Mid Washington Seniors Golf Association

Board Member Meeting

McNamara’s Bar & Grill in Dupont, WA

January 10, 2024

AGENDA:

 

A   CALL TO ORDER at 11:00 am

 

Board Members in Attendance: Reinhold Schuetz, Denney Dawson, Steve Carley, Jim Pape, Terry Welling,

Tom Seeley, Bob Watson, Ron Whitaker

Board Members not in Attendance: Wes Forshee, John Galligan

Others Present: Guests – Paul McDonald, Perry Straus (MWSGA Members) were introduced.

 

A. CALL TO ORDER

 

B   ORDER OF BUSINESS

 

  1. Review and Approve prior Meeting Minutes from Annual Meeting
  • Board Meeting Minutes from 11/14/24 were reviewed and approved.
  • The Board is awaiting the Annual Meeting Minutes Board from Secretary Tom Seeley
  1. Board Officer Elections
  • A motion mas made to Elect New Board Members: 
  • Paul McDonald and Perry Straus
  1. Election of Board Officers for 2024

The Board offered nominations and elected the following members of the board for 2024:

  • President: Wes Forshee
  • Vice President: Reinhold Schuetz
  • Treasurer: Denney Dawson
  • Secretary: John Galligan
  1. Tournament Schedule for the 2024 Golf Season
  • Discussion:  A review of the tournament schedule and dates.
  • Action:
  • All tournament dates and golf courses have been confirmed for the 2024 season by the assigned board members for initial contacts with the course representatives (e.g., Club Pro, manager).  This included Lake Spanaway as a Best Ball tournament on August 14, 2024.
  • An open date exists during the July 1st week.  It was agreed by all that this week should be left open.

 

  1. Tournament Management
  • Discussion:  A tournament Chair and Cochairs needs to assigned to each tournament for effective and efficient management.

 

  • Action: A Tournament Chair and Co-chair was assigned to manage each tournament.  New Board Members were assigned tournaments as Co-Chairs to gain experience.  
  • It was agreed that a more systematic selection of tee times by Board Members is essential to ensure coordination by the tournament chair/co-chair for the coordination and collection of tournament gear (e.g. table, pay station, time clock etc.) for the next tournament assigned to them. 

 

  1. Tracking of Information for Golf Tournaments in 2024
  • Discussion:  An ‘active’ spreadsheet will be used like the one that was used very effectively during the 2023 golf season to track essential elements of information golf course points of contact, rates, tee box assignments etc.

 

  • Action:  Jim Pape volunteered to review and update basic information in the ‘active’ spreadsheet based on the 2023 spreadsheet.

 

  1. Open “Registration” on-line thru Golf Genius
  • Discussion: It is essential that we establish a date as soon as possible to send out an email to our mailing list and open Registration for the 2024 Golf Season.  Also, need to ensure that the on line pay system is ready to go in addition to the pay by personal check through the mail system.

 

  • Action:  Reinhold and Denney will coordinate with Wes on the email to the members and a date to open registration.  If needed, Denney will contact implementing the on-line pay system for registration. 

 

C. RULES AND POLICIES

 

Review - Pace of Play – Timeclocks – Penalty

 

  • Discussion:  It was agreed by all that the use of a timeclock to collect and monitor data related to the pace of play of MWSGA player/teams was very successful and well received by the members.  Feedback by some members at the Annual Meeting last year strongly supported some type of penalty (e.g. strokes) to be assessed.  Several Board members expressed the need to apply a penalty for documented ‘slow play.’  The Board has been able to identify players/teams that have problems with pace of play and they have been informed and educated on the need to keep pace.

 

  • Decision:  A motion was made and it was generally agreed that it is premature to develop a rule or policy at this time for assessing a penalty on players/teams based on our collection of data.  The Board is committed to continuing to collect pace of play data, emphasize pace of play and develop options for assessing penalties with more evaluation and input.

 

Raking Sand Bunkers (Greenside and Fairway)

  • Issue:  A Rule for the 2024 season was passed during the November 14, 2023 Board Meeting that would allow players in MWSGA tournaments where a ball lands in a bunker (Greenside or Fairway) to lift and clean their ball, rake the bunker sand, and replace the ball as close as possible to where the ball originally landed in the bunker.  The is rule was based on evident that the conditions and quality of sand bunkers (Greenside and Fairway) in courses MWSGA plays varies significantly from course to course.  Also, the quality of the raking and repair of sand in the bunkers by players is inconsistent that may impact the play of other competitors.

 

  • Existing USGA Rules Restricts the Touching of Sand in Bunker.  Touching sand before making a stroke with a hand, club, rake, or other object result in a penalty.

 

  • Discussion:  Following the meeting and the adoption of the new rule, several board members had more time to reflect on the appropriateness of the rule and potential ramifications of non-compliance with USGA and contributing to slow play (e.g. multiple raking’s).  These concerns were raised at the meeting.  Non-compliance with the USGA rules may prevent our members from entering MWSGA Best Ball scores into the GHIN system and affecting handicaps.   

 

  • Decision:  A motion was made and the Board unanimously voted to rescind the rule.

 

Team Handicap vs. Total Handicap Use for Flight Formation

 

  • Issue:  It has been proposed that the Board should use the Team Handicap instead of Total Index for creating flights.  This process maybe a more fair and equitable process for assigning teams to Flights.

 

  • Discussion:  Chuck Broten was asked to evaluate Golf Genius and the use the Team Handicap instead of Total Index for the 2024 golf season.  Based on Chuck’s evaluation, this system maybe a more fair and equitable way of structuring team flights.

 

  • Decision:  A motion was made and the Board unanimously voted to use the Team Handicap instead of Total Index for creating flights for the 2024 season.

D. REPORT OF STANDING COMMITTEES

 

  1. Financial Report – Treasurer, Denney Dawson
  • Financial Status

MWSGA is in very good financial condition The financial status as we begin Status calendar year 2024. MWSGA Financial Status as of 1/10/2024 has two bank accounts with Heritage Federal Bank of WA.  A checking account for association business expenses, & a savings account for tournament payouts at the end of the season.

  • Upcoming Expenses in 2024:
  • Annual report & $10 to WA Secretary of State, good until 1/21/2024;
  • US PO for mail box - $100;
  • Liability Insurance for MWSGA Board 2024, to Duncan Assoc. Insurance

                                    ($50 handling fee & $980 for the insurance) - $1,230;

  • Golf Genius - $$3,832.50
  1. Others

No Reports this meeting

 

E. NEW BUSINESS

 

  • Draft Operations Guide

 

Board Member, John Galligan has drafted and distributed a ‘Draft’ Operations Guide to assist Board Members effectively and efficiently manage golf tournaments.  The guide does not include guidance for using Golf Genius.  John is looking for Board Members to provide comments, recommendations, and suggestions.  This document needs to be finalized before the next season starts.

 

  • Golf Genius Training

 

Discussion:  New and existing Board Members need basic and advanced training on the use of Golf Genius (GG) to effectively manage MWSGA tournaments. 

 

  • Time Clock Purchase

Discussion:  During the Board’s discussion on the effectiveness of documenting data on  pace of play using the time clock it was raised that the Association only has one time clock that needs to be transported from South to North tournaments.

  • Decision:  A motion was made and vote taken approving the purchase of a second time clock for use during the Northend tournaments.

F. NEXT BOARD MEEGING

 

  • Scheduled:  To Be Determined in the Third or Fourth week of March..

G. Adjournment: A motion was made to adjourn the meeting, and seconded. By unanimous vote of the members present, the meeting was adjourned at 1:00 pm, to next meet at the call of the President.