THE MAPLE RIDGE MESSENGER

The Official Newsletter of Maple Ridge Golf Club, Columbus, Ga.

APRIL 15, 2009 EDITION

APRIL 15 … TAXING TIME FOR THE CLUB!!!           Tom Kubik, General Manager

I have done my part and sent my tax payment to Uncle Sam for final redistribution as the government sees fit.  Although taxes per se are not the culprit for the Club, cash flow is tight as we face a $12,000 fertilizer bill, $10,000+ repair to #9 storm pipe and cart path, $10,000+ restroom renovations, new greens mowers and trailers, and who knows what else.  Just wanted to let you know, that in spite of the economy we are moving forward to continue to maintain and improve your Club. 

The new member drive that Rick has underway is an integral part of the strategy to grow the membership to help offset operating and improvement costs and do our best to maintain Maple Ridge as the best private golf club value in the Chattahoochee Valley area.  If you know of any prospects, please let Rick or Brianne know and we will all do our best to make them feel welcome as new members of the Club.  The Spring golf season is so important for member play and membership growth … let’s hope that Mother Nature will begin to smile on us with a little more sun and a little less rain.

As always …please let us know your thoughts and ideas to make Your Club the Best it can be. Thank you so much for your continuing support!

SWING TIP FROM THE GOLF SHOP                                        Mike Gill, Director of Golf

Do you or do you know someone who loses their balance falling toward the golf ball as they make their swing through the ball?

Reason: Bad weight shift or bad balance.   Drills to correct the problem:

#1:  As you practice, start off by hitting some shots with a 7-iron off a tee. Think of your weight like this -- Right heel, left toe at the top of your back swing.  As you finish your swing the weight shifts the opposite way -- Right toe and left heel.  Finish standing tall over your left foot (right-handed golfer).

#2:  As you hit practice shots, pick your toes up inside your shoes and keep them up as long as you can (you may not be able to hit full shots with this one).  Most of your weight will be toward the balls of your feet and your heels.

            Try these simple drills and hopefully this will increase your balance and weight shift for a better finish position.

LET’S TALK TURF                            Doug Smith, Certified Golf Course Superintendent

Taxes & Turf.  I believe my opening line last month was It’s Never Too Late!  Well it is too late after midnight tonight.  Can you actually get anything postmarked at midnight?  

Anyway late or not it’s really wet out there.  Recent rainfall amounts for Columbus were 12.70” for March and 2.90” so far this month.  Hopefully there will be better weather ahead so we can continue our efforts to grow grass.  At this time we have ten tons of fertilizer in the shed and the creek crossing at hole #9 to repair. 

Concerning number hole #9 creek crossing, we still have some homework to do before we get started. First we need to finish with process of determining the type of bridge that will handle the water flow and hold the weight of our equipment at a reasonable cost.  Then of course we will have to get estimates.  And finally the work will have to be done.  While this process unfolds the cart path at hole #9 is unstable at best, so proceed with caution or better yet, use the temporary cart path.  Either route traveled should be used with Caution!  We apologize for this inconvenience and will have a suitable creek crossing within the next few months so we can continue to make Maple Ridge the best it can be.

“BRI”-EF LIL’ BIT                                Brianne J. Baggett, Sales & Marketing Assistant

I have truly enjoyed my first couple of weeks here at Maple Ridge Golf Club. It has been an awesome experience getting to know many of the members. I had the privilege of being taught the fun game of “Corn-Hole.” Thank you Mr. Terry (Register) for my current winning streak!

As a newcomer to the golf club and the sport of golf, I must admit that I am not a natural golfer.  Although, I did surprise myself when I beat Rick at a putting competition at this week’s Columbus Board of REALTORS® Outing. I am proud to say I beat a veteran!                        

“In the Limelight” is a new section featured on the Maple Ridge website. Please visit http://www.golfmapleridge.com/ to check it out. This week Jason Yoxtheimer is “In the Limelight” and will be featured on the homepage. Jason is better known around the clubhouse as Yox. His comedic personality created a humorous article and an entertaining interview for me. If you’d like be a highlighted member or golfer on our website or want to recommend a fellow member, please contact me at bbaggett@wcbradley.com. My goal is to highlight a different member of the golf club on the Maple Ridge Golf Club website each week. Hopefully, “In the Limelight,” will help develop a better knowledge of fellow golf members. 

RIDING WAVES OF EXCITEMENT             Rick Jacobson, Director of Sales & Marketing

            More new members board the Maple Ridge ship -- or should it be “ark” considering our super-wet times lately?  Early April brought Sun Tu Kim, owner of Mikata Japanese Steakhouse into our ranks, followed by Mike Posey, a project manager on contract assignment for ProSys of Norcross, GA.  As a result of our first “Potential Member Day”, TSYS programmer/analyst Lem Manry signed up April 11, and Glenwood senior golfer Blake Quinney rejoined and promptly was medalist (77) at his school’s next tourney at the Greenville (AL) Country Club yesterday!

            Nobody stops the Maple Ridge Golf Club “Hackers,” our new entry in the Columbus Senior Softball League!  Unfortunately, I had to turn 54 to meet league rookie standards, but felt it was a great chance to market “The Ridge” to almost 150 active “old guys”, many of whom are golfers, too. One teammate is 79 ½ and has been driving up from Lumpkin twenty times a year for 24 years to play slow-pitch!  Not sure if he’s Casey Stengel or Ben Hogan reincarnated. But I do know we’ve got the best-looking caps and shirts in the CSSL! League officials are enthusiastic about the possibility of capping off the softball season with a late-spring or summer golf outing at MRGC. 

Rescheduling tournaments and outings postponed by rain have been pretty much the order of the day lately.  Thankfully, clearing skies allowed the Columbus Board of Realtors to “REACH” their goal of hosting “Fun Day”.   Sixty golfers and more than eighty others used Bingo, “Hit The House” putting contest, “Corn-Hole” and the five-hole putting challenge (in which Brianne cleaned my clock and finished 2^nd overall) to raise thousands for Realtors Extending A Caring Hand. 

            The Maple Ridge Community Open House was postponed from March 14 till May 30 (both Saturdays to accommodate family activities).  Next, the Salvation Army fundraising outing moves from St. Patrick’s Day to Tuesday, April 21.  The Club Member-Member, washed out in late March, will be played April 25-26 with a new signup process.  The St. Francis Hospital Physicians Day outing moves from March 27 to a date “TBA”, as does Calvary Christian School (from March 31).

            Along the way, we added two Tuesday “Bonus Days” that we’ll be open for member play – April 7 (dryer, but stilly chilly) and April 28.  Make plans to join us on the 28th if you can!

            The rest of April and May bring a wide range of new and returning outing hosts, starting with the ladies event of the Salvation Army next Tuesday.  On the 24^th, it’s the Greater Columbus Homebuilders Association spring fling, followed by St. Luke United Methodist Church (April 30).

May starts with the always-big Columbus Chamber of Commerce event on the 1^st.  The rest of the month’s schedule:  International Friendship Ministries (May 5), our second of five “Potential Member Days” (May 9), Automated Business Machines (May 12),  our Club-famous B.A.S.H. tourney May 16-17, West Georgia Ladies (May 18), Commercial Real Estate Industry (May 19).  All these are in addition to MGA, LGA, JGA and Couples golf events – whew!

No entry submitted by busy Food and Beverage Director Shawn Robinson this issue, but in addition to whipping up Prime Rib for the April 16 MGA dinner and Irish Stew for the Salvation Army dinner, Shawn’s asked us to check out member interest for a cooking class he’d like to start for interested members!  Let Brianne or me know if you’re so inclined. We’ll have details next issue.