THE MAPLE RIDGE MESSENGER

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

JUNE 1, 2009 EDITION

GIVING BACK TO THE GAME …                      Tom Kubik, General Manager

Enclosed in this mailing you will find a letter from the Board of the First Tee of Columbus which is also feeling the effects of the current economic situation.  Maple Ridge members have served and currently serve on the Board of the First Tee, the MGA has been a loyal financial supporter, the First Tee program was supported by the Chattahoochee Valley Amateur last year, and the Club has donated equipment and expertise to the Godwin Creek Golf Course.   

We respect the confidential nature of our members’ information on file and would never furnish our mailing list to anyone, but felt that an appeal through our normal correspondence channels would be appropriate in this instance.  Donations are strictly voluntary.  This is an opportunity to give back to the game and to insure that our local youth have an opportunity to experience the game and the character-building benefits that result.

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!

GOLF NEWS & VIEWS    Mike Gill, Dir. of Golf & Gene Matthews, Head Pro

Junior Clinics Start June 3 – Every Wednesday - Cost $10 each session.

Ages 6-11 from 9-10:30 a.m., Ages 12-17 from 10:30–Noon.  Note:  Non 

Chattahoochee Cup: June 13 & 14^, Two-man best ball – Invitations in the golf shop.  Non-Members welcome in this 13^th annual Maple Ridge tradition.

Rule time:            Rule 13.   Ball Played as it lies.

A player must not improve or allow to be improved:

·         The position or the lie of his ball.-- The area of his intended stance of swing.—His line of play.—The area in which he is to drop or place a ball.

BY ANY OF THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS

·         Moving, bending or breaking  anything growing or fixed.—Creating or eliminating irregularities of surface.—Removing or pressing down sand, loose soil, replaced divots. – removing dew, water or frost. (Exception) on the putting green in removing loose soil or in repairing damage.

The club may be grounded lightly and must not be pressed on the ground. (Excepted in a hazard.)  Penalty in stroke play -- 2 strokes.  There is more to Rule 13, however this covers the basics.

For all Club events we will be playing the ball as it lies until October.

Golf Tip……….I was reading a book published back in the fifties, one of the comments made;  When a ball is topped, 90% of the time it is because of faulty arm motion. Not the dreaded  “I must have lifted my head”.

When you top a ball it is usually because your left arm is not extending. Your left arm is holding back fighting the force pulling from the club. Learn to embrace the pull of the club and practice letting your arms swing long without resistance.  Good Luck on the course!

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

Here comes the Sun.  As you may have noticed some of the greens haven’t completely covered over with turf just yet which is most likely due to the excessive cloud cover and rainfall we have received over the past few weeks. But now, as hard as it is believe, we have gone four days in a row with mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 80’s and low 90’s, great Bermudagrass growing weather!  During the growing season, Bermudagrass requires approximately eight (8) hours of direct sunlight per day and temperatures in the mid to upper 80’s from Mother Nature for maximum turf growth. In order to provide good turf quality, the maintenance department must routinely mow and supplement with water & fertilizer.  So it is no coincidence that as I am writing this newsletter Greg and Steve are spiking and top-dressing (sanding) the greens again, while later in the week Ray will be adding a light solution of potassium, magnesium and giberellic acid to promote the final “push” the turf needs.  And as always it must all come together so we can continue to make Maple Ridge the best it can be.

LATE-WEEK EATS & TREATS      Shawn Robinson, Dir. of Food & Beverage

            Menu’s for upcoming Thursday night dogfights:  June 4: Hot Wings, Chicken Fingers, Corn Nuggets, Onion Rings, Fries and Salad.  June 11:  Roast Chicken, Scalloped Potatoes, Okra and Tomatoes.  Your $20 cost includes soft drink with 9 holes!

            Alright, June 19 Dinner Club invitees (that means all of you!) … how about this lineup?  We’re talking Pork Butt Barbecue, Ribs, Smoked Sausage, Brunswick Stew, Black-Eyed Pea Salad and Strawberry Shortcake!  Now I call that both sassy and sweet!

We need a big-time response to make it happen.  It’s just $25 per person (tax and gratuity included, or $50 per couple).  Book now with Tom or Susan at 706-569-0966!

            Just one spot left in my Monday, June 8 cooking class – who wants to grab it?

COLUMBUS KEEPS DISCOVERING…     Rick Jacobson, Dir. of Sales & Mktg.

            …Maple Ridge – and it doesn’t take three Spanish exploration ships to do it!  May saw 19 new members join, and June looks like it will be equally brisk.  Let’s introduce and welcome our most recent additions:  Trey and Tim Watley of Watley Heating and Air Conditioning;  Matt Hill, a U.S. Army medic stationed at Ft. Benning;  Mulberry Creek Elementary School golfer Will Yeiser, whose parents are both golfing doctors (no, dad’s name isn’t Bud);  American Club Systems (Gold’s Gym) partner Dell Spivey and fiancee Teresa, about to wed and embark on a European honeymoon;  retired military man/Columbus Senior Softball League president Bill Hand (not related to longtime member Phil Hand);  and lastly, a retired manufacturing executive who shall not be identified yet since his Weekday Membership is his surprise 40^th anniversary gift!

            Welcome also to Andrea Steen, our new sales and marketing assistant!  She is a fundraising and intake coordinator for Teen Challenge of Columbus and assistant to the executive administrator for Global Teen Challenge, both of which help women recover from substance abuse and/or other forms of addiction to lead clean, fully functional, faith-based lives.  Andrea is a native of Snellville, Georgia and has been in Columbus since May of 2007.  She’s very organized, talented, capable and likable!

            I’m heading to Ft. Knox, KY tomorrow in tandem with the Valley Partnership’s relocation fair for U.S. Army Armor School soldiers and civilians who’ll be coming to Ft. Benning in the next two years.  We’ll be making the trip with fellow W.C. Bradley Co. Real Estate Division representative Wes Driver, who will be marketing the new Eagle and Phenix Loft Condominiums.  Thanks to Maple Ridge members Mike and Darlene Henley, whose Sigma Associates quickly and skillfully produced a brand-new promotional DVD for Maple Ridge Golf Club!

            Prominent this week:  outings for the Columbus Water Works (led by member Bob Tant), the American Heart Association (member play available on Friday, both a.m. and p.m.), my old indoor football friends, the Columbus Lions Saturday afternoon and the South Georgia Methodist Conference (kudos to our buddy Buddy Cooper)!