Tim Phillips
We live in such an idyllic climate it is almost unfair to the millions who live elsewhere that we have unlimited sunshine and fair weather on a daily basis. Golf beckons a good portion of the residents living here in Quail Creek. In fact, a certain number of residents moved here because of the golf course and to immediately become one of the owners of the golf course with no initiation fees. Although the developer built the course, the POA owns the golf course property. We expect to come close to 70,000 rounds played annually by the end of December. That’s a lot of golf!
Just coming out of overseeding fairways and tees makes for a little more work to play during the first three weeks the courses are open beginning October 14. Cart paths only for these few weeks gives the fairways’ grass additional time to grow in before being subjected to the constant daily golf cart traffic. Those who possess handicap stickers will be permitted on the golf course with their carts after two weeks.
This will be the first year that there will be no transition from summer to winter grass on the greens. That means the greens will be as good if not better than when the courses were closed on September 23. In the past, it took at least three more weeks to properly grow in the winter rye grass on the greens. Not overseeding greens is a growing trend in southern Arizona and one that has been embraced by all the courses in Texas. Not only are there significant cost savings but the end product is better.
Coming up on October 28, 2013, at 6:00 p.m. is the fall Open Golf Forum for all residents. JR Kies will discuss the just completed overseed process and its success. Also at this meeting the Pricing Committee will present its recommended pricing for golf dues for the 2014 year. These recommendations have yet to be approved but will give residents some insight into the process used to make these recommendations. Final approval will be made at the annual Board Meeting on November 19, 2013. Annual dues memberships for 2014 will go on sale on December 15. A full discussion of the fee structure will be made in a future article.
Finally, bids are being taken to replace the steps on the tees of No. 2 and No. 9 on the Quail course with higher quality concrete steps. It is expected that these steps will be much more user friendly. This project should be completed early in 2014.
In the meantime, get out and enjoy your golf course that has just been readied for play in the fall and winter months.