Posted: 11/7/11

Board Meeting Minutes

Phyllis Simon made the motion to approve the slate and Pam Shover seconded.       

Administrative Office:

Phyllis Simon suggested changing the title of the VSWGA office employee.  The present title of Administrative Assistant/Bookkeeper is cumbersome.  Phyllis Simon, Nancy Murphy, and Harriet Parot offered suggestions.  The Board decided the new title would be Office Administrator. 

The Board discussed the salary of Krissie Lohrman, the VSWGA Office Administrator.  The Board decided to give Krissie Lohrman a raise and begin paying it equally over twelve months, effective in November.  Tracy Sloan made the motion to give Krissie Lohrman a bonus as an appreciation of all her hard work and seconded by Nancy Murphy. 

Financial Report:

Deb Warner distributed the Profit and Loss report for the period of January through September 2011 and a proposed 2012 Budget. 

Phyllis Simon and Tracy Sloan discussed the pros and cons of the VSWGA being on Cash Basis for taxes and accounting purposes versus a Cash Basis for taxes and an Accrual Basis for accounting purposes.  The VSWGA is on a cash basis now for both taxes and accounting.  Phyllis felt that the reports should show the payables and that the Balance Sheet and the Profit and Loss Statements should be on an Accrual Basis.  Tracy believes the focus should be on what cash comes in and how much cash goes out to pay the bills.  The Board decided to remain on a Cash Basis.

Harriet Parot reported how the VSWGA receives our GHIN income.  The proposed income for 2012 is $43,500.  The USGA bills the VSWGA.  We then bill all clubs in Vermont $16 for every female golfer and $9 for every female junior golfer.  The VSWGA then pays GHIN $.12 per golfer every revision (every two weeks).  The VGA is raising the rate it charges clubs for GHIN by $1 for 2012.  Harriet feels that this is not necessary for the VSWGA to do, because both the VSWGA and the VGA raised rates by $1 in 2011.  Harriet said that the USGA now prints the invoices for her to mail to the member clubs.  Harriet may need access to QuickBooks if the USGA changes this procedure. 

In addition to the GHIN billing, the VSWGA bills each club an annual fee which entitles a club to be rated and the handling of the club’s GHIN Women’s handicap system.  The amount of the fee varies depending on how many holes per club:   9 holes - $100, 18 holes - 150, 27 holes - $275, and 36 holes - $300.  The VSWGA uses these funds to pay for such things as rules seminars.  

Major Tournament Income/Expense:

In discussing the three major tournaments for the proposed income and expenses for the 2012 budget, changes were made as to projected number of participants and thus income.  Both the State Amateur and the Mid-Amateur had the projected number of participants reduced.  Some reasons for and possible solutions to increasing the participation in the State Amateur included: 

·        Judy Kurtz stated that it was just a result of the poor economy.

·        Harriet Parot felt that the cause might be the fact that the State Amateur is a three-day tournament held in the middle of the week.

·        The timing of the Amateurs has been later in August the last few years and some of the eligible college age women have already left for college.  A suggestion was made to move the Senior Tournament to August and the State Amateur Tournament to July.

·        Rhonda Colvard felt that we do not want to water down the State Amateur tournament just to get more participants; she felt it was a stronger tournament without the higher handicap players.  The budget should be adjusted for a tournament with fewer players.

·        Cindy Paquet wants to preserve the integrity of the State Amateur tournament by keeping it three days.

·        Nancy Murphy suggested that maybe we should look at the way NEWGA pays out their net prizes. Net players are eligible for prizes after completion of the first two days of the tournament and they are not eligible to play the third day unless they also qualify under low gross.  

Other concerns and ideas concerning the State Amateur, the Mid-Amateur and the Senior tournaments are: 

·        Rhonda Colvard suggested it would be helpful for planning and budgeting purposes to include a checkbox on the “VSWGA Tournament Application” for members to indicate which tournaments they planned to participate in the coming year.

·        Rhonda also stated that during a major tournament one-third of the field is paid.  She suggested that the chits be paid according to the size of the field and not automatically the top ten gross and top ten net winners.  Tracy Sloan suggested paying the chits on a percentage of the field.

·        Rhonda further suggested that the prizes, which according to the “Tournament Procedures for all Championships,” have a value between $30 and $40 and still be given for the top 10 gross and the top 10 net.  Nancy Murphy suggested that when possible these prizes be purchased locally.  The guidelines in the tournament procedures manual will be reviewed.

·        The main goal is to level fund these tournaments.  Some tournaments make money and some tournaments lose money depending on participation and expenses. 

Budget Changes and Concerns: 

·        The fee for a Chelsea upgrade has been eliminated because the VSWGA no longer has a phone system tied into the Chelsea System.  Fees in the future would only occur if the VSWGA requested an upgrade to the present system.  A proposed $1000 in the 2012 budget will remain in case an upgrade is necessary.

·        The Board voted to increase the stipends given to the Handicap Chair and the Web Administrator.  These stipends have not been increased in a few years.

·        The NEWGA membership expense has been reduced.

·        Course rating expenses should be less because there will be fewer courses to rate.  The purchase of new altimeters, originally budgeted in 2011, has not been completed as of this date.

·        The Course Rating Calibration seminar does not need funding in the 2012 budget since it only needs to be attended once between 2012 and 2015.

·        The Tri-State budget is considerably less because Vermont is not hosting the tournament in 2012.  The expenses of the Tri State tournament are offset by the amount of money that is paid by the participants.

·        Proposed for 2012 is a $1500 yearly stipend for the Vermont team for the USGA tournament.  This tournament is held every other year.  In 2013, there will be a budgeted amount of $3000 to help fund the team from Vermont.

·        Rhonda Colvard would like to see some financial support by the VSWGA for Molly Aaronson and Kim Wong who are turning professional, because the VSWGA has supported other women who have turned pro.

·        Harriet Parot explained that there is no cost for the GHIN users meeting, but there are travel expenses.

·        Nancy Murphy suggested that the closest to the pin money go to the VGA scholarship fund.  The Board decided to keep the closest to the pin money for Junior Golf.  Judy Kurtz said that the members of the VSWGA needed to be educated about the value of the VGA Scholarship.

·        Harriet Parot thought the time might have come for the VSWGA to begin accepting credit cards.  Harriet will look into this further at the upcoming GHIN Users Meeting.  Krissie Lohrman mentioned that the Chelsea System also has an on-line credit card processing program. 

A revised budget will be prepared and sent by e-mail; approval of the budget will depend on that revision. 

State Day: 

2012 Calendar:  Krissie Lohrman presented the proposed 2012 State Day and Major Tournament schedule.

·        Krissie Lohrman presented a letter from Steven Rogers, Head Golf Professional at The Quechee Club.  In his letter he stated that the availability to play during the next two years will be challenging during their re-building period.  He proposed moving the Quechee State Days to Mondays (May 14^th for 2012).  The Board decided that it did not want to set a precedent of Monday play and will give Quechee a one year waiver not to host a State Day. Under VSWGA guidelines, the VSWGA members of the Quechee Club will be able to play in State Day competition in 2012.

·        Krissie Lohrman also presented a letter from Erik Sorensen, Head Golf Professional at Dorset Field Club.  His letter stated the Dorset Field Club was raising the VSWGA fees to their club at a total price each player pays to play at Dorset to be $50.  It was to be broken down to $18 green fee; $22 cart fee; and $10 minimum in pro shop for tee gifts/prizes.  This would bring the total cost for Dorset’s state day to $55, including the $5 VSWGA fee.  Dorset also wants the VSWGA to handle all the money, with one final check made payable to Dorset Field Club.  After much discussion, the Board is proposing a total fee of $50 to Dorset; $20 for state day and $30 for carts.  This would net Dorset $45 after the $5 state day fee.  There will not be a tee gift/prize fee.  State Day players will pay by cash or personal check, payable to the VSWGA.  This change would have to be noted in the State Day book should Dorset accept this proposal.  Dorset is one of the clubs that does not have a Club Representative.

·        Stratton has requested to move their scheduled date from August 7, 2012 to August 28, 2012.  The VSWGA can continue to play Lake/Mountain, but only from 7:26 to 9:26.  The VSWGA could have longer tee times if all golfers did not all play the same 18 holes, but that would not constitute a tournament because it would involve different course ratings on different courses.  The Board decided to accept the date change but would like to see if Stratton would open up more tee times on Lake/Mountain.  If tee times cannot be extended, the VSWGA would accept the 7:26-9:26 tee times and note it in the State Day book and on the Chelsea Welcome Board.

·        Enosburg Falls has requested to move their date so they are not against Jay Peak again this year. Krissie Lohrman will contact other club pros to see who would be willing to switch dates. 

The finalized calendar will be on the VSWGA web site. 

Clubs with no Representation:  The following clubs are without VSWGA representation:  Arrowhead Golf Course, Dorset Field Club, Links at Lang Farm, and Prospect Point Golf Club. 

State Day Book: 

·        Map: Suzanne Neville requested the Board return the map of the State of Vermont to the State Day book. Krissie Lohrman stated the map was removed for cost effective reasons (number of pages).  Additionally, the former map took a large amount of memory.  Krissie said if the Board wanted the map returned, she would find a more accurate map. Cindy Paquet noted that there is a detailed map on the web site, and Harriet Parot can make a map available on the e-revision.  In day of modern technology, Goggle, GPS, Map Quest and other map sources with more detail, the Board felt it unnecessary to put the map back in the book.

·        Deadline: The deadline for committee chairs is December 1, 2011.  The Club Representative letters were sent at two different times and had different deadlines.  Krissie Lohrman forwards the Club Event Calendar to Cindy Paquet for the website late winter/early spring.  Cindy Paquet continues to put dates on the website calendar after the State Day books are printed.

·        Information Policy: The Board voted to continue the policy of not sharing the names and information of VSWGA members for distribution to anyone who requests them. 

Final State Day: 

·        Name Change: The Final State Day and Awards Luncheon will now be a separate tournament.  The new name is the “Fall Awards Classic.” There will not be any state day points awarded for this tournament.  Two members will sign up and be randomly paired with another twosome through TPP.  The format will be announced in the 2012 State Day Book.

·        Location: Krissie Lohrman will offer Green Mountain National and Killington the Fall Awards Classic for 2012. 

2012 Club Divisions: Club Divisions are determined by the number of players a Club has from May to September.  Using the numbers from 2011, Division I will only have four teams, Division II will have sixteen teams and Division III will have thirty-one teams.  Nancy Murphy suggested that the three divisions are maintained and the divisions are handicapped by the percentage of players.  Tracy Sloan suggested that the Board looks at the stats before making any changes.  The 2012 Club Divisions will be listed in the State Day book and on the website. 

Chelsea: Krissie Lohrman will discuss Chelsea issues with Pam Shover, State Day and Points Chair. 

Annual Meeting: The location for the 2012 Annual Meeting and Scramble was discussed.  Suggestions included Lake Morey, Rutland, and Crown Point.  Krissie Lohrman will check the availability of these clubs. 

Major Tournaments: 

·        Location selection: Rhonda Colvard sent letters to 18-Hole courses to see which clubs would like to host a major tournament and which ones fit the criteria. Of the ten clubs who have responded so far, eight are interested in hosting. Rhonda Colvard will report back to the Board when she receives more responses. Most clubs are looking at the financial issues.

·        Committee: The course selection committee has not had a meeting. 

Course Rating: Harriet Parot presented a schedule of courses that are slated for a ten-year re-rate through 2016.  If the schedule is adhered to, there will be between four and six courses to rate per year.  The exception will be in 2012 where there are six additional courses that are in need of re-rating due to Hurricane Irene damage or course changes. 

Rules: The USGA will be announcing in 2012 changes to the Rules of Golf.  A four-day Rules Seminar will be held in Far Hills, New Jersey and will be attended by Ellen Sheffer, Kathy Allbright, Nancy Murphy, and Cathy Neff. 

New Business: 

·        Back up personnel: Phyllis Simon suggested that we have trained personnel to act as a backup in case of emergency for the Web Site Administrator and the VSWGA Office Administrator.  Presently only one person knows how to access the web site and only one person knows how to operate the Chelsea System.  Cindy and Krissie will present a list of potential people applicable to their areas of responsibilities to the Board.

·        Chits: Phyllis Simon asked the Board for an extension for a golf pro to redeem the 2010 chits that arrived after the deadline of August 30, 2011.  Award Certificates were received at the VSWGA office close to one month after the deadline.  After much discussion, Nancy Murphy suggested a one-year amnesty to the pro that missed the deadline for redemption of August 30, 2011.  Every year there are several thousand dollars of chits that are not redeemed.  The Board decided, beginning with chits issued in 2012, the new expiration dates for redemption will now be September 30^th for the VSWGA members and November 30^th for the Pro Shops. 

·        Facebook: Jill Jenkins, Club Representative from Quechee, has started a Facebook page for the VSWGA members.  She and Krissie Lohrman serve as moderators.  They will post VSWGA news, announcements, and upcoming events on behalf of the association.  Jill will post during the golf season and Krissie will post during the off-season period. 

·        Other Discussion Items:

·        Pam Shover suggested having the Executive Board Officers serve longer terms to provide more continuity.

·        Judy Kurtz would like all members and the clubs they are affiliated with to be listed on Chelsea.  Krissie Lohrman responded that the clubs could not be listed in Chelsea because there is not a “club” field.

·        Kathy Sikora asked what constituted a golf course membership.

·        Judy Kurtz feels that the VSWGA needs to address the economic problems of some of their past and present members.

·        Rhonda Colvard asked how many days it takes the Chelsea System to drop points off a player’s history.  Krissie Lohrman replied 742 days.

·        Cindy Paquet announced that the Message Board would not be renewed after the contact runs out in the spring.  Utilization of the Message Board has dropped considerably.

·        Judy Kurtz announced that the new Club Representative for St. Johnsbury would be Chris Johnson.

·        Kathy Sikora suggested that a possible way to get more golfers interested in the VSWGA was to waive the $25 participation fee and the $5 state day fee and allow those women interested playing in the state day at their home club depending on tee time space. These women would also be eligible to participate in the closest to the pin competition. If they would like to continue playing state days, they would pay the $25 participation fee at that time.

·        Shelly Yusko sent a note to the VSWGA thanking the organization for sending her to Savannah, Georgia for the USGA Women’s State Team Championship.

·        Krissie Lohrman distributed copies of the New Hampshire Women’s Golf Association member’s survey with the thought that the VSWGA could use as possible guideline for the new committee promoting golf. 

President Ellen Sheffer adjourned the meeting at 2PM. 

Submitted by Kathy Sikora 

Next Board Meeting: Lake Morey, May 1, 2012 at 9AM

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