With spring now in full swing lakecity golfers are chomping at the bit to do some swinging of their own as opening day for the Williams Lake Golf and Tennis Club draws near.
Following what was a relatively mild winter, new general manager Morgan Day said the course is looking in fantastic shape as the majority of the snow has melted and the final protective tarps are in the process of being pulled off the greens.
Tentatively, opening day is slated for Saturday, April 13, coinciding with the first PGA major of the year, the 2019 Masters Tournament — sure to wake up hibernating golfers.
Day said WLGTC superintendent Mark Berg is really pleased with how the course came through the winter.
“It’s surprisingly dry so weather permitting we should be opening up with carts allowed and, as far as the course, itself, it’s in really good shape,” Day said.
Just in time for the start of the season, Day said the WLGTC will be installing new driving range netting beginning Monday, April 8. Day expects it to take four to five days for its completion.
“That’s been in the works for a couple of years,” he said. “Thanks to some funding through grants and local business support last year we’ve been able to obtain the new netting. It’ll be the same specs, but the old netting had completely deteriorated so much. Last year it was open partial hours due to safety, so it’ll be nice to have it running as per usual.”
First up on the agenda for tournaments will be the Third Annual Jordan Siegmueller Memorial Charity Golf Tournament, scheduled for Saturday, May 4, which filled to its capacity of 160 players in three days.
“Following that we’ll do an icebreaker, breakfast scramble tourney in the middle of May at a to be announced date,” said Day, who is excited to get the ball rolling on his first season as GM.
The 32 year old grew up in the lakecity and officially began his duties in the fall of 2018. He considers the WLGTC his home away from home.
The WLGTC men’s club champion for the past three years in a row (of four total), and former junior club champion, Day dialed in his golf swing on the local links as a young teenager.
“I was about 13 when I started golfing here — just with a bunch of friends — and I was pretty much self taught,” he said. “That group, we all became really good friends through golf and we all kind of progressed together.”
Day said it was just about a daily occurrence for him to be dropped off at the course in the morning to play as many holes as he could squeeze in in a day.
“Thirty-six holes was the norm. Sometimes more,” he said. “There were summers where it wasn’t uncommon for us to play more than 200 rounds.”\
At age 16 Day took a job working in the back shop at the course, and he’s worked there during the summer months, minus a few years, ever since. Prior to accepting the position as general manager, Day worked as the assistant manager at the WLGTC.
“This will be my eighth year back here,” he said. “Both the golf and ski industries have been my two biggest passions.”
Day said he’s thrilled with the opportunity and can’t wait for the season to get underway.
“I grew up here, and I think I have a good relationship with our members and the public and that definitely makes my job easier having that rapport with everyone,” he said.
Day invites all members to attend the WLGTC’s annual general meeting coming up Thursday, April 11 beginning at 7 p.m. at the Fox’s Den Restaurant.
On the agenda will be the election of directors along with an update on year-end financials, driving range upgrades and more.
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