Members of the El Dorado Parks and Playgrounds Commission addressed Tuesday issues regarding the grounds and children at Lions Club Municipal Golf Course.
Commissioner Alexis Alexander said she had heard complaints about the condition of the putting greens at Lions Club.
Several players in a recent tournament that was held at LCMGC expressed their displeasure with the greens, grassy areas that surround the holes on the golf course, Alexander said.
"... one in particular that said that they did not play in that tournament because they had played out there and they were not happy with how the greens were and I talked to people that did play in the tournament and they complained about the greens as well," she said.
Alexander noted that prior to the EPPC's regular meeting Tuesday, she remembered that Danny Carelock, manager of LCMGC, reported lat month that a cold snap hit the area shortly after the greens were aerified and caused the greens to frost over.
Admitting that the greens "are not as in good shape," EPPC chairman Ken Goudy further explained that heavy rainfall and cooler temperatures this spring have inhibited the Bermuda grass from growing and thriving.
Moreover, Goudy and Carelock said the aerification process was performed earlier than usual this year -- in March instead of early April -- because the contractor who performs the work could only fit LCMGC into his schedule in March.
"We had to aerify early this time because there's a guy in Mississippi that we hire -- he travels all over and does this -- and we have to take him when we can get him," Goudy said.
"Bermuda grass needs warm weather and rain, which we've had plenty of that ... but I think in another couple of weeks, once we get some sunshine and warmer nights, they'll come out, they'll be good," he continued.
Alexander said a golfer asked if there are any long-term plans to improve the greens and Goudy said the appearance of the greens is a normal transition from winter to spring and summer.
"It's just unfortunate ... The extra cold weather we've had slowed that down. Normally, after three or four weeks, they're in great shape," he said.
He said the greens are regularly fertilized and herbicide is applied each year.
Carelock told commissioners the grass was "coming up pretty good" immediately following the aerification in March "but then we had the frost on it, which knocked it back down again."
He pointed out that other local golf courses, including the El Dorado Golf and Country Club and Mystic Creek Golf Club, appear to "be ahead" of Lions Club is because they use covers to protect the turf from freezing temperatures.
LCMGC does not have the protective tarps, Carelock said.
Commissioner Greg Harrison, who is the chairman of the El Dorado-Union County Recreation Complex Commission, said similar issues have affected the soccer fields at the complex.
Construction on the two fields was completed in 2021.
"The grass has never been in playable condition to where it's been suitable to what we would anticipate, especially being turnkey," Harrison said.
He said ongoing efforts to kill weeds and crabgrass and seeding the fields have been futile.
"In years past, we haven't had as much rain. This year, we've had an abundance of rain. I've got some pictures and video of how much that water just sits there," Harrison continued. "And, so, whenever it becomes inundated with water, it's kind of hard to get the grass to grow."
Carelock said LCMGC crews are still working to improve the greens, saying that he plans to apply fungicide next week.
"All of this should help. We're doing as much as we can do. Like I said, we're at the mercy of the weather. It's not like we put them out there and forgot about them," he said.
Alexander said several of the golfers she heard from regularly play at Lions Club and are generally complimentary of the facility.
"I don't like it either. It's an embarrassment to us. Just give me another month. If they don't do any better, then we'll have to do something else," said Carelock.
Children
In other business, the EPPC agreed to support the enforcement of a LCMGC policy and rule that prohibits children under the age of 12 from visiting the golf course unless they are playing golf.
"They have to have a (golf bag) and paid their green fees," Goudy said.
Goudy said the EPPC approved the rule years ago due to safety concerns.
However, he said he was unable to find any documentation, including the minutes from the meeting during which commissioners adopted the rule.
"We did that years ago because there were a couple of cases where I was afraid that somebody was going to get hurt," he said. "A lot of (parents) keep their children in the (golf cart) but a lot of them don't. They let them run around, they're going to fall off the carts ..."
Goudy and Carelock said children who are playing at the golf course must be supervised by an adult.
Carelock cited recent instances that raised safety concerns -- one in which parents placed an infant in a golf cart while they were playing.
"If a ball comes flying, the infant can't move. He can't get out of the way," he said.
In another incident, Carelock said an underage child took off in a golf cart and drove dangerously close to a 30- to 40-foot drop-off on the east side of the golf course.
"The dad had no clue the kid was driving the cart," he said.
To drive a cart at Lions Club, golfers must be at least 16 years old with a valid driver's license.
"We don't even allow them to drive with a (leaner's) permit," Carelock said.
Commissioner Glen Faust asked if the commission should review all of the rules at LCMGC to make any other revisions.
"Well, we do that on an ongoing basis," Goudy said, with Carelock reiterating that the other rules are posted at the facility.
Commissioners asked Carelock to add the children's age limit to the rules that are posted.
Financial report
Goudy said income at Lions Club is up by nearly $9,000 for the first quarter of the year.
The facility brought in $12,640 in January, $14,547 in February and $21,451 in March, compared to $8,507, $10,738 and $20,544, respectively, for the corresponding months in 2022.
Preliminary numbers for April show that income for the month may not reach the $30,729 that was generated in April of 2022 but Goudy said he anticipates that the end-of-the-month tally will be close to last year's take.
"We've had several days weather-wise that affected us more than we thought it would, but things are still progressing," he said, adding that fees from a recent tournament and payments for some memberships are expected to roll in before the end of April.
Income for the first quarter of 2023 came in $8,849 above the first quarter of 2022.