MAY 2008 INDIANOLA COUNTRY CLUB NEWSLETTER

Spring Fling

Don’t miss this years Spring Fling, the 1^st official event of the 2008 golf season:

Upcoming Tournaments

The Mother’s Day Tournament is on Sunday May 11^th.  This modified alternate shot tournament for mother/son or mother/daughter teams will have a 9 hole division at 8 a.m. and an 18 hole division at 10:30 a.m. Sign-up in advance in the clubhouse.

The State 3-Person Best Shot is on Sunday May 18^th.  Players form their own teams.  This tournament is open to both members and nonmembers so sign-up early. 

The first ‘major’ club tournament of the year is the Memorial Day Tournament on Monday May 26^th. This will be a 4-person best shot with teams formed by the committee.  A GHIN handicap is required for participation so make sure to get your scores posted!  The sign-up deadline is noon Saturday May 24^th.

Looking ahead to June, the Ladies Invitational is on Saturday June 7^th.  This two lady best shot is open to both members and nonmembers so sign your team up early.

Couples 2-Balls

There are two couples 2-balls scheduled for May.  They are Saturday May 17^th and Saturday May 24^th.  Start time is 6 p.m..  Come on out and join the fun. Reminder: the nine not being used by 2-Ball is open for others to play. 

High School Golf

The Indianola High School girl's golf team has meets on Monday April 28^th and Tuesday April 29^th at 3:30 p.m. on the east nine.  The Tuesday match is a rescheduled one and is not on the calendar.  The first tee is typically closed for about 30 minutes for a match. Please support the team in their efforts, and plan your play to avoid conflicts.

The club will also be hosting the Girls CIML Conference Golf Meet on Wednesday May 14^th.  This will have a 9:00 a.m. shotgun start.  The course will be closed to regular play until late morning. 

Pro’s Corner

I wanted to inform you of one change that you will be noticing this year on the golf course.  New for 2008, the hazard markings and out of bounds markings will be marked within the next couple of weeks and be present/visible until the end of the season.  The Golf Committee and the Greens Committee have decided that they will devote time to helping maintain these markings on the course throughout the season.  Joe and I will be making the initial markings and then the committee’s will be volunteering monthly to “freshen” up the paint when it begins lose its visibility.  There will be a few changes with how we play hazards this coming season.  The definition of a hazard is any bunker or water hazard.  The USGA does not recognize an area as a hazard if it does not include water or is part of a bunker.  Therefore, this year we will NOT be playing No Mow Areas or Wooded Areas as Hazards.  A few courses mark these areas as hazards to speed up play.  However, based on the rules of golf they are not hazards.  We are encouraging all of you to begin playing these areas as part of the normal golf course.  If you hit your ball into one of these areas that is not marked with any form of paint or stakes you must find your ball or under the penalty of one stroke go back to the location you played your last shot from.  Some of you might know this as “Stroke and Distance.”  In order to keep the pace of play moving we are recommending you hit a provisional ball if you feel your original shot may not be found.  I will be posting the options for both a Water Hazard (Yellow Marking) and a Lateral Hazard (Red Marking) in each of the locker rooms.  Also, the boundary of the golf course which has a tendency to be debatable will now be clearly marked.  For example, left on #2, #3, #8, #10, etc.  For those of you who choose not to play the course in this manner……………that’s OK.  What we are stating is that during Tournament Play and Men’s League these will be rules for 2008.  More importantly, playing by the rules will give you a much more accurate handicap.  Playing No Mow and Wooded Areas as hazards has established a lower handicap than you actually have.  Please feel free to stop me at the club if you have any questions or concerns in regards to these changes.

Mother’s Day Sale

Don't forget Mother's Day is just around the corner.  New Ladies Golf Apparel is arriving daily.  Stop in and take a look.  We think that you will like what you see for 2008. 

Ruth’s Alley

Come out to the Club on Friday nights and enjoy appetizers after 5:30 p.m. starting Friday, May 2nd.  We will take orders until 8:30 p.m.   Play a round of golf, visit with your friends and order something to eat.  Also, starting May 1^st, we introduce a new menu with some new and fun items.

Please remember to come out and enjoy Spring Fling on Saturday, May 3^rd.  We will have plenty of members, new members, and guests to enjoy the fun.  After the two-ball, we will have a Cavatelli Dinner, Salad, Bread, and a Light Dessert.  Don’t miss out on the fun.

Also, I need to personally thank Laura Manning and the Ladies Golf Association for the great job they did for the Administrative Assistant’s Luncheon this past week.  A great crowd, good food, and what a great turnout for this annual event.  I couldn’t possibly thank each woman personally, but you did a great job.

New Irrigation System Update

Joe was right when he said we would need to be patient with installation of the new watering system.  The ongoing wet weather has kept the course too soft for the installers to get the work completed.  When it dries out there is about four days of work left.  The work will be completed as soon as the weather allows.  Be patient, and remember that it will be worth it if we have a hot dry August.

Volunteer for the Principal Charity Classic 

Indianola Country Club sponsors hole #5 each year at the tournament.  We need volunteers to fill the role of hole marshals on our hole.  It costs $75 to volunteer but this includes the volunteer receiving a golf shirt, golf jacket of some kind, and a cap or visor. There is a volunteer party during the tournament or shortly after the tournament where you receive a free meal and they give away door prizes. It is a fun time and you get to watch the tournament on working days from inside the ropes. 

Call Jon Friest at 961-8245 at home or 681-1403 cell phone or Steve Saylor at 961-6395 home or 321-2395 cell phone and we will get you set up.  We have paper forms to fill out (available at the club) and then will need payment from you or you can sign up online from the Principal Charity Classic website, just note hole 5 marshal.  We will deliver your clothes and tickets before the tournament starts.

Most Improved Golfer

CONGRATULATIONS to Cindy Morrison on being in the May 2008 Golf Digests article of 'America's Most-Improved Golfers.'  With help from state and regional golf associations and handicap vendors Golf Digest scoured the country for golfers whose Indexes plunged in 2007.  Indianola Country Clubs Cindy Morrison was recognized as the Most Improved Golfer in the State of Iowa in 2007.  Cindy began the 07 season with a 15.9 index and ended the season with a 9.3.  You may reference this article in the May 2008 Issue of Golf Digest on page 161.  Congratulations Cindy on a wonderful accomplishment.

Katie Schenfeld named the MWCGA First-Year Golfer of the Year 

Congratulations to club member Katie Schenfeld who was recently named the Minnesota Women's Collegiate Golf Association First-Year Golfer of the Year.  Katie attends Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota.  She recently finished tied for 3^rd in the MWCGA Invitational shooting 74-77-151. The Gustavus Women’s team is currently ranked 3^rd by the NCAA in Division III.

Early Morning Weekend Play  

This policy for early morning play on weekends was instituted last summer.  In order to allow Joe and his staff the time to mow greens and prepare the course properly for the days play, golfers teeing off before the times shown in the table below are required to play the east nine first.  To play their second nine they must put a ball in the ball-rack and start on #1 again to get to the west nine. Golfers teeing off after the designated time are required to move to the west nine after playing #1.  Rather than prohibiting early morning play, as is done at many courses, the Board felt this was a good compromise to allow those wanting to play very early to do so and still provide the time Joe and his staff needs to get their work done.  The designated time will be clearly posted on a sign on the first tee.  Thank you for your cooperation.

Designated Start Times: April – 7:00 am            May – 6:30 am June& July – 6:00 am                                       August – 6:30 am            Sept. – 7:00 am            Oct. – 7:30 am

NOTE: Early and late season frost may require later start times.

Reminders:

GHIN Handicaps - To activate your GHIN Handicap you will need to pay the $20 fee in the clubhouse.  A GHIN Handicap is required for some of the club tournaments.  Check the calendar for details.

2008 Calendars are in the clubhouse. 2008 Bag Tags should be available soon.

Tuesday Night League - Men's Tuesday Night League will start on May 13th. Look for the sign-up sheet in the clubhouse.

Junior Golf - Don't forget to Junior Golf Sign Up in now underway.  This (5) Session program is open to both members and non members.  This year’s program is designed to teach basic fundamentals in iron and wood play, pitch shots, chipping and putting.  We will also cover general rules and etiquette.  This year’s camp will run from June 3rd - 6th and conclude on June 10th.  For more information in regards to this program you can pick up a sign up form at the Club, print one off of our web site, or give me a call and I will be happy to send you one.  Don't miss out on the opportunity to introduce your Jr. to the game of golf!  Please sign up by Monday, May 26th to guarantee your Jr. a spot.

Cutting Over - When "cutting over" from 1 to 11 to play the old nine, remember that golfers going from 10 to 11 have the right of way. Please make sure you do not cut in front of someone.  Playing from the upper tee is recommended. Cutting over on weekends and Thursday afternoons  is discouraged.

Lunch at the Club - Don't forget that lunch is available at the club Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 11AM-2PM.  Feel free to bring your friends or co-workers.  It is one of the best deals in town.

Spring New Member Specials - The multiple new member initiation fee discount will remain in effect until the membership is full.  This discounts the initiation fee up to 60% for 4 new memberships when multiple families or individuals become new members at the same time.

Membership Changes

We have received resignations from Rod & Cathy DeHaai.  Welcome new members Patricia Vincent, Tom & Mary Daughenbaugh, Dennis & Sandra Bell, Scott & Ericka Bachof, Larry & Patricia Johnson, Mark & Amy McGlumphry, and Scott & Dawn Sams.  We now have 325 golf and 12 social memberships.

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