Dust off your clubs and head to Sugarloaf!  Due to the mild forecast, we will be opening Tuesday January 31 at 8:00am.  We will also be open Wednesday February 1st.   Unfortunately, the forecast past Wednesday doesn’t look promising, but we will let you know when we will re-open.  If you’d like to be among the first to know about open days this winter, just text “SGC” to 570-956-0671 and we will add you to our text notifications.  See you soon!

Keeping Your Volunteers Motivated

Article #5 in a series on Golf Tournament Planning

By: Judy Knelly, Special Events Coordinator, Sugarloaf Golf Club Inc

Positive feedback Weekly emails are a great way to keep your volunteers informed.  Let them know how many sponsorships have been secured and how many golfers have signed up.   Recognize individual or group accomplishments.  Stay positive and motivated yourself!  Share your enthusiasm.  Emails are so easy to send in bulk and only take a moment of your time.   Set a specific day of the week and time to send your group email….your volunteers will look forward to your updates.

Rewards/Recognition A simple “thank you” note is a great way to let a volunteer know you recognize their efforts to make your event successful.  Getting  to know them personally is good on two levels….it keeps your communication open and, as you get to know your volunteers on a personal level, you can better determine if their talents are being used in the best possible manner.  When you schedule press release photos, include several volunteers in the photo and accompanying news article.

Be available to your volunteers/Communicate If a volunteer calls or emails you with questions or concerns, respond quickly!  Making your volunteer’s issues your priority is a great way to keep them motivated.

Food!?! I know, this sounds crazy, but have food at your meetings!  Every major motivational speaker will tell you food is a huge motivator!  It can be simple…chips & dip, a veggie tray or light snacks or a volunteer breakfast the morning of the event.   A few years ago we had a very big fundraiser with about a dozen very active volunteers who all came from out of town.  The entire tournament was put together long distance.  The night before the tournament the volunteers filtered into the clubhouse to prepare for the big day.  The tournament director had made arrangements for a light dinner for the volunteers and when we finished our work, we all took an hour or so to relax, talk out some last-minute details and take a deep breath.  As I looked at the relaxed smiles and light conversation around that table, I remember thinking it was such a nice way to reward the people who collectively were responsible for a very successful event.

Post-Tournament Recognition Even though you are probably exhausted after pulling off an incredibly successful event, DON’T forget to give your volunteers the recognition they deserve!  Why not send a letter to the editor of your local newspaper and publicly thank your volunteers.  Let your community know what the results of your efforts were.  Were there direct benefits to your community?  This is also a great way to get volunteers for next year!  Do you have room in your budget for a post-tournament barbeque, picnic or banquet?  If so, thank each volunteer personally and try to mention how important their individual contribution was.   You don’t have to present a thank you gift to everyone, but sometimes something as simple as a certificate of appreciation for each volunteer means a lot.

What NOT to do….NEVER treat your volunteers in a condescending manner.  Remember, they are volunteering their time and energy for a cause they feel good about.  Keeping your volunteers happy is the key to keeping them motivated.

Ms. JoAnne Skelly of the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension penned one of the best articles I’ve read regarding motivating volunteers.   Below is a link to her article.  It is worth your time to read it!

http://www.unce.unr.edu/publications/files/cd/2000/FS0030.pdf

Fall Aearation is Underway

We have begun our fall greens aeration.  While it’s nearly November, we are aware that this can be a difficult time of the season.  We will be doing things slightly slower this season, and will make every effort to put the holes that we have aerated back into play on the same day as they were started.  Therefore, we should never have less than 14 holes open and playable.  Please bear with us while we complete this project, and keep in mind that it is absolutely neccesary to acheive the conditions you demand!  Thanks for your patience.  I have embedded some videos of this process from other golf course’s if you are curious about what we are up to!

Water, Water Everywhere…..
By: Patrick S. Knelly
GCS Sugarloaf Golf Club

Well, it’s been raining. Not like the Spring showers that bring May flowers kind of rain either! More like the widespread destruction, ruin your month, rivers in the fairways, Noah and his animals kind of rain. I won’t bore you with the numbers, but since the first week of August, we are obliterating record precipitation ammounts daily, and sadly it does not appear to be over. So, other than watching it rain, what does the Green Dept. at Sugarloaf Golf Club actually do during this insane stretch of weather? If you are curious, read on.
Clean-up, clean-up and clean-up some more. That is easily our most monumental task, and we are getting really good at it lately. Every time we have flash flooding, we encounter piles of debris washed in from the roads, streams and woods. Our fist priority is to make the course as playable as possible, and as quickly as possible so most of this work is done by hand. We hand rake fairways, rough and hand blow greens and tees. As soon as the course is firm enough for power equipment, we bring out the big guns and start on the left over out of play debris. It’s a brutal job, done once in awhile, I can assure you it’s even less fun when you have to do it all and then start over the next day.
Getting the water off of our property is also of paramount importance. We prep the course before every predicted storm by clearing drains, unclogging pipes and opening the pond overflows. Without fail, during every storm some “stuff” happens and we experience some additional clogging so out we go for a swim. Often in running water up to my waste, but it needs to be done, running water over the turf is bad so we work hard to make sure all drainage chanels are open and working properly.
Other routine maintenace tasks become much less routine too. Cart control and cart damage repairs become a huge job. Mowing can be nearly impossible during these conditions, so when it does dry out we find ourselves well behind schedule and scrambling to keep up. Soil washouts need to be repaired, and there are hundreds of areas that have seen damage from running and standing water. Damage assesment can be a monumental task as well, I’ve done numerous damage checks over the last month and I can say I have not enjoyed what I’ve found most of the time.
Even with all of this work to accomplish, we are occasionally forced to the Maintenance Facility by heavy downpours. Once there, we try to dry out, clean up and start in on other productive jobs. We wash and wax equipment, clean our work areas and preform routine service on the equipment that may be a little over due. We recently re-organized our storage area to expedite our morning routine. We also do some fabrication. This week we built a neat carrier for our fertilizer spreaders so we don’t have to break our backs’ lifting them into a high utility vehicle bed. It will be a huge time saver, so it’s time well spent! These days also make a great opprotunity to catch up on the long over due planning and record keeping requirements of the job. All in all, we stay very productive and are always working towards better turf conditions despite the endless rain.

Bunker Consistnecy, Good or Bad??
By Patrick S. Knelly GCS

It’s been a crazy summer, no question! I’ve taken a break from my blogging duties, but the days are getting shorter, the temps getting cooler and the turf (and my staff!) are starting to recover from one of the more difficult summer seasons in my memory. While I plan to get into some of the struggles we faced this season in detail later this month, I want to take this time to blast out some thoughts on our recently completed bunker re-filling project.
Maybe you noticed, maybe you didn’t, but we added somewhere in the neighborhood of 150 tons of sand to the OLD bunkers on the front 9 of Sugarloaf Golf Club this July. It was a major undertaking, and my staff and I worked our tails off to re-fill the bunkers to a playable depth (4-5″) on holes 2-9. There were some bunkers on the course that had less than one inch of sand, and had become contaminated with rocks, which in my opinion made them unfair to play from. The process included the removal of all existing contaminated sand and small rocks. We then added some drainage lines, and some sump style drainage basins, added sand and compacted/raked it until it was firm and playable. The look and playability was improved immediately, and they now drain much faster after the afternoon thunderstorms we often receive in PA.
Needless to say, I was very happy with the results of the project. Although I would prefer to complete a total rebuild of the bunkers like we have done on holes 10, 11, and 15-18 but at this time my staff is too short and my budget is too tight to undertake any more wholesale reconstruction. I hope to continue that project in 2012 on holes #12 & 13, but something needed to be done as a stop gap measure on the front nine, so we went ahead and refilled the bunkers as described above.
Despite my personal feelings on the project, something funny has taken place. I have received a number of “not so glowing” comments about the additon of sand to the bunkers. The common denominator seems to revolve around a very subjective little term, “consistency”…… It has been laid out to me by some in a constructive manner, and others in a not so constructive tone. I must say, I was shocked and discouraged to hear this, considering our #1 issue with bunkers over the years has always been a lack of proper sand depth. So, what is happening?
I feel the largest issue, is that our players are not yet used to the new sand’s playability. Yes, it will be softer. Anything is softer than the hardpan dirt we had before!!! On a serious note, some of this issue should go away as we get more acclimated to the new sand, and also the sand will continue to “set-up” and become slightly more firm with time. So, I hope that these factors alleviate some of these complaints as time goes forward.
Second, I think a short discussion on “bunkers” as “hazards” is probably appropriate. I hate to sound inconsiderate to the plight of the golfer who finds themselves in a bunker, but please keep in mind, a bunker is a Hazard. A hazard is designed to provide a penalty, and they are integral components of a well designed golf hole. Our bunkering provides protection/penalty to some of our less difficult holes, and act as a major factor in the design of our beautiful course. If they were meant to be easy, they would not be named “traps”, “bunkers”, or “hazards”? In my personal opinion consistency is not something we should strive for, a bunker is meant to be fair, but it is also meant to be a penalty to those who hit into them. I feel that should you find your ball in a hazard, part of the penalty is not knowing exactly how you ball will react. I’m sure many will not agree with my opinion, but I feel golf course architecture is meant to be penal at times and bunkers are part of what makes golf a challenging yet unpredictable sport. Maybe we need to re-evaluate where the fault lies, and consider the possiblility that it was a bad shot that lead us into the “bunker” and we deserve to reap what we sow…..
Feel free to let me know your feelings on this subject!
psk114@sugarloafgolfclub.com

The new iPhone4 iPing Putting App/Cradle is HERE!!!

Hot off the UPS truck this afternoon is the new cradle for the iPing Putting App.

Sold at online golf stores for $29.99 plus tax & shipping

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Call to reserve your cradle today!  Supplies are limited.

Timeline for Success

Article #4 in a series on Golf Tournament Planning

By: Judy Knelly, Special Events Coordinator, Sugarloaf Golf Club Inc

I have seen incredibly successful fundraisers put together in six weeks and I’ve seen tournaments that were a year in the planning fall well short of the tournament director’s expectations either in low sponsorship or in number of golfers.  This timeline can’t provide the manpower you will need, but it can provide some  ideas you may have not thought of using (like press releases ~ they are free advertisement!).

9 to 12 months out: - Hold initial planning meeting with Chairs and key volunteers

- Contact golf course(s), obtain rate & availability information

- If possible, visit possible courses & meet with event director

- Define your goals

- Discuss sponsorship goals & prepare sponsor letter

- Determine format of tournament

- Begin to gather email addresses for volunteers

6 to 9 months out: - Begin holding monthly meetings (don’t forget food!)

- Make sure all volunteers know their jobs & have what they need to

Accomplish their goals

- Contact Hole-in-One Insurance providers & secure a sponsor

- Determine venue, date, time menu

- Prepare tournament flyers

- Contact local newspapers and arrange photo op with a major

sponsor(s) and several volunteers.

3 to 6 months out: - Continue monthly meetings (determine any weaknesses in committees)

- Determine contests, raffles, give-aways, door prizes, awards

- Determine other opportunities for more free press

- Arm all volunteers with flyers & sponsorship forms ~ sell, sell, sell!

- Re-confirm details with golf course (ask if the course would be willing

to hold a meeting with the committee and provide light refreshments)

- Decide what kind of signs and/or banners will be used for sponsors

1 to 3 months out: – Continue monthly meetings (are volunteers meeting their goals?)

- Continue to promote event

- Begin making or ordering sponsor signs & banners

1  to 2 weeks out: - Finalize list of sponsors & signage

- Begin compiling list of golfers

- Call golf course with final details (# of golfers, format, contests,

# of extra dinners needed for volunteers, lines or circles on course)

- prepare give-aways and/or goody bags

- schedule jobs for volunteers for day of event

- instruct volunteers regarding contests they will man

- begin gathering supplies (cash boxes, tickets, pens, markers, tape,

sunscreen, cameras, etc)

- Prepare programs

1 to 5 days before event: – Contact golf course with list of golfers & pairings

- Have final volunteer meeting & wrap up last minute entries & sponsors

- Gather all supplies

- Prepare notes for banquet (Thank you’s!)

- Finalize contests, raffles, door prizes, give-aways

- Make any gift baskets for door prizes or raffles

- Print Rules sheets

The day of: - Possible breakfast meeting at course with volunteers

To make sure all jobs are covered

- Set up registration area

- Put up signage

- greet all golfers personally

- Make sure contest markers are placed on course

- make announcements before start

- coordinate scoring & summary of winners with golf course

- oversee post-banquet announcement of winners

- clean up supplies

- arrange payment to golf course

Within 2 weeks prior: – have final meeting/wrap-up party

- Thank all golfers, sponsors and volunteers

- pay all outstanding bills, prepare final written accounting

- prepare letter to editor thanking community publically

- Secure venue & date for next year’s event

This list probably looks daunting at first glance, but you’ll notice a common theme ~ communicate, communicate, communicate

This technology is unbelievable!  Check out the new iPhone app from Ping!

Putting Your Team Together

Article #3 in a series on Golf Tournament Planning

By: Judy Knelly, Special Events Coordinator, Sugarloaf Golf Club Inc

We all have strengths and weaknesses and it’s your job to “exploit” those traits in your volunteers. In my previous article (First Things First) I suggested you keep your committee structure fairly simple by keeping your “management” team at you and two “department” heads. Sounds like you’re running a business, doesn’t it? Choose your chairs carefully…you need two people you are comfortable working with and who will persevere. Remember, this isn’t a once and done type of fundraiser and your volunteers will be expected to get out in the community and muster up all the contacts they have. Many things need to fall into place to make a successful event and your first priority should be to draft solid hard-working team members.

Sponsorship Team

Determine sponsorship opportunities
Prepare sponsor letter
Organize volunteers to solicit businesses & individuals
Be sure volunteers “follow-up”
Determine if a hole-in-one contest will be part of the event
Secure insurance or sponsorship for above
Collect gifts
Coordinate any advance ticket sales for prizes/raffles
Secure sponsor signs & advertiser program
Price & order any player gifts (tee-shirts, etc)
Send sponsor thank you letters

Tournament Team

Determine format & price
Prepare tournament flyers
Distribute flyers to volunteers
Determine on course contests and secure volunteers
Prepare a “day of” schedule
Secure volunteers for registration
Secure volunteers for set-up & cleanup
Co-ordinate registration with golf course
Determine when payment is expected
Prepare “goody bags”
Send player thank you letters with “save the date” cards for next year’s event

Once you have chosen committee chairs, give them clearly defined objectives. Here are a few ideas:

Sponsorship Team Chair/Tournament Team Chair
Assign tasks with clear objectives
Communicate progress to you
Reconcile income and expenses

Consider one more position that can make a huge difference in every aspect of your event planning…Call on one of your volunteers who is computer literate and has the time to coordinate your email lists and do any online planning. This person should work with your golf course planner to coordinate joint efforts at internet marketing. I think this could make the difference in so many areas of your planning, from finding sponsors, keeping in touch with your committees and registering more golfers.

FYI …You have a few responsibilities, too!

Follow your timeline! (we’ll provide a sample timeline in a future article)
Communicate with Chairs/track progress
Address any committee concerns promptly
Disseminate information as needed
Communicate with golf course events coordinator
Coordinate Publicity
Prepare documents & final reconciliation of all income & expenses for post-tournament meeting
Thank committee chairs & volunteers

I found this to captivating.  Check it out!!!