I’ve been at my home course River Oaks since it began; since the pro shop was a trailer. I’ve played the course 1000’s of times and been in on the very beginnings of league play there. Back in 2004, I was so unhappy with how things were being run in the men’s association (see my article on how I shot the lowest score in the club championship but didn’t win it) that I decided the only way to make it better was to do it myself. I then became club president, a position I held for seven years. In that time I took a men’s club which was a bit of a joke, and turned it into a thriving league with weekly participation well over 120 competitors. In my time as pres, I introduced some cool tournaments and formats, like the very popular Hell Day. I’m proud of what I contributed to the league and how I helped it grow.
My time as president ran its course, no pun intended. Due my new family and career happenings, I had to let go of the reins and give someone else a chance to take the club to the next phase in its existence. Sadly the league has gone to hell in two short years. That hard work I put into it has been wiped away.
The situation was most evident this past Saturday. I was running errands with my lovely wife and baby Seve when I received a call at about 4pm. It was golf buddy and really good guy Dan. He was calling to inform me that the club championship “final round” was that day. I had NO idea this was the case. “Final round,” I thought to myself? “Were there other rounds?” I asked. He then informed me that the previous two 9-hole Tuesday rounds constituted the first 18-hole round. There was no notice or information about this. No signup sheets. No entry fees. Nothing. When playing those two previous rounds, no players were informed that those rounds were to be counted toward their club championship. Players were not asked to trade scorecards. Players were playing from different tee sets. I could go on.
Even if I could cancel the rest of my appointments for the day and scramble down to the golf course Saturday, there still would not have been enough daylight to complete 18 holes. My opportunity to compete for my club championship in 2013 was ruined.
I did have time to stop by the pro shop to ask them WTF was going on. They told me that they knew nothing about the event and that they “felt like idiots” not knowing what to tell players when asked about it.
When all was said and done, SIX players competed for the championship. Six. Two of those are pals who dropped what they were doing Saturday and hurried to the course to squeeze in the 18 holes when they found out. That’s why Dan called me, to see if I wanted to join them.
Words can’t express how disappointed I am with this whole pathetic situation. I’m very angry that my opportunity to try and win a club championship was wasted. I’m steaming mad. The good news is that I heard a new member has told the pro shop he intends to run for club president in 2014. His quote was “who is running this thing and what the hell are they thinking?” Couldn’t have said it better myself. I may have considered becoming president again to turn the ship around before it completely sank, but I can’t make that commitment at this time in my life. I hope the new pres (if elected) can turn it around. If the old president is re-elected, 2013 will be my last season as a member of that association.
HOGWire – Golf Industry News
Tony,
I just wanted to chime in and say that I played for 3 or 4 of those years while you were club president and it was an absolute blast! I live in Littleton, CO now and have been here for 4 golf seasons and have yet to find a club that is even close to the fun times at The Oaks. So thanks again for the time you put in, hopefully someone can get it turned back around for you guys!
Taft