Welcome to the New Year--from Your ASGA President

Is winter really over?

Can you believe it is already February?  The holidays and even your broken New Year's resolutions are a distant memory already.

2024 marks ASGA's 50th anniversary!  

Just a quick stroll down memory lane to 1974:

• City of Austin greens fees were raised to $3.25
• The interstate speed limit was set at 55 mph to conserve gas
• Richard Nixon resigned
• The average home price was $38,000
• Blazing Saddles was the top-grossing movie
• The Rubik's Cube was invented
• The Pittsburgh Steelers won Super Bowl IX
• I was a college sophomore trying to look cool with my Afro, bells, and platforms. (photos not available)

But most importantly, our founding fathers would surely be proud of how their traditions have been carried on. With over 200 active members, we continue to be an active, lively organization ready for its next 50!

Mark Your Calendars

Our Spring Championship is still a ways off, but I wanted to remind everyone that it will be played on April 23rd & 25th....Tuesday and Thursday of that week.  It's the only time we'll be playing on a day other than Tuesday, so be aware.

Speedy Play Tip

It's not the big things, it's the little things. If each player in your foursome could save 10 seconds per shot, your round would be 35 minutes faster!! And that's not counting putts! Going forward, we will be regularly providing tips and tricks to get you that 10 seconds!

Joke of the day

"You're late on the tee, John."

"Yes, well being a Sunday, I had to toss a coin to see if I should go to church or go play golf."

"OK...but why are you late?"

" I had to toss it  15 times!!"

That's it for now.  Be well.....and see ya in the short grass......Greg

 

 

Greg Marshall

City of Austin Golf Courses Closed Sun. 1/14 thru Tue. 1/16

Tue. 1/16 Golf ATX Update - Currently the greens are covered in a sheet of ice at all locations and will not thaw on Tuesday Jan 16th. We need temps to be consistently above freezing for a significant amount of time before we can reopen. Our best guesstimate at this time for reopening is Thursday, Jan. 18th. 

All Golf ATX driving ranges will reopen on Wednesday, Jan. 17^th, mats only with a last ball at 5:00 sold. In addition, Lions may not have running water and this affect both the restrooms and food operations.

Golf courses and practice greens will remain inaccessible while the temperatures are below freezing and until the greens thaw out.

We hope everyone is making it through this event with no property damage and staying warm.  We want you back out at the facilities as badly as you want to be back out there.

Best,

GOLFATX Staff

Steve Hammond

GOLFATX Division Manager

 

 Email from Austin's GOLF ATX Division Manager:

"With the impending weather, GOLFATX properties will be closed Sunday the 14th through Tuesday the 16th.  In an effort to protect the grasses, our agronomists are going to insulate the greens with water and it will freeze over on Saturday night.  Although the sun may be shining, the ground will not thaw until the temps are consistently over 35 degrees.  We apologize about the closure as we know your time to play our courses is valued.  Our practice of insulating the greens has proved beneficial the last three years and it has showed in our conditions.

"We will have phone operators on property until 11:00 each day provided they can safely get to the golf courses. Please do not access the properties during the closure.

"Stay safe and warm, we will see you next week."

Sincerely,

Steve Hammond

GOLFATX Division Manager

 

2023 President's Cup and Banquet Info

This year’s President’s Cup, Annual Meeting and Banquet will be held at the Jimmy Clay golf course & pavilion on October 24, 2023. Here are some details of the event.

PRESIDENT'S CUP (MATCH PLAY)

Past President Sam Mihalik will once again lead Team Blue along with his Assistant Captain Allan Myers. Sam and Allan last year led a 41-person team to a decisive 30.5 to 15.5 victory over Team Red rivals Travis McWhorter and David Brader.

This year current President Lewis Howell will captain Team Red, along with Greg Marshall as his Assistant Captain.

The four leaders plus Shawn Higgins, Event Chair, will meet on the Saturday morning prior to the event to draft the teams.

THE PRESIDENT'S CUP

How do you get to be selected to play Oct 24? It is simple. Sign up or have your usual person sign you up to play in the event on the 24th. The sign up will be open from October 18 until 5 o'clock Friday the 20th. You do not have to select a time as the event is a shotgun start (appx. 8:00). You must sign up by 5PM Friday because Bruce Jones will then compile the list of signups and forward it to the Captains and Event Chair so they will have time to prepare for Saturday morning's draft. You will see on Sunday the 22nd at the usual time which team you are on and who you will compete against in match play. 

On Tuesday morning you will pay your usual fees at the course. The winning President Cup team members will win $10 whether they won, lost, or tied their individual match.

THE ANNUAL MEETING

At the meeting we will elect Association Officers for the upcoming 2023-2024 season. In addition, door prizes will be provided for those with banquet tickets, along with announcements of the Grand Prix winners, and of course the President's Cup. There will also be members recognized for special awards.

MOST IMPORTANTLY YOU CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE ELECTION OF OFFICERS.
Sam Mihalik led a nominating committee that is recommending the following members for 2023-2024 board positions. Any member is also allowed to nominate a member from the floor during the election process.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS:

President:  Greg Marshall
Vice President: Allan Myers
Secretary/Treasurer: David Brader
Event Chair: Shawn Higgins
Handicap Chair: Jim Sallade
PARD City Board Rep: Maury Miller
General Membership: (nomination from the floor per bylaws)
Website/Admin Chair: Bruce Jones
Past President: Lewis Howell (automatic per bylaws)

THE BANQUET/PICNIC

Tickets for the banquet are now on sale on our website and from board members. The cost is $13 on-line or $15 from a board member. Greg Marshall and Allen Myers oversee the banquet this year. After the golf tournament, just head over to the Clay pavilion.  You’ll see Shawn scoring the event in real-time. Your banquet ticket stub will be used for the door prize drawings.

RENEW YOUR ASGA MEMBERSHIP

In the banquet area you will have your first opportunity to renew your ASGA membership for 2024. We will have a table set up where you can easily renew your membership. Online renewals for 2024 begin November 1^st.

Dues have increased by $5.00 for next year. The main renewal period begins with the date of the Annual Banquet event and continues through December 31st. After December 31st if you fail to renew, your fee will increase to the new member rate of $20.00 to reactivate your membership.

Hope to see you at the President’s Cup competition and our annual banquet.

 

Lewis Howell
President
ASGA &
Team Red Captain

Oct. 24 Event Banquet Tickets Now Available

The Ticket

 

Fall is finally here....at least on the calendar anyway.  And that means the  President's Cup and Annual Banquet are right around the corner.  The Annual Banquet will be October 24th at Jimmy Clay.  Banquet tickets are now available online.  Click here to purchase your tickets and select your meal option  Your ticket purchase also enters you in the raffle.  Tickets are $13--save $2 if you buy online.  Payable with a credit card or Paypal.  

If you prefer to purchase with cash, board members will have tickets available beginning October 3rd.  Tickets are $15.

Questions?  Contact me or Allan Myers. We're listed on the website in the Organization section, Board of Directors.

Greg

Attention Members

 Tuesday 9/12/23 Jimmy Clay Golf Course:

We had a member hit very hard on the knee today by a golf ball from a player in the following group on the fifteenth hole. The incident occurred because a member playing behind them hit his shot before the group in front had completely cleared the green area.

I can share that the few times I have come close to getting hit by a golf ball happened near the green while trying to access my golf cart to leave the area.

Please exercise a little more patience and wait until the members playing in front of you have cleared the green area before hitting your ball. Even if you are a low handicapper and feel you can control your ball, things happen. Fortunately, it appears that the person who was hit today will be OK but he is in a lot of pain this evening. Again, please take a few extra moments and allow the group in front of you to clear the green area before hitting your next shot.

Your patience and courtesy is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

Lewis Howell

ASGA President