I’d like to take this opportunity to extend my personal welcome to all members and guests to the Mauh-Nah-Tee-See Country Club for the 2008 season. As those of you who have played the course know, we have a beautiful golf course, which will challenge various levels of golfers. My name is Scott White, your Golf Course Superintendent and I am excited to be starting my first full season here at MNTS. I am a 1996 graduate of the Danville Area Community College and I have a total of 17 years of experience in the golf industry. I am also a 12 year member of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) with plans to become a certified Superintendent in the future. Some of my career highlights include PGA, NCAA, and USGA tournament experience and the grown-in of the Pete Dye Kampen course at Purdue University the site for the Men and Women’s NCAA National Championships in 2008 and 2009. My new assistant superintendent—beginning his second year with us—is Michael Brown, a senior at Auburn High School and has plans to attend Michigan State University in the fall for turf management. Mike and I are here for you—if you have any comments or suggestions pertaining to the conditioning and care of your golf course, please feel free to speak to us or any member of this year’s Green Committee. We are all readily available and anxious to provide you with a premium golfing experience throughout the year. Your 2008 Green Committee is comprised of the following members: Jim Michelsen, chairman; and committee members Johnny Canova, Cindy Jacobsen, and Rick Vargas. All of these people have volunteered their time and effort toward the improvement of your golf course, and you should feel free to discuss any aspect of course conditioning with them.
If you do wish to speak to me regarding your golf course, I can be reached at (815) 399-2961, and can usually be found on the course throughout each day. You can also drop me an email at we look forward to seeing our old friends and new faces enjoying the golf course this season.
We ask for your participation in the following “general” course procedures, which help our efforts to provide you with the premium course conditions.
*Please observe all signage on the course when using a golf cart. No golf car traffic is permitted inside 30’ from the green complex to keep turf and soil conditions around the greens in top shape. Also, since we do not have a contiguous cart path system, we ask that golf cars “scatter”, or blaze their own trail while driving on the course. By doing this, we avoid worn out turf from repeated traffic over the same area. At times when foul weather dictates, use of golf carts may be discontinued until conditions improve—please follow any instructions regarding cart use that are posted throughout the clubhouse and on the golf course.
*Each golf car is equipped with 2 divot mix bottles. The mix is a combination of dry green sand, If you make a divot on a tee or fairway please either replace the divot (if it has substantial soil for regrowth of the big, “chunky” ones) or fill the divot with the mixture. Filling a divot to a level just below the turf surface allows for faster recovery and growth without being scalped by mowers, so please do not overfill the divots. If you run out of mix during your round, replacement bottles can be found adjacent to the #10 tee. Feel free to fill other divots during your round of golf as well—it is a huge benefit to the course, and frees up the ground staff for other projects.
*The Pro Shop has ball mark repair tools for your use. Although it is common golf etiquette to repair one’s ball mark, many golfers either can not find their mark or simply forget to repair it. By repairing your ball marks as well as those left by others, you ensure smooth, true putting surfaces for the next group and the next day.
*When using the practice range, please use the designated area delineated by the bag stands. Our practice tee is large, but we still need to preserve the areas outside the bag stands to allow for the following day’s use. Please make separate and individual divots for each practice shot, as we find that a bentgrass tee will mend more quickly if the individual divots are spread out, allowing the grass around them to creep inward while the seed is germinating.
The 2008 season will be an exciting time for the Mauh-Nah-Tee-See Country Club with the Master Plan reopened and the discussion of several changes to enhance and improve the golf course and the facilities on the property. Look for news over the next few months on the possible fall renovations. These renovations would be scheduled to maximize your golf experience and will cause minimal course disruption. If you are interested in assisting in the process or would like to donate, please contact General Manager Mike VanSistine or myself.
I thank you in advance for your participation in the care of our beautiful grounds. This is your golf course, and we endeavor to make it one to which you will feel proud to belong. Have a wonderful season, and I look forward to seeing you on the course!
Scott White
Golf Course Superintendent