THE MAPLE RIDGE MESSENGER

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

AUGUST 1, 2009 EDITION

GAME OF HONOR …                                                        Tom Kubik, General Manager

Golf is a very unusual game among all sports in that we police ourselves and impose penalties and keep our own scores accordingly.  That being said, I ask for your help in an area off of the course.  The restroom renovations have taken far too long to complete, but they are almost done…please do your best to keep the restrooms and grille area as you would your own house.  In addition, please adhere to the rule of no private coolers or food and drink brought on to the course.  Based on other Club prices for refreshments, we feel that we are competitive and try our best to keep everything affordable to accent your playing experience.  Just as we ask you to rake bunkers, repair ball marks, and fill divots on the course…let’s take pride in our off the course maintenance as well.

Just an update on Shawn (Robinson) -- He is undergoing therapy for his knee and is expecting to have corrective surgery in early September.  Thanks again to Dick (Esterson) and Bill (Williams) for their hard work and to our newest cook, Marcus to maintain the service and quality you deserve.  Keep Shawn in your thoughts and Prayers.

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!

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

We really do water the grass!  Just ask Doug, Greg, Steve or Ray.  These guys would be glad to let you know that Maple Ridge Golf Club is allowed to pump “state” water from our lakes located on the Cooper Creek watershed, because we have an “agricultural use” permit that runs with the land and never needs to be renewed.  This permit is on file with the Department of Natural Resources.

Doug, Greg, Steve, or Ray would also be glad to let you know that in an average year approximately 40 million gallons of water is pumped out of these lakes to water the grass from April1 to October 31!  And, that our pump station can put out approximately 1000 gallons per minute at an operating pressure of 150 (psi) pounds per square inch.

However, the majority of the time you probably will never see 1000 gallons per minute flowing over the course during a round of golf since most of the watering is done from dusk to dawn. Doug, Greg, Steve or Ray would be glad to let you know that outside of some daytime watering with sprinklers and hoses for “localized” dry areas, new sod, chemical applications, and maintenance repair work, watering at night is best for the grass and golfers for the two following reasons.  The first reason is that watering grass at night when there is no evaporation due to sunlight, allows more “soak” time for the water to get into the root zone of the grass.  The second is that our sprinkler head stations are set to run for a specific length of time, after that time has expired the next station in sequence will turn on with no prior warning to anyone nearby.  If you have ever been “sprinkled” with 150 (psi) stream of water I have said enough!  Just ask Doug, Greg, Steve or Ray and they will let you know the maintenance department is watering as needed to make Maple Ridge the best it can be.

GOLF SHOP NEWS                                                                   Mike Gill, Director of Golf

New arrivals – We have secured Ralph Lauren Polo golf for the shop. Starting in mid–August we should have merchandise arriving. We have golf shirts as well as casual woven shirts with a member price in the $60 range. Demo Day – Cleveland Golf will have the Tech Van here on August 20^th from 2-7 p.m. Cleveland promotion is a “buy a set of irons and get your next set free”.  For details call the golf shop.

USGA Rule 8 at a glance – Advice; indicating line of play.   8-1 Advice – Definition:  any counsel or suggestion that could influence a player in determining his play, the choice of club or the method of making a stroke. Information on the Rules or on matters of public information, such as the positions of hazards or the flagstick on the putting green, is not advice.

Rule:  During a stipulated round, a player must not:

(a)   give advice to anyone in the competition playing on the course other than his partner, or

(b)   ask for advice from anyone other than his partner or either of their caddies

8-2 Indicating line of play.  Except on the putting green, it is permissible to get the line of play from anyone. Two-stroke penalty for indicating line on the putting green.

LADIES & JUNIORS IMPROVE!     Gene Matthews, Head Pro/Jason Fober, Asst. Pro

            Maple Ridge “Ladies Early Fall Beginner and Refresher Golf Clinic” consisting of four sessions starts soon!  Limited to six ladies on Monday and Tuesday evenings, call Gene to sign up at 706-569-0966.  Cost is $125, and schedule as follows:  Mon. Aug. 17:  Putting, Chipping, Pitching, Bunker Play;  Tue. Aug. 18:  Short Irons, Medium Irons and Woods;  Mon. Aug. 24:  Continuation of Iron Play and Woods;  Tues. Aug. 25:  Swing Analysis, Touch on Rules.

            We’re pleased to report that our Saturday Junior Development Program is full at 15 youngsters, and we’ve begun a waiting list with three more already.  We’ll start another group on weekday evenings after school as soon as we have a few more.  Don’t wait!  Call us to add your child to the list – beginner or advanced!

            Congratulations to Club Match-Play survivors (through third-round single-elimination) Kevin Padgett, Jeff Keefe, Bryant Matthews and Danny Sellers, beating, respectively, Ken Dyer, Rick Jacobson, Bruce Cleveland and Charlie Speakman in hard-fought matches.  Padgett-Keefe and Sellers-Matthews square off August 8, with the winners playing for the Club Championship on the 9^th. Meanwhile, the twenty defeated entrants compete in a consolation-bracket round next Saturday.

SENSATIONAL SUMMER SUSTAINED!       Rick Jacobson, Dir. of Sales & Marketing

            Three new members grace our midst with a few more set to make it official this week!  Welcome back to “Friendly” Fred Fronzaglio, returning (and retiring) to Columbus after a year’s stint in Washington, D.C.  We’re also glad to have Gaylon Jowers, TSYS Executive V.P., Card Processing and Clubhouse Member Tyler Townsend, V.P. Investments for Townsend Financial Planning. 

            “Potential Member Day” Saturday, August 22 – eight prospects have signed up. You should, too, if you’re not already one of us!  It’s just $25 for lunch, range balls, 18 holes on our magnificent course and a chance to join Maple Ridge at low group rates!  Call me or Andrea Steen ASAP to book a spot, we’ve got room for a dozen more!

Twelve Maple Ridge members and a few friends traveled to Conyers, GA for a “Teens On the Green” youth tourney and adult fundraising scramble.  Alex Harrell shot the low girls round despite a back injury.  Cates Culpepper and Alex Ball competed in the boys divisions along with 12-year-old Shawn Woodley (due to join this week). Mike Henley, James Brown, Roger Hewitt, Neill Fuller, Rick Eggleston, Greg Heinrich, Terry Aubin and I made up the adult contingent.  Dina Nelson joined us as a contact made from last week’s Spencer High School Athletic Appreciation Association event.   

                Speaking of which, our Maple Ridge foursome of Terry Register, Michael Ray, Tom Kubik and Joe Cribbs of Auburn and NFL fame placed among the top three celebrity teams on July 25.  Other name athletes on hand helping the SHSAAA raise roughly $10,000 in scholarship funds and donations were Paul Warfield, Stanley Morgan, Ernie Green, Chris Doleman, Otis Sistrunk, Otis Birdsong, Phil Villapiano, Noland Smith, Steve Wallace, John Gilliam, Randy Fuller, Gary Downs, Oliver Davis, D.J. Jones, Fred Banks, Drew Hill and Nate Odomes.