THE MAD POST

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

The golf course and driving range irrigation installation is now complete and with the return to play on #6 and #17 greens the major disruption to golf is over!
 
Thank you once again for your patience throughout the process.
 
Entrance road irrigation installation – This week the irrigation team will be installing irrigation along both sides of the entrance road. Please be cautious and expect some delays when arriving or leaving the Club. They will be working right beside the road and there will be times when traffic will be held, delays should be short but there will be some delays. The irrigation team will not work on Canada Day and should wrap up all the installation work at the Club by the end of next week.
 
What’s left to do – Once the entrance road is completed there is deficiency work to be addressed. This deficiency work doesn’t refer to the actual irrigation system, any issues there are addressed immediately. This deficiency work refers to turf remediation, and we’ve split this into immediate and future items. The immediate items include areas where the turf did not survive through the installation and bare soil patches remain, new sod will be laid in these areas and that will occur with a small team the week following the entrance road installation. The future items will be addressed in the fall and are primarily high or low spots along pipe seams and sprinkler heads that you can see throughout the course.
 
What can you expect for summer conditions - The new system is working well; we expect it to take Chad some time over the summer to adjust to this new system. But, over the short term you can expect the course to play a little softer than it typically does, this is to assist with the turf recovery, newly sodded areas and seeding in the many irrigation seams throughout the property. In time, as these areas recover and as the turf strengthens Chad will return to his typical turf management practices.

Submitted by Carl Penfold, Head Professional

What an incredible week we had in Ireland! From June 17^th – 24^th, a group of members and I travelled through the spectacular northwest coast, enjoying outstanding golf, great camaraderie, and, fortunately, some very cooperative Irish weather. Our itinerary featured an unforgettable lineup of world-class links courses, including Portsalon, Rosapenna's St. Patrick's Links and Old Tom Morris Links, Carne, County Sligo, Enniscrone, and Portmarnock. Each course offered its own unique character and breathtaking scenery, making for a truly memorable experience. A sincere thank you goes to member Bob Cook, whose passion and dedication to organizing these member trips continues to provide our members with exceptional golfing experiences and lasting memories. We are already looking forward to the next adventure!

Upon returning and looking over the upcoming tee sheets, it was very evident that match play season was well underway. I could see all the notes left on the tee sheet to have scorecards prepared in advance, which was great! What is not so great is some of the pace of play we have tracked for some of the matches. I have said this before in Mad Post articles; however, it is worth repeating. Playing a match is no excuse to play slowly. A group in a match is still expected to keep up with the group in front of them. If they cannot, you are encouraged to play ready golf and get back into position as soon as possible. When multiple matches are scheduled on a weekend, with a busy tee sheet, it only compounds the issue when these groups are slow. If you are signed up for these competitions, please be mindful of this and do your best to keep pace for the enjoyment of everyone playing.

 
Submitted by Chad Vibert, Golf Course Superintendent

We are excited to open both 6 and 17 greens for everyday play.  You will notice cart traffic mitigation strategies implemented to spread out push cart traffic around these new green surfaces, please follow this signage as you play these new surfaces.  One Important note, there will be no traffic permitted to the left of the 6^th green, between the green and the bunker.  All power cart traffic should go to the left side cart path, the right-side cart path will eventually be removed.   
      
Both of these greens will play a little slower than the rest of the course greens, this is precautionary as we let these new greens mature and better handle the stress of every day play.

Submitted by PA Irwin-Allen, Ladies Captain

Thank you to all the teams who have completed their Four Ball and Singles Match Play matches to date. As a friendly reminder, players are responsible for posting their own Match Play scores, even though we ask that Four Ball scorecards be returned to the pro shop. If you are out of a hole during a Four Ball match, please record your most likely score for handicap purposes. This score may differ from your net double bogey score, however, please note that a most likely score cannot exceed your net double bogey. If you're unsure what score to record, the staff in the pro shop are always happy to help.
 
We enjoyed a sunny day with just a slight chill in the air for golf last Tuesday. Although we had originally planned to play the Eliminator game, we switched to Team Stableford because Eliminator can only be played with complete threesomes or foursomes and does not allow for a blind partner when calculating team scores. Thank you to everyone for being so flexible with the last-minute change.

 
Submitted by Sandy Higgins, Membership Services

Thank you to everyone who registered for our 35th Anniversary Celebration. What began as a goal of bringing our members together has turned into a sold-out event! The overwhelming response is a wonderful reflection of the pride, friendships, and sense of community that make Mad River such a special place.

With a celebration of this size, we encourage everyone to plan their transportation in advance. If possible, please carpool with fellow members or consider using a local taxi service or Uber if you prefer not to drive home. To maximize parking, our staff will be parking off-site so that both Club parking lots remain available for members and guests.

The preferred attire for the evening is smart casual, comfortable enough to enjoy the festivities while making the occasion feel just a little more special. Name tags are encouraged.

Please note that, as no children under the age of 13 were registered to attend, the children's games and activities originally planned will not be offered.
 

Submitted by Ryan Rinneard, Director of Instruction
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Submitted by Michelle Larcher, Food & Beverage Manager

Canada Day at Mad River and a Toast to Canada’s Signature Cocktail

Tomorrow, we invite you to celebrate Canada Day with us at Mad River as we add a little extra red and white to your day on and off the course.
From 12:00–4:00 p.m., our culinary team will be at the BBQ serving up a festive menu featuring Buffalo Chicken Poutine, classic Butter Tarts, and summertime favourites fresh off the grill.

This Canada Day, we are proud to feature Mott's Caesars, available both traditionally prepared or as a refreshing non-alcoholic option. Created in 1969 in Calgary by restaurateur Walter Chell, the Caesar was inspired by the flavours of spaghetti alle vongole and has grown into one of Canada's most iconic beverages. Today, millions of Caesars are enjoyed across the country each year, making it a fitting choice for a Canada Day celebration.