THE GOLF COURSE : The CGM golf course is an 18-hole, championship layout approximately 6400 yards in length. Par is 72 from the men's white and blue tees and 73 from ladies yellow tees. Although not particularly long, the course features narrow, tree-lined fairways that dog leg left and right, as well as small, tricky greens. The course winds through the exclusive Meadows Estates neighborhood and is relatively easy to walk. Best known for its natural Poanna greens, the course provides an excellent challenge for recreational and competitive golfers alike.

GOLF NEWS
By Dick Hendron, PGA Director of Golf

Golf Tip of the Month
Practice with a Purpose
We’re all aware that concentration and focus during a round of golf is critical if we are to score well. We know that each shot is important and going through the same pre-shot routine will assist in creating a dependable result. But how many of you take this same approach to your range practice? Try this method next time you venture to the driving range.

Take a Club Green Meadows score card with you and imagine you are starting on hole number one. You are going to play an 18 hole round from the practice tee. Hit your drive. Are you in the fairway, rough, or heaven forbid, the poplars on the right or the trees on the left? Maybe you are in the other fairway on hole number nine! What’s your next shot? Which club will you use? Be honest with yourself and think through each situation as you would on the course. Once you’ve “reached the green,” add 2 putts to the hole score and proceed to the next hole.

This type of practice is not only fun, but substantially more productive than just banging balls one after the other. It forces a higher level of concentration, focus and planning on each shot. This, in turn, helps you to evaluate your game and identify your errors

Golf Course Etiquette:
Golf Etiquette is About More than Just Manners
Etiquette is a word that’s often heard in relation to golf. But it’s not just about manners. The rules of golf etiquette are what they are for several very important reasons. Many of them relate to the safety of golfers, the pace of play (which helps keep the game enjoyable), other rules of golf etiquette and maintaining the quality of the golf course.

In other words, golf etiquette is an essential part of the game. And it’s something that newcomers to the game often learn as they go - on the course, when playing with more experienced golfers.

If you are new to the game, or just need to brush up on your golf etiquette, here are some basic rules of the road that will help keep the game enjoyable for you and those around you.

Keep It Safe
• Do not swing your club until you know that others in your group are at a safe distance. Likewise, keep your distance when others are swinging. Be aware to steer clear of trouble.
• When practicing your swing, never swing in the direction of another player. There may be pebbles or twigs or other matter in the grass that could fly up and injure a playing partner.
• Do not hit the ball until you are certain that the group ahead of you is out of range.
• If your ball appears headed toward another player or another group, give them a warning by yelling out, “Fore!”
• Observe the safety suggestions posted in golf carts and drive carefully. Golf etiquette requires keeping your cart off the grass as much as possible.
• Never throw clubs in anger. In addition to being rude and childish, it is also dangerous.

Maintain a Good Pace of Play Throughout Your Round
• Keep the round moving by being prepared to hit your shot when it is your turn. You probably don’t like waiting on other groups - don’t make other groups wait on you.
• The player who is away hits first in a group. However, in friendly matches (as opposed to tournament play), this rule can be ignored in favor of “ready play” - players hit as they are ready. All players should agree to “ready play” before it is put into effect.
• Do not spend too much time looking for a lost ball, particularly if there is a group behind you ready to play. If you insist on taking the full five minutes allotted to look for lost balls, golf etiquette says wave up the group behind to allow them to play through.
• Always try to keep pace with the group ahead of you. If space opens in front of you, allow a faster group to play through.
• When two players in a cart hit to opposite sides of a hole, drive to first ball and drop off that player with his club, then drive to the second ball. After both players hit, meet up farther down the hole.
• When walking from your cart to your ball, take a couple clubs with you. Taking only one club, then having to return to the cart to retrieve a different club is a time-waster.
• Always leave the putting green as soon as your group has finished putting Be Kind to the Golf Course
• Observe cart rules. Some courses will post “cart path only” signs; others will ask you to observe the “90-degree rule.” Do as you are told.
• Keep carts away from greens and hazards.
• Repair all divots. Many courses simply ask you to replace the divot and tap down firmly, whilst others have a repair policy and provide sand and other alternatives accordingly(usually provided on your cart).
• Repair all ball marks on the green – use a ballmark repair tool whenever possible. Insert the repair tool at the edge of the ball mark. Do NOT insert the tool within the depression itself. Push the tool forward from the edge of the ball mark toward the center. Do this around the edges of the indentation. Do NOT insert the tool under the indented area and push up - a common mistake. Think of it as pushing turf in from the edges toward the center. Tap down the repaired area with your putter so that the surface is even.
• Always rake sand traps after hitting to erase your footprints and damage to the area where your ball was. Try to enter and exit the bunker from the point that’s closest to your ball, but most level to the adjacent playing surface. Don’t try to climb out by going up a steep bunker face (you can damage the lip of the bunker and displace too much sand). Always rake the bunker immediately after your sand shot. Be careful not to pull excess sand to the lip of the bunker. Alternate between pulling sand toward you and pushing it back with the tines of the rake, thus making a relatively even surface without displacing too much sand.

And a Few More Golf Etiquette Hints:
• Quiet, please! Never talk during another player’s swing.
• Do not yell out following a shot. Even if boisterous behavior doesn’t bother your playing partners, there are other people on the course who may be within earshot. • Be aware of your shadow on the putting green. Don’t stand in a place that causes your shadow to be cast across another player or that player’s putting line.
• Never walk through a playing partner’s putting line. Your footprints might alter the path of a partner’s putt. Step over the putting line, or walk around (behind) the partner’s ball.

Golf Department News!
• Golf Information Board: July is an extremely busy month for our golf course.
Please check the monthly Golf Schedule and information board at the Golf Desk when planning your outings.

Mondays:
• Golf course opens at Noon.
• After your golf game, stop by our Lounge for Taco Night beginning at 4:00 p.m.

Tuesdays:
• Ladies 18 hole golfers take the tees for Ladies’ Day each Tuesday until noon. Golf members may sign up for this weekly game on the bulletin board, located inside the golf locker room.
• Golf course open to all Golf Members at noon and remains open until Dusk.
• Junior Golf Lessons are held from 4:00 to 4:50 p.m. each Tuesday. Sign up your child at the Front Desk.

Wednesdays:
• Golf Course open from 7:30 a.m. to Dusk
• Couples Golf starts at 5:30 p.m. This fun event is open to all golf members and includes 9 holes of golf and dinner! All skill levels are welcome. Sign up at the golf desk!
• Course stays open until Dusk.

Thursdays:
• Men’s Day golfers take the tees each Thursday until noon.

Fridays:
• Golf Course open from 7:30 a.m. to Dusk.
• An organized Ladies’ golf game begins with tee times starting at 10:00 a.m.
• An organized Men’s Skin golf game begins with tee times starting at 12:00 noon.

Saturdays & Sundays
• Golf Course open from 7:30 a.m. to Dusk.
• Lots of tournaments take place for the Mens’ and Ladies’ Golf Clubs on Saturdays and Sundays. Check the Golf bulletin boards and Front Desk for specific tournament dates and times. Sign up today!


Improve Your Game With Private Lessons!
Dick Hendron, our PGA Director of Golf and Luke Holden, our Assistant Golf Professional, offer private golf instruction on all aspects of the golf game. One hour and half hour lessons are available to club members at all skill levels. Contact our golf staff at the Front Desk to book your private golf lesson today.

Read the entire Golf News in this months Meadows Magazine

Weekly Course Schedule: