When I first joined the green committee our then 2nd year green keeper suggested we have a member clean up day. Ou chair at the time thought that would be a good idea and plans were launched for a Saturday afternoon in March. There would be free beer and hot dogs in the grill for those that helped out after the afternoon's labors were complete. Various tasks the members would be asked to perform were raking tees and green surrounds.
When member clean up day arrived Mother Nature co-operated with her final blast of winter with cold, damp and cloudy day. To the surprise of myself and the 5 other members that showed we were the entire turn out. ( The green chair was unable to participate) The green keeper said he was pleased with the showing handed us ll rakes and sent us off for 3 hours of raking. When our labors were complete we retreated to the warmth of the grill room where we found 2 dozen drunken and hot dog stuffed members enjoying NCAA basketball on the big screen TV. Feeling like a bunch of chumps the 6 of us had a hot dog, a drink and departed. The best part though was yet to come, and come it did.
For the next 3 years we heard from the green keeper, when ever he needed it, that it was very difficult when to care sometimes when it so apparent but the clean up day turn out that the members didn't much care and they won't increase my budget to boot. After about the 3rd time I listened to it that this was the real purpose behind member clean up day. Because you see the following Monday morning the 4 man grounds crew equiped with blowers and vacums knocked off the 16 tees and greens the member clean up crew with lawn rakes was unable to accomplish.
Oh yeah I almost forgot, our new green keeper asked our new green chair for a member clean up day, (funny as senior member on the committee I don't remember being asked my opinion) and low and behold it's set up for March 22. Wonder what Mother Nature has in store for us that day ? I do know that the NCAA basketball tournament will be in full swing and there will be 20-30 guys that will say they'll be there to do 1/10th the job the ground crew will do in 1/8th the time.
