THE MAD POST

Submitted by Gary Ward, General Manager & C.O.O.

Despite the less than ideal forecast early in the week, the course will open for the season Tuesday morning. Conditions look to improve as the week goes on and we should have a reasonable weekend for golf.
 

Submitted by Carl Penfold, Head Professional

The golf course officially opens for the 2023 season today. For our members that do not travel south, this will be their first opportunity to tee it up since we closed last October. I often hear members say that their first round(s) of the season are some of their best. The biggest reason I tell them is because they do not have any expectations. In the early part of the season, most players are happy just to feel some solid contact. When they remove the pressure of shooting a great score, the result is often better than expected! If you can stay in this mindset all season long, that will certainly help lower scores and handicap.

Our 2023 Match Play competitions are now open for registration. The cost to participate in any match play event is $15 per player. The deadline to sign up is Monday, May 22^nd and brackets will be posted by June 1^st. Registrations links and a description of the event is below: Please click on 'read more' sign up for the different Match Plays.
 

 
Submitted by Chad Vibert, Golf Course Superintendent

Golf Course Update

The golf course maintenance staff are looking forward to the golf season, we are hopeful to get off to a great start with respect to weather and course conditioning for the 2023 golf season.

We were able to aerify our greens and collars prior to opening the golf course.  We have had very cool soil temperatures this spring season, prior to aerification we need to ensure that bentgrass is actively growing or it will not recover from the aeration and poa will surely invade.  Hopefully some good weather is on the way to both heal our greens surfaces and to get all of our grasses actively growing for the up coming season. 

The greens have recently been aerified, expect them to be slower than normal for the first part of the season.  They will slowly get faster as the springs rolls along, we will be topdressing and brushing throughout the spring to try to encourage a finer leaf blade and leaving them a touch longer in height to encourage strong root growth to help us through the more stressful summer season.

Submitted by Karen Franklin, Ladies Captain
 

Something New!

In the past, to add some extra fun to our Tuesday morning golf, we could opt to pay $2 towards a Bounty Ball.  That meant that if you were able to birdie (or better) the random hole selected by the pro shop, you won the pot of money!  If you were tied (someone else also birdied the hole), the pot was forwarded to the next week.  Please click on 'read more' to find out about the new SKINS game!

Submitted by Ang De Lorenzi, Men's Captain

Submitted by Ryan Rinneard, Director of Instruction

HALF-DAY SHORT GAME SCHOOLS
LIMIT OF 4 PARTICIPANTS
 
Did you know an 18-handicap player will tend to miss 17 of 18 greens in regulation in a round of golf?  This is what makes the short game so important.  Learning to get the ball up and down a few more times a round is part of the secret to lower scores.  Golf is a game of managing your misses.
 
During this 2.5-hour short game school, you will:
 

• Improve your putting from short, mid, and long range.
• Improve your finesse game from inside of 25 yards.
• Improve your distance control from 25 to 100 yards.
• Learn how you hit your great shots and what you do when you hit your poor shots
• Learn to have an intention over every shot.
• Learn to think better on the golf course.

  
CLICK THE LINKS BELOW TO REGISTER FOR ONE OF THE DATES
Saturday, May 20^th, 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 3rd, 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
 
Cost $250/session.

Submitted by Michelle Larcher, Food & Beverage Manager

Spring Thaw Cocktail Party
Our first event of the season happens this Friday from 5-7pm.  Come and try one of our new wines or explore the new world of non-alcoholic mocktails and beer. This year’s event will showcase a variety of hors d'oeuvres as well as some of the menu items that will be offered this season. We are so excited to welcome you back and to get the season underway. We look forward to seeing you Opening Day and at the Spring Thaw. Please register on the website through the calendar.

Water Dispensers and Water Bottles

Did you know that we have 2 filtered water dispensers for you to fill up your water bottle? Most Members are aware of the one outside the front doors that also dispenses ice but do not know of the one located at our coffee station just inside the dining room. This dispenser supplies cold water, room temperature water and sparkling. If you would like ice, the servers are happy to get some for you.

If you happen to forget your refillable bottle, you can use the paper cups we provide at the dispenser or if you need a new bottle, the Pro Shop has Mad River branded ones in different colours and sizes.  We do encourage filling your own bottles and we recognize that you may run out before being back at the clubhouse so there will be bottled water at holes #6, #15 and Cupp’s Corner.