From the Pro Shop

by Eddie Moran

WELCOME TO SPRING

In only about 3 weeks, winter is officially over!!!! We don’t have any personal bests or great shots to report over the past couple of months, since we have been pretty much down since December 18th, when we had the first big snow. ( You will hear no complaining by me this year when the temperatures hit 90, as long as the snow is gone.) And while the snow is still on the ground as I am writing this in late February, we have the range open, and at least we’re seeing a few balls being hit.

Assuming that the weather becomes somewhere in the normal range, and the snow does leave, the first starting times in March will be 8:00 on weekdays and 7:30 weekends. This also could be moved back if we have frost delays. We should get back to a range mowing cycle, which will likely be on Thursday mornings until about 2 PM. Also, with March here, and daylight savings time starting on the 14th, it is time to get the season activities going in full swing. Some of the activities we have planned in March are listed below.

LYNCHBURG SENIORS BEGIN MARCH 8

This is open to all you guys 55 and over. This is a season long two man team play, happening every Monday morning, except on holidays, through October. The season is split into flights and halves, with winners in each half. The dues, which cover the prizes and a year end lunch, are $45 for the year if you are on a team, or $30 to be a substitute. As a Club member, all you pay weekly is the normal cart fee. This is handicapped, so everyone has an equal opportunity to finish “in the money”.

This is a lot of fun for both high and low handicappers. If you are interested stop by the golf shop for more information and the sign-up papers. And as in previous years, the course will be closed to other play until early afternoon on non-holiday Mondays.

TUESDAY EVENING SENIORS BEGIN MARCH 16

We kick off the Tuesday evening senior men’s league the first Tuesday of daylight savings time, on the 16th. We will tee off at 5:00 for a few weeks until the days get long enough to go to 5:30. As in the past this will be points vs. quota each week, with a $2 entry each week. This is great fun, and you may pick your own group or be paired. ( You could even get stuck with me as a playing partner! ) This will run each Tuesday evening through October.

Please sign up by 4:00 each week when you plan to play. And a sincere “Thank You” to John Heslep for his work in organizing and running this very successful event.

THURSDAY AFTERNOON MEN’S LEAGUE BEGINS MARCH 18

This one is open to all you guys, young and those of us “not quite as young”. Again, we will begin at 5:00 until the days are a little longer, and also play points vs. quota. There are usually two divisions each week, one for higher quotas and one for lower quotas. The $2 weekly fee covers prizes, with a small one time yearly fee to cover the year end event. As on Tuesday, you may sign up as a foursome or as an individual to be paired.

Please sign up by 4:00 each Thursday you plan to play. It is very important we know as soon as practical if you are going to play. This group is fortunately getting pretty big and we may have to use some holes on the back nine at times, and need to know this as soon as possible to get the holes opened up for the shotgun start. And another sincere “Thank you”, this one to Bob Russell for all of his work in making this such an enjoyable and successful league.

FRIDAY EVENING COUPLES BEGIN MARCH 19

With daylight savings time, it looks like Friday night date night will be on the golf course again. As with the men’s leagues, we will begin at 5:00 for a few weeks until the days get a little bit longer. This is a four person captain’s choice format, with both gross and net winners each week. The entry fee of $25 per person includes cart, prizes, appetizers, and dinner with dessert.

Please sign up by noon on Fridays so we can get an accurate food count each week. Most of you couples have played in this, but for those that haven’t, it is truly fun even if you are just beginning. So mark your calendar for March 19, and every Friday through October, for the Friday Night Couples’ golf.

PACK TIMES IN MARCH

While we didn’t “officially” quit the weekly packs, with the weather turning cold and wet in November and early December, and then the snow on the ground almost constantly from December 18 until now, we haven’t held our usual packs in some time. In March, the packs will be held as follows:

Senior Men – Wednesday and Friday at 9:30 Men – Saturday at 9:30 Ladies – Saturday at 10:00 Mixed / Couples – Sunday at 1:00

All of these have a $2 entry fee, and all are a points vs. quota format. Please sign up at least ½ hour prior to the actual tee time so we can have the pairings done and get every one teed off on time.

2010 MEMBERSHIP AND RATES

We have a few changes beginning April 2010, mostly impacting non-member play. I will highlight them here.

First, there will be no change in the membership dues structure through April 2011. As mentioned later in the newsletter, we still have the membership drive in effect, and existing members may still pay for 3 years in advance and get a 25% savings. ( For example, a full member paying $1000 per year dues may make a one time payment of $2250 and have dues paid up for 3 years, even if there were to be a dues increase during that time. )

There is one slight membership category change. To be a student member, a person must be 23 years old or younger. This was always the basic intent, that “student” meant a dependent person in a continuous education process, but was never spelled out clearly as such. Again, this goes into effect April 1. Also, the times when walking is allowed is defined. Members may walk any time, but as always, must keep up the pace of play. Non members may walk only at times when play is relatively slow, not on busy weekends or at times when the course is fairly crowded.

The green fees and carts rate for non-members will go up $1, to $36 weekday for 18 holes and $41 weekends. Seniors will have a $31 rate on weekdays, and leagues go up $0.50 to $18 for 9 holes.

Range balls will go to $4 for a small bucket and $7 for a large bucket, and the range plan to $200 for an individual and stay at $300 for a family. ( Anyone paying the yearly range plan by April will get the 2009 rate of $185 for a single. ) We will also be instituting a range card, similar to the cart card we have for members. This is for 10 large buckets of balls for $50.

Cart rate will go up slightly for members who do not use a cart card. Effective April 1, member carts will be $14 for 18 holes and $8.50 for 9 holes. BUT ----- we will keep the cart cards the same price as in 2009, at $117 for 10 rounds, or $11.70 for each 18 holes, or $5.85 for 9 holes.

In summary, we feel this will help us address some of the increases in costs over the past few years, but increase the advantage of being a member at Ivy, allowing you to play golf, ride a cart, and hit range balls at the same price as you have over the past several years.

FREE CLINICS BEGIN WEDNESDAY MARCH 24

To help all of you get your game jump started this spring, we will again be offering free golf clinics. I will be leading these, with help from the staff. Again, these are no charge, and should be helpful whether you are an experienced golfer or have never played before.

The women will begin on Wednesday mornings at 10:00, starting March 24, running 4 consecutive weeks. The men will go on Monday evenings at 6:00, beginning April 12. We will hold the women’s evening clinics on Thursday evenings, beginning April 15. These are open to everyone, so please invite your friends as well as signing up yourself. We would love to have you participate, and I guarantee you will find them both enjoyable and helpful. ( And you can’t beat the price!!!! ) Just call the golf shop to sign up.

MEMBER APPRECIATION TOURNAMENT SATURDAY, MARCH 20

The first tournament of the year is one you will not want to miss. (Not that you will want to miss any of them.) We will tee it up at 8:30 for a shotgun start. The format is a two person Captain’s Choice, with men’s, senior men’s, ladies’, and couples’ divisions. We will have both gross and net winners in each division.

Now the really good part. For the entry fee of your cart fee – and you may use the cart card that many of you bought - you get breakfast to begin with. The usual Ivy Hill breakfast, with country ham, ham, eggs, and fresh made biscuits – baked by the pro. The winners in each division will get prizes. And then we will have lunch when we finish.

The breakfast and lunch are compliments of Bill and Jennie, and the prizes are compliments of me in the golf shop. This tournament is our way of thanking you for your support, as members of Ivy Hill Golf Club, and as customers in Eddie’s Golf Shop.

Please sign up in the golf shop by Thursday, March 18, so we can make sure we have enough food and beverages for everybody. Also, if the sign up gets too large for a single shotgun, ( a problem we have not had in years but one that we would love to have ) we will add an afternoon group. So please sign up early so we will know if we need an afternoon group.

GREENS AERIFICATION MARCH 23

It is that time of year again. Weather permitting, we will aerify the greens on Tuesday, March 23. This will likely be completed on Wednesday, but with any luck will not shut the course down for Wednesday. It will close the course for the early part of Tuesday, but the front nine will be open for the Tuesday evening seniors at 5:00.

We appreciate your understanding in this, and the staff will do everything possible to have the greens back in top shape as soon as possible.

WELCOME TO RYAN HANSEN

Most of you have met Ryan, but if you haven’t I’m sure you will soon. Ryan has been working with us part time since last summer, but will be joining us March 1 as the assistant golf professional.

Ryan is from Forest, and graduated from Liberty University with a Business Administration degree. ( He wanted me to add that he is single and currently unattached. ) Like most assistant pros, Ryan will be doing some of everything, from assisting in teaching and running the golf tournaments to doing the day to day activities such as cleaning carts and the golf shop.

I am very excited about having Ryan on my staff, and am confident that having him on board will make all of us ( including me ) enjoy the Club a little more. I hope you will all welcome Ryan, and make him feel just as home here as you have me in my 3 years at Ivy Hill.

On a side note, he will also be coordinating something that will help us in communicating our monthly newsletter and general Club and tournament information. One of the first undertakings there is to get an accurate distribution list of everyone who uses e-mail. We have some of your info, but he or I may be contacting you to make sure we have everything correct. Our intent is by May 1 to have the newsletter sent to all of you that use e-mail, so you don’t have to remember to go to the Ivy site to see what is going on. We appreciate all of your help in this project, and in welcoming Ryan here at Ivy Hill.

OUTSIDE EVENTS

We don’t have a lot of outside events scheduled in March, but we do have one scheduled that may impact play. On Saturday morning, March 27, the Liberty University Sports Management class will hold a tournament. This will impact some tee times, and depending of participation, may shut the course down to other play.

TIP OF THE MONTH – THE FIRST TIME BACK

This is one where I need to make sure to “practice what I preach.” Often I see someone who doesn’t play a lot step up to the first tee, pull out driver, and try to bust one. Unfortunately, I often am guilty of this myself. While the results are usually less than desired, they can also sometimes be painful, not only for the first hole score but also for your body. And after a winter such as we just had, where many of us haven’t swung a club in weeks, that first swing may be even tougher. So this article contains my recommendations on how to start out the season without hurting yourself.

My advice is very simple and practical. First, even when you can’t play golf, do some stretching exercises. It doesn’t have to be a hard workout at the YMCA, but some gentle stretching or the upper arms and torso will keep you ready to play. Obviously, working out with weights and cardio equipment in the off season will build strength and help the swing, but the flexibility is the most important thing to avoid an injury that could ruin the whole season for you. Now when you finally get out to play, don’t try to boom a 280 yard drive on the first swing. First, loosen up with some more stretching. Hit some range balls first, starting with a short wedge and working up through the irons. Hit the woods and driver last, when your body is loose and ready. This is the advice I would give to anyone of any age throughout the season. But realizing that many of you, like me, are in the “over 30” crowd, and with our exceptionally cold and snowy winter haven’t played much golf, it is even more important to be golf ready before you start this year. So in summary, keep flexible this winter, and hit a few easy shots before you get to the first tee. And I hope to see you out here the first chance you have – it’s been a lonely winter here in the golf shop!!!!!

2010 MEMBERSHIP DRIVE We are continuing the membership program that was so successful in 2009. The program targeting new members is very appealing. With a three year membership commitment, any new adult, couple, or family resident member can join with no initiation fee, and have their dues reduced by 50% the first year, 25% the second year, and pay their full membership on year three. ( This program does not apply to new non-resident members or student members, or Ivy Hill members as of March 1, 2008. ) After three years, we hope they will see that membership at our low prices is a great deal and remain a member. We need your help in selling this program! We hope you will encourage your friends of all ages to consider an Ivy Membership. Membership at Ivy is always a bargain, but now it is an exceptional bargain.

FREEZE ON MEMBERSHIP FEES

We are keeping the membership fees the same as in 2008 for all classifications of members. See the attached sheet for the details.

ADVANCE PAYMENT FOR MEMBERS

This membership drive also has what may be a very nice benefit for existing members. With a three year advance payment, existing members may also take advantage of a 50% dues reduction for year 1, and a 25% reduction for year 2. In addition this advance payment becomes “inflation proof”, in that any potential dues increases that might occur over the next two years would not apply with the advance payment. The advance payment may be used in any membership category, including non-resident and student.

NEW MEMBERS HAVE APRIL 1 ANNIVERSARY DATE

All new members or members who drop out and then rejoin will have an April 1 anniversary date, which will be prorated if they join in the spring or summer.

ADD POPLAR FOREST MEMBERSHIP Several people took advantage of this option last year, and we are offering it again in 2010. You can add the full Poplar Forest membership to your Ivy membership for an additional $100. We hope all of you continue to enjoy your membership at Ivy Hill, and that you will encourage your friends to also consider making Ivy their home course.

Around the Green

by Bill Turley

No news at this time.

Golf Committee Notes

by John Heslep

The Golf Committee met with Eddie Moran in December to consider the tournament schedule for 2010. Please let us know if you have any suggestions for how we can better serve all the members. Following is the proposed new event schedule.

PLEASE KEEP THIS AS A REMINDER OF UPCOMING CLUB EVENTS

2010 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Ladies League

No news at this time

March 2010