THE MAPLE RIDGE MESSENGER

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

OCTOBER 1, 2009 EDITION

GRILLE HAPPENINGS …                                                Tom Kubik, General Manager

The Club will be celebrating its 16^th Anniversary in October.  The Anniversary Cookout is scheduled for Saturday, October 10 starting with a Social Hour at 6:30 PM and Dinner at 7:30 PM.  All activities will be on the back lawn.  The menu will feature grilled Beef Tenderloin, Salmon, and Chicken accompanied by Pasta Salad, Grilled Veggies, and the traditional favorite SMORES.  Make your reservations early to join the fun and celebration…either call the Pro Shop or e-mail Tom at tkubik@wcbradley.com.

Thanks for your help and support!!! --- Dick Esterson, Bill Williams and the entire Food & Beverage Staff

Bits and Pieces … The reciprocal with Saugahatchee CC seems to be very successful in both directions.  If you feel that you may want to play on any upcoming Tuesday, please try to let us know on the Sunday prior so that we can get your tee time then.  SCC is closed on Monday and since they are on Central Time, do not open until approximately 9 AM Eastern for us to call on Tuesday.  If it is a last minute decision, we will work with you and SCC the best we can to accommodate you.  P.S. -- SCC does not accept cash, so bring your plastic.  Don’t forget that we also have reciprocals with Highland CC, Southern Hills, and Overlook as well.

We also want to announce the continuation of the tradition of the voluntary Christmas Gift donation for our employees by billing the membership $20 on your October 31 statement.  If you do not wish to participate, please contact Linda Bryan in the administrative office by October 30 and you will not be billed. Again this program is strictly voluntary.  Our employees thank you in advance for your appreciation of their efforts.

As always, we welcome your thoughts and ideas to make your experiences at Maple Ridge Golf Club the best they can be.  Thanks to all of our members for your help and support!

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

Look for information on upcoming Junior Golf Association tournaments, as last September’s Adult/Parent-Junior event was postponed to a later date.  We still have intentions of hosting at least a couple more junior events this fall.

            Meanwhile, the Junior Golf Development Clinic series will take Saturday, October 3 off due to the expected 120-player RidgeFest tournament, resuming on the mornings of the 10^th, 17^th, 24^th and 31^st.  Call us to join the youth group, beginners and mostly new-to-the-game young golfers.  Cost is just $55 for the month, as our plans are to get the kids out on the golf course more in the next two months at Maple Ridge and Godwin Creek, with some classes moving to Saturday afternoon.  Call Mike, Gene or Jason Fober for more details or signup.

            We’re heading to Chateau Elan in Braselton on Weds. Sept. 30 for the McGladrey Team Championship sectionals, with 33 teams having advanced from all over Georgia!  Gene will play with Donnie Russell, Terry Register and Michael Ray, while Mike teams with Scott Boutwell, Jake Keen and Rick Jacobson in a two-net-best-ball format.  Only one winning team makes it to the national championship at Pinehurst, NC from October 26-28.

            Belated congratulations on her recent hole-in-one to 2009 Ladies Champion June Holder!  Cason Hammock and Ken Larson were this year’s first “outing” golfers to score aces, both in the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Shootout Sept. 25.

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

Fall!  This year autumn officially arrived on Tuesday, the 22^nd day of September.  Since these autumn days are quickly growing shorter and the morning temperatures cooler, the watering requirement for our turf has drastically been reduced. Outside of watering greens & tees lightly and frequently, all other turf areas will be watered lightly just once or twice per week.  For homeowners that would equate to a reduction in watering from (three) 15 to 20 minute cycles down to (two) 5-minute or (one) 10-minute cycle per week.  That’s all you need!  Starting in November you can shut your sprinkler system off until April 1^st.

Another newsworthy item includes an update of our progress on the creek crossing repair project at hole no. 9.  We have finally hired a contractor, All Terrain Grading and Septic, LLC, to build a water retention area with a spillway and wooden bridge.  The project was engineered with the help of long time member Jeff Keefe of Moon Meeks Mason & Vinson.  In the next few weeks, once Jeff obtains our necessary state and local permits, All Terrain will begin their work.   At that time we will need everyone to use the temporary cart path that was prepared back in the spring. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to make Maple Ridge the best it can be.

COOLER, BUT STILL RED-HOT!                        Rick Jacobson, Dir. of Sales & Mktg.

Magnificent weather and a full field today for the 2009 Better Business Bureau Integrity Golf Invitational!  To make things even better, we’ve got four new members signed up today, making seven for the last half of September. But first, let me tell you about our “Awesome Autumn” about to kick in.

OCTOBER GUEST PRIVILEGE SPECIAL!  How about this?  Bring a guest in October, and we’ll waive your cart fee!   And don’t be surprised when we come back to you with another way to reduce your guest fees over the late fall and winter months.

IT’S NOT QUITE A “FREE” FALL, BUT IT’S CLOSE!   Now that our 2009 membership drive is over, ending with a bang, it’s no time for slacking!  So while the “Hit the Pin” gimmes are over, we’re now discounting initiation fees from 30 to 50% for those who join October 1-December 31.  That saves new members from $50 to $750, depending on your age and category!  Help us seize the momentum and join for the lovely fall weather, or plan a perfect holiday gift!

Our new members are Bob Kramer, project manager for the contractor handling the St. Francis Hospital expansion; the family of Silvano Parducci, internal auditor for our parent W.C. Bradley Co.;  11-year-old Brookstone golfer Matt Philips;  Georgia Power supervisor of metering services Steve Milner;  Dell Gamble, regional vice president of CARE Ambulance; and Ron James, project manager for military contractor American Marine Construction Co., who rejoins Maple Ridge along with Dan Snavely, owner of Columbus Tire Co.  Thanks to sponsoring Maple Ridge members Joey Barrett (Milner), Bob Stamm Sr. and Bob Stamm Jr. (Gamble), Andy Hartin (James) and Greg Jordan (Snavely).  They’ll be rewarded with $75 to $125 credits for their referrals.

The 12^th Annual RidgeFest Invitational happens this weekend, sponsored by CARE AMBULANCE (Dell Gamble), SOUTHERN LUXURY POOLS (Mr. and Mrs. Terry Craig, Brad Williamson), TRIANGLE BEVERAGE (Lee Jackson, David Messer) and BUTTERFINGERS CRAZY CHICKEN (Dennis Butterfield).  Signup for the two-man, two-day scramble continues – don’t hesitate!  Members pay $140, non-members $160, including contestant gift, breakfast and lunch both days and hefty prizes for each flight.  

BRENT BURNS REMAX PRIME REALTY TO SPONSOR MGA TOURNAMENTS!  Hot off the press: For the next six months, member Brent has agreed to pick up the annual MGA dues for all new male members 18+, buy their first Thursday MGA dinner and provide $30 merchandise certificates for each “close-up” winners on the par 3’s! Our thanks go to Brent for this major enhancement to the always-getting-better MGA!