Course Improvements and subscription increase

Dear Member

INCREASING SUBSCRIPTIONS TO FUND COURSE IMPROVEMENT WORK

Firstly, a big thank you for your continued support in 2011.  We hope that you have enjoyed your golf at Mearns Castle this year and are looking forward to the 2012 golf season.   As ever, we endeavour to provide a club that offers great value for money and represents the views and opinions of our members.  Part of this process has highlighted the need to improve on certain areas of the course, including major drainage work and path improvements.

Following consultation with the Committee with regards to the funding for priority Course Improvement Work, the Academy has decided to raise Membership Subscriptions from 1^st January 2012, by £15 to £410 (with the option to pay £37 per month by Direct Debit), in order to raise funds to invest back into the course.

This will be the first increase in membership subscription for 2 years, but building on Course Improvements during the last two years, alongside further investment by the Academy and the Committee, we believe will lead to an vast improvement in the quality of the Golf Course for members, as outlined below :-

•  Completing Drainage at the 1st Hole : This includes installing a further drain from the 1st Fairway to the Burn, with lateral drains keyed into both drains; and lateral drains (including one from the Bunker) also keyed into the existing drain in front of the 1st Green, (Attachment 1 refers).  
• Replacing the Path from the 9^th Green :  Now that the accompanying drainage has been completed, the existing path will be scraped back to hard-core and finished with whin dust (similar to the path leading to the 1^st Hole).  Both of these projects will be completed in January 2012 and will cost around £4,000, jointly met from Committee Funds and the Academy.
• Tackling Drainage work on the 3^rd Hole : This includes installing a 150 mtr Solid Drain, alongside the 3^rd Fairway to the front of the 3^rd Green and onto the ditch on the 2^nd Fairway, with 14 x 40 mtr lateral drains (Attachment 2 refers).  This work will cost around £13,000 and will be partially funded through a £15 increase in Annual Subscriptions from 1^st January 2012. 
• Tackling other Priority Course Improvement Work : Any funds raised by the Committee for approved Course Improvement Work, will be match-funded by the Academy (similar to the above arrangements for completing the drainage at the 1^st Hole and the Path from the 9^th Green).
• Future Investment by Academy : The Academy will continue to invest in machinery, equipment (with over £40,000 invested in the past year) and infrastructure, including the scope for a potential change in the course layout.

We believe that the package on offer to members continues to represent good value for money and we do hope that you will continue to enjoy your golf here.   Any feedback will be welcome to me, the Committee, via our Website, or by email to russell@mcgolfacademy.co.uk or committee@live.co.uk

Kindest Regards

Russell Gray

Operations Manager