Minutes 6-2024

Minutes of the June 19, 2024 SMI Reps Meeting

  1. CALL TO ORDER – Chairman Robert (Bob) McBride called the SMI Reps Meeting to order at 9:30 am on June 19,2024 at Osprey Cove.
  2. INTRODUCTIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS – The following Reps were present and signed in during the meeting; Mark Rutland (Deercreek), Mike McBride (Eagle Harbor), Junius Hill and Dave Painter (Eagle Landing), Allen Whitham (Hidden Hills), Skip Lunsford and Dennis Fallen (Jacksonville Golf), Bob Dewey and Dick Fruechtenicht (Long Point), Tim Nichols (Marsh Creek), Ray Cabano (Marsh Landing), Jon Peterson (Osprey Cove), Steve Pease (Palencia), John Asmuth (Queen’s Harbour), Alan Harmon (San Jose), John Caden (Sawgrass), and Bob McBride (World Golf Village).  A brief discussion regarding the lunch menu, those that would remain for lunch and those that would be playing golf was held.
  3. APPROVAL OF THE DECEMBER 14,2023 SMI MINUTES – The December 14,2023 SMI Reps Meeting Minutes were provided via an email and had previously been discussed via a series of emails. It was moved, seconded, and approved without exception to accept these minutes as presented.
  4. OFFICER REPORTS –
      1. FINANCIALS – John Asmuth presented his typed report.  The balance carried forward from 2023 was $571.33, the contract with Leaderboard King was renewed and paid on 4/16/24 for $500.00, the “Domain name” was renewed and paid on 4/16/24 for $15.16, and our current balance is $1,727.17.
      2. SCHEDULING – Allen Witham passed out a copy of the SMI schedule from 2021 to 2025.  Deerwood will host the Poston Cup on December 2, 2024 at a fee of $100 per golfer.  The group was reminded that match fees for the rest of 2024 will range from $75 to $85.  Mark Rutland stated that as he prepares to request a date and fee rate for 2025 from Deercreek that he is uncertain that he will be able to have management agree to allow an SMI Match in 2025.  Alan Harmon stated that it took several meetings with the Golf Committee at San Jose for an agreement to be reached to allow an SMI Match at San Jose on Wednesday, June 25, 2025.  After a brief discussion it was decided to approve the Wednesday date for San Jose in 2025.  Mike McBride gave formal notice at this SMI Reps Meeting that the tees for future SMI Matches at Eagle Harbor will be the Level I/II hybrid tees (5,395 yards). The 2025 schedule is taking shape.  Those NOT scheduled to host a match include Hidden Hills, Eagle Landing, Marsh Landing, and Eagle Harbor.  Open months include February, April, and October.  Please contact Allen Witham as soon as possible if your club has not yet secured a date.
      3. Several Reps noted that they are having difficulty in filling out their 8-man roster.  The prime reasons cited were the pace-of-play issues leading to 5+ hour long rounds of golf and the increasing fees for playing in these events.  Others stated that their clubs wanted even higher fees to host future SMI Matches.  Our current policies of; (1) allowing matches on days other than Monday and (2) allowing Reps to negotiate fees and then bring those contracts to the Rep Meetings for a vote appear reasonable positions.
      4. TECHNICAL SUPPORT – Bob McBride reviewed the notes forwarded to the Reps from Jack Garrity including Jack’s updated scoring app.  Jack will be at Eagle Harbor on Monday 6/24/24 and will be available to discuss some technical issues.  Jack needs someone to take over his current duties or the SMI may need   to convert to another system.  Please see the Leaderboard King discussion below.
      5. WEBMASTER – Barney Poston has asked for someone to replace him as the webmaster NOW.
  1. REPORT FROM THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE – Ray Cabano reports no changes.
  2. OLD BUSINESS

 

      1. LEADERBOARD KING UPDATE – Bob McBride has discussed some additional fine points with Leaderboard King (LK) (Tom Sherridan).  LK can convert the SMI scoring of “10” to “net double bogie” to allow for Equitable Stroke Control posting for GHIN.  LK can do our pairings with two players from the same home club in the same cart and two separate clubs in each foursome.  And LK can maintain our current independent handicap system using only SMI Match scores for the database.  However, LK is not currently able to reproduce our “scoreboard” as displayed in real-time at SMI Matches.  Perhaps Jack Garrity can work with LK further and solve this problem. In order for LK to maintain the database for our independent handicap system, they will need to have the current emails of all the active SMI golfers.  The Team Reps would be responsible for obtaining and updating the email lists for their teams.  LK will charge for this additional functionality and they have estimated a charge of $600 – $1,200 for this work.  It was moved, seconded, and approved to use our current surplus to accomplish these tasks.  It was pointed out that Golf Genius can do most of these functions but not all the SMI clubs have purchased the required “Premium Golf Genius” product.  Also, our current system captures ALL of the SMI scores but Golf Genius only has the scores a player actually posts on that site.
      2. TEAM REP RESPONSIBILITY – the team Reps need to reaffirm the tees/yardages for their upcoming SMI Match with their Club Pro and with our webmaster a month before the prior SMI Match.  The Reps need to stress to their Club Pro the need for flat pin positions near the center of every green for SMI Matches.  Reps need to stress to their players/roster the need for “ready golf play” and other steps to help the “pace-of-play”.
  1. NEW BUSINESS

 

      1. MARSHALL DUTIES – Currently we have requested that the hosting Club provide two Marshalls to circulate on the course and provide general support and aid in pace-of-play.  It was agreed that if a group “falls behind” that that group will receive a first warning.  If on recheck that group remains “behind”, the Marshall will remain with that group until that group “catches up”.  The “slow group” will be identified to the scorer’s table and the involved/appropriate Team Reps will be privately informed.
      2. CLUB STAFF TIPS – The Team Reps will be responsible for encouraging appropriate staff tips at SMI Matches.
      3. ALTERNATE FORMATS – It was suggested that we consider alternate formats (Match Play, etc.) but the Team Reps decided against pursuing that option at this time.
      4. DECEMBER 2024 SMI REPS MEETING – San Jose (Alan Harmon) will attempt to schedule the December 2024 SMI Team Reps Meeting at San Jose Country Club.
      5. ADJOURNMENT – All agreed.

Submitted June 23,2024 by SMI Secretary Alan Harmon as a “DRAFT”.