PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE | DAVID WILKS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
David E. Wilks - President Adam G. Landis - Vice President David D. Wilkinson - Treasurer Thomas A. Beck - Secretary
There is much to write about this month, but there is really only one subject that has captured all of our attention lately.The point of the transparency that leadership has emphasized for the past two years was not only to keep the membership apprised of what is happening at the Club and how decisions are made, but also to elicit input from you, the owners of the Club. I have received a great deal of input both in favor of and against moving forward with the North Course project as Andrew Green presented it and I am grateful for it. The Club’s leadership teams are considering all your views and suggestions in addition to a lot of other considerations -- both pro and con -- that our deliberations have uncovered. Throughout this process, leadership has remained acutely aware of its role as stewards of this Club and that we must carefully balance our obligations to both the present and the future. And all members must always bear in mind that we are owners and not customers. We are well aware of -- and are taking into full account -- the demographics of our Club, the economic realities in our community and our membership trends. We are also well aware of the mandate that was given by Club leadership as early as 2008 and put into writing in 2018 that there is a list of essential amendments that must be made to the North Course when the irrigation system is replaced. To review, those elements include the following that are at the end of their functional lifespans: Greens: The great majority of the greens have not been renovated since the 1960s. Aging bentgrass and poa annua mixtures create shallow root systems, lower resiliency, and turf health challenges. As a result, consistency of the playing experience suffers and our maintenance team is constantly forced into reactive management. Moreover, most North Course greens have contours that are now too severe, limiting the number of acceptable hole locations. Bunkers: Drainage, sand profiles, and shaping have deteriorated beyond repair, leading to frequent washouts, uneven playing conditions, and higher maintenance costs. Following the 2020 tornado, the bunkers were repaired in a manner that focused on returning them to use for a short period of time with the expectation of a complete renovation simultaneous with the irrigation system replacement.
CLASS OF 2025 Thomas A. Beck Robert W. Friz Lisa A. Schmidt Meghan A. Adams Stephen J. Crifasi, Jr. Andrew J. Podolsky Becky Allen George “Tripp” Way, III CLASS OF 2026 Rachel W. Heinle Douglas D. Herrmann Jennifer J. Hopkins Pamela S. Tikellis James R. Selsor Jr. David D. Wilkinson Jeffrey Ciconte Deborah J. Pittenger Honorary Directors Gary W. Ferguson Melissa Riegel Advisory Directors Joseph F. Hacker, III Allen M. Terrell, Jr. John F. Porter, III
Cart Paths: Cracking, heaving, and outdated routing create both structural concerns and negative impacts on playability and safety.
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