 for one treatment, and treatment protocols usually call for 3 to 4 treatments. Sprayed last Thursday, Friday $12-$15,000 on old fairways.
• Greens and tees fine.
• Rough burned out. 20 mill gallon cushion
• Water – Will try to increase 1.5 million gallons /day over 140 days (100,000/day) for total of 60 mil, but used 59 million gallons when doing driving range and doing seeding. Fines will occur if not careful with usage.
• Barnstable Old Fairground, 77 million gallons for 270 days for 18 holes. Needs 50 to 55 million gallons to be in good shape. Water Management act in Boston contacted to find out about new permit. Probably will need engineering firm
• Pleasant Bay Fertilizer management plan (Horsely-Whitten) – plan has incorrect information. 20% (leechate rate ) rate (Bill Clark-extension service, Universities), not true, depends on fertilizer (organic, coated). Won't fertilize until September. Trying to fertilize fairways, keep out of roughs. Jeff Odell asked about numbers reported in 1997. Marc asked about written response, has concern about perception of Captains polluting Pleasant Bay. Numbers will be changed when final draft comes out. Jeff Odell recommended written follow-up with numbers to be included in final report. Marc Fontaine volunteered to work with Steve to draft a letter.
• Early tee times – 6:12 tee time. Players caught up to crew on tees, also a few fairways. Not a problem on weekends. Haven't started spraying. Mark O'Brien recommends continuing early tee times on weekends only. Haven't figured out how to maintain course while continuing early times. Steve said he could try rotating mowing schedule. Rob Harris recommended continuing early tee times on weekends only. No complaints from neighbors. Commission will address over the winter.
• Rob Harris reported that BOS approved top four items for course improvements: Port #1 tee and sinkhole, #10 sinkhole, Starboard #13 tee and sinkhole, Port #11 tee (white/blue/gold). Proceed with Spec/bid process.

OLD BUSINESS

• Moving association block times
• Marketable tee times before 10:00, ratio of cart usage, each time worth $300; $90,000 of revenue devoted to block time, club championship increases revenue loss to about potential $100,000. Discussion about market value of tee times during prime time. Mark reported gain of 5 times from 6:30 to 8 by maintaining same ratio. Later times, based on men's assoc survey , (18 no, 4, yes, 6 maybe), might make Men's quota unviable. Comments from men's assoc, 4 would consider not joining Captains; Joanne Hughes'maybe half of members are summer season members, Joanne Liberles – 35% of women's 18 hole assoc nonresident members, prefer morning play, possible loss of membership. Suggestion made to prepay across the board, not just 6 weeks in advance. Jeff Odell spoke to prepaid tee time provision, used to book $80,000 in advance, now $6500. Mark reported that people are playing where it is easiest to book times. New credit card restrictions on taking fees over internet. Highest preference for times is 8-10:00 AM. Other times (10:30 or later) are not as high in demand. 2:30 rate popular, more play, but no increase in revenue. No action taken.
• 50/20 allocation for member tee times – total of 29 member tee times in AM out of 74. Historically have had more members than we currently have. Rob Harris presented chart illustrating situation. The problem is that since second course has opened, the membership to expense ratio is going down, In 2005 AFP paid 45% of expenses, got 39% of tee times. In 2007-08, members paid 42% for 39% of times. With no rate increase and declining membership, Brewster can't afford to offer 50/20 tee times. Rob proposed tying the number of tee times available for AFP to membership expense ratio, since not known in advance what membership will be. The goal is to sustain the golf course while at the same time protecting member times. No action taken today.
• Possibility of opening back nine to general public was raised. Mark O'Brien not confident that it would be huge revenue opportunity. Will be considered at future meeting.
• Website report – 2 phase approach to revamping website, i.e. reference to 2008, things easier on the eyes, second phase with webmaster to make it more user-friendly. Committee will continue.

SUGGESTION BOX

• Give 90 year old members 1 key for range balls/year. Declined NEW BUSINESS
• Pay now/Play now. Anne O'Connell questioned offer in light of possible changes to membership fee. Jeff Odell asked why not residents too? Cindy Bingham moved , Jim Ehrhart seconded to institute Pay/Play now on September 15 for nonresident members at rate of 1500 with 2 installments). Approved.
• Cindy Bingham moved to institute Pay/Play now on September 15 for resident members at rate of 700. Discussion will continue at future meeting.
• Discussion about history of resident membership. 14% of resident members quit last year. Need to recruit new members.
• Cindy Bingham recommended meeting in two weeks to develop commission calendar.

Next meeting: Thursday August 26 at 4:00 o Calendar o Membership Rates Jim Ehrhart moved to adjourn at 6:15, seconded by Cindy Bingham.