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A Well-Earned Thank-You to Our Golf Team!
With just a few weeks left in the golf season, I want to thank the people who helped make this one of the best seasons ever recorded at Hot Springs Village.
Our golf shop staff and Player Assistants welcomed members and guests each day while handling increased play and the prolonged heat of July, August and September. It was a demanding season, and I’m proud of how they handled it.
Checking in golfers, preparing carts, answering questions and keeping play moving may seem routine, but doing those things well makes a difference. Our staff continued to offer friendly service and a helping hand, even on days when the tee sheets were full and the heat tested everyone’s patience.
Our golf professionals deserve special recognition for their work training and leading our teams throughout the year. Thank you to Head Golf Professionals Jennifer Birdrow and Champ Detamore, along with Assistant Golf Professional Jason Payne. Their guidance helped staff manage busy days, work through challenges and deliver the service our golfers expect.
Our Golf Department staff at Balboa and Call Center team also played a major role. Between tee time reservations, member services, package requests and coordinating play across eight courses, they handled countless details that helped keep the operation running smoothly. Their work is an essential part of the golfer’s experience, even when it happens away from the course.
Our maintenance crews faced their own challenges. Keeping bentgrass greens healthy through extended summer heat required careful moisture management, constant monitoring and adjustments to daily maintenance. We received a tremendous amount of positive feedback from members who said our courses were in better shape than they had been in years. The Board of Directors also recognized the conditions and the effort behind them.
There is always room to improve, and our crews continue to build on that progress through training, better processes and attention to the details that matter to golfers. They deserve credit for both the results we see today and the work they are doing to make next season better.
Special thanks go to Public Service Director Matt Broom, Todd Noles and their golf course construction team. Their accomplishments included the bridge and creek work at DeSoto that helped restore all 18 holes to play, drainage repairs at Magellan, cart path improvements and clubhouse landscaping. These were substantial projects that will benefit our courses and golfers for years to come.
We share this season’s success with our Marketing and Sales team as well. Director Lori Haight, Makenzie Gale, Kevin Sexton, and Laura Duggan put considerable effort into promoting HSV golf, supporting events and securing valuable sponsorships and donations for our courses. Much of their work takes place behind the scenes, but its impact is seen throughout our department.
I also want to thank General Manager Ken Unger for his leadership and continued commitment to improving Hot Springs Village golf. His support, together with the contributions of many other POA teams, helped us complete important projects and keep moving forward.
Along the way, we enjoyed club championships, league events and our Junior Spotlight Challenges. Those junior golfers gave us plenty to smile about—and reminded some of us that years of experience do not always translate into a win.
Eight courses, one team and a season to be proud of. Thank you to everyone who helped make it happen.
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