Above: The Town is seeking people to help oversee and make the most of our golf course. (image cropped from Town tweet)
The Town is looking to recruit volunteers to fill at least one vacancy on the Golf Course Committee. The Committee was created to help Southborough make the most of the golf course purchased in 2017.
Since I’m sharing this news, I should share an update on the Southborough Golf Club (formerly St. Mark’s Golf Course).
For those wondering (though you wouldn’t know if from their Facebook page) the course is already open this spring. Click here to find info on tee times, rates, etc.
Update on golf course management and plans
The details below are based on an update by Town Administrator Mark Purple to the Select Board in December and minutes from Golf Course Committee meetings last fall.
Last year was another good year for the Club. Revenue in 2021 was a record high gross of $517K. (Sorry, I don’t have a net figure.)
In the fall, the Town issued an RFP for a management company for a five year contract with an option for the Town to extend another 1 or 2 years. Only one bid came in on time.* Fortunately, it was one considered favorable.
The contract was awarded to New England Golf Corporation, the same company that has been managing the course for the past 16 years. (Their prior contract expired at the end of 2021.) According to a memo, their bid was ranked “Highly Advantageous” for most of the RFP criteria.
As most readers should know, the Town has had to invest in changes to the golf course made necessary by adding a the Public Safety Building to the grounds.
The last I shared news on that was for work in progress that included renovations to the 1st & 9th tees. That was completed in 2019. In June 2021, a bid was issued for a new putting green. That was installed at the course last fall.
This year, hitting cages for warming up are scheduled to be installed. Other fixes/issues on the horizon are paving the parking lot, installing more effective netting along Latisquama Road to reduce balls hitting homes, and researching potential irrigation options.
As of November, the Committee was looking to discuss with Management better promoting the course, including:
- reaching golfers beyond Southborough
- attracting youth participants
- and promoting “the availability of food and beverage to encourage patrons using the course more than simply ‘golf-and-go'”
Committee Vacancies
While the management company is in place, it looks the overseeing Committee is lacking enough members to make quorum. No Committee meetings have taken place since November.
Today, the Town announced:
The Southborough Golf Committee needs you! Volunteer today to help oversee and bring new opportunities to the Southborough Golf Club. Join the Committee and make a difference today!
Some duties include managing the day-to-day relationship with the current management company and identifying opportunities for increasing revenue through additional golf programming in conjunction with other town departments and the community at large.
Since only two members are currently listed, it looks like the Town needs at least one more. If enough volunteers raise their hands, the Select Board can add up to three more members without revising the Committee’s Charge.
Members are appointed by the Select Board. Their full duties include:
- Manage the day-to-day relationship with the current management company;
- Provide a scorecard to evaluate the current management company’s performance;
- Identify opportunities for increasing revenue through additional golf programming in conjunction with other town departments and the community at large;
- Prepare draft budgets for operations and capital improvements to be considered by the Board of Selectmen for future Town Meetings;
- Take input from the public regarding golf matters and communicate policies to residents;
- Develop a “master plan” to include annual goals for the golf course with resident and management company input;
- Communicate with town departments, officials, and other resources as needed [i.e. Inspectional Departments, Town Administrator, permitting boards, etc.].
You can learn more about the Committee (including agendas and minutes of past meetings) here. To watch two of their meetings from last fall, click here.
You can also apply for this or any committee vacancy by completing the New Citizen Activity Form here.
*Another company that missed the deadline might be interested the next go around.
