2021 Fall Edition Newsletter
LETTER FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER JIM BULTEMA
Looking Ahead
Letter from the General Manager
The past two years have been a wild ride. We’ve moved from April of 2020, where we saw no members, to this year, where we’ve had our most rounds of play ever! As I once again look back at the year, I am reminded just how thankful we are for our staff and members. From all of us at Railside we want to say thank you for your unwavering support. We are looking forward to another great golf season next year!
A quick overview of things to come:
New Members
You have probably noticed the great number of new members around the Clubhouse! Please introduce yourself to the new faces and help everyone feel like part of the Railside family. As we progress through 2022, it is looking like we may need to cap memberships and create a waiting list.
If you know of someone who is seriously interested in joining the Railside community, please reach out to myself or Jennifer due to the limited spaces that remain.
Holiday Parties
Railside will not be hosting holiday parties this year, but that does not mean you can’t celebrate. If you would like to host a holiday party at The Union I encourage you to contact Donna before dates are filled up.
Railside Bar & Grill and the Pro Shop
A quick reminder that our restaurant and Pro Shop will stay open during the winter season. You can shop for your holiday gifts at the Pro Shop. There are great gifts from clothing to golf gear available.
Year End
I will be sending out a year-end letter laying out Railside’s winter projects and other important topics. Be on the lookout for this letter in December.
Here’s to a great rest of your fall and holiday season, cheers!
Jim Bultema
General Manager
FROM THE PRO MATT KOETS
Year in Review
2021 Hole in Ones
Congratulations to the following members for their hole in one this season!
Rick Hapner – #16
Mike Mysliwiec – #8
Tim VanSolkema – #8
Fall Event Results
Ladies’ Junior-Senior Champions – Larissa Bishop and Pam Pike
Men’s Junior-Senior Champions – Bill Pitsch and Mark Stein
Ladies’ President’s Cup Champion – Renee Lynam
Men’s President’s Cup Champion – Kyle Blackport
Couple’s President’s Cup Champions – Dave and Jill Turcotte
Men’s Compadre Cup Champions – Todd Harvey and Brad Koetsier
Thistle Cup Champions – The Purple Team Captained by Nancy Kitchen
Gallagher Cup Champions – The Blue Team Captained by Mark Wierenga
Flag Tournament
Our final event of the 2021 season is Friday, October 15 with our Flag Tournament. Make your own tee time and form your own group. Plus, designate your college of choice to play for. 18-hole stroke play event using 100% of each player’s playing handicap. Par plus playing handicap will be added to form an allotted number of strokes. Each player will play until they reach their allotment. Their flag will be planted after they hit their final allotted stroke. The player whose flag is further ahead on the course will be the winner and their college flag of choice will fly next to the Starter House until 2021’s event.
Handicap Posting Season Ends
The official Michigan golf season is April 1-October 31 and our active season will end in a few short weeks. Scores from the inactive season cannot be posted. Scores from other states that are in their active season must be posted, however. Please use the GHIN app to input these scores or you may drop off the scorecards to the Golf Shop and the staff will enter them for you.
Practice Facility Hours
The practice facility will remain open, weather dependent, until October 31. It will be open Tuesday-Sunday 9:00am-6:00pm and open on Mondays 12:00pm-6:00pm. The practice putting green will remain closed for the season. Please use the short game green for practice putting.
Golf Course Reminders
- Please keep all golf carts and single rider carts on the cart paths near the tees and greens. And on the cart paths on the par three holes.
- Please repair your ball marks and divots. Use the sand bottles provided on the golf carts.
- Do not drive in the natural areas.
- Please stay off all turf areas during frost.
- Greens aerification will take place on October 19 and 20.. Please check your daily email from the Golf Shop for updates.
Golf Shop Hours
During the month of October, the Golf Shop will be open Tuesday-Sunday 9:00am-6:00pm. Please stop by and use your gift certificate balance before it expires on October 31. Special orders must be submitted by October 15. Due to COVID 19, many of our vendors have limited inventory and we will do our very best to accommodate special order requests.
Off-Season Travel
Your PGA Professional Staff is eager to help you plan your next golf trip this fall and winter. We are a valuable resource to recommend locations and courses throughout the country and we offer golf club shipping services through Ship Sticks. Ship Sticks truly is an all-inclusive golf shipping company that makes your travel easy and convenient. Many Railside members have used this service offered by Ship Sticks and they’ve raved about this wonderful service. Please contact your PGA Professionals for more information. matt@railsidegolf.com and brad@railsidegolf.com
We’re thrilled to announce our continued partnership with OpenRounds. OpenRounds is an exclusive online platform offering streamlined private club tee time accommodations, providing our members direct access to other private clubs nationwide. Access to the OpenRounds network is included in your Railside club membership, and the platform is easy to navigate at your convenience.
As you travel this winter and beyond to areas like Florida, Arizona, Las Vegas, Hilton Head, and more, use OpenRounds to set up rounds for you and your guests at 260+ partner clubs nationwide, including 30+ Golf Digest Best in State courses and multiple PGA Tour and PGA Champions Tour event hosts. Register now and explore OpenRounds’ extensive network of partner clubs throughout the country!
Whether you’re looking to drive to a club locally or fly to another area of the country, OpenRounds enables YOU to book exclusive rounds on YOUR time as a part of your Railside club membership. And if you ever need suggestions on where to play, or questions about the process, the OpenRounds Concierge Desk can be reached at yourcaddy@openrounds.com or 888-765-7707.
Enjoy the beautiful fall weather at the club!
Matt Koets, PGA
Head Golf Professional
FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT JEFF SMITH
Around the Course
Fall is officially here. This is such bittersweet time for us; it’s the end of one season and the start of another. We hope this decent weather will last long enough for us to complete our tasks and get a few more rounds of golf in.
Before we get snow, we have a few things to do to get us through the winter months. We will have to aerify greens, tees, and fairways, and spray protective fungicide. Once we do get snow, our main focus is shop maintenance, which includes: greasing, oil changes, painting, changing tires, sharpening blades, and reels. In addition to maintenance, we will be planning our chemical and fungicide program, which is a meticulous job that requires us to go through it with a fine tooth comb. Between doing these things, we will always be checking the lot & walks for snow accumulation.
Jeff Smith
Golf Course Superintendent
New Members
Join us in welcoming our newest members!
Randy & Katie Goniwiecha
Josh & Gina Fennell