The volume and content of write-in comments were interesting and suggest that members have a great deal of passion regarding the governance of the club.  Every single comment was reviewed by the complete Board.

The complete survey results can be found by clicking here, but below is the executive summary which was discussed by the Board last week.

Respondents :
a.    Are individual members
b.    Have been a member of LCC for 12 years on average
c.    Played 42 rounds on average
d.    Generally take a cart when playing
e.    Bought at least one cart book during membership renewal and 42% also bought at least one book during the season
f.    Are happy with the carts currently in use.
g.    Are not interested in a season cart pass priced at $650/800.

Members rated the following improvements between Very Important and Moderately Important (listed in decreasing order of importance:
a.    Rebuild #7 Green
b.    Side the Clubhouse

Members rated the following improvements between Moderately Important and Unimportant (listed in decreasing order of importance):
a.    Re-building and leveling tees
b.    Cart path paving
c.    Storage for equipment in the maintenance area
d.    Water system upgrades
e.    Bathrooms in the Pro Shop
f.    New forward red and gold tees on #10 & 17
g.    New ladies tee on #14 – allow the use of a driver

Stop in at the Pro shop or contact Dick Wesley if you are interested.

Our golf course has faced some serious challenges in the past two years. Through it all the golfing family at LCC has endured. Now we face new and exciting challenges for the question no longer is can we survive but rather how will we grow and improve.

LCC will not accomplish those goals without your help. For some time a number of golfers have asked if they could become equity unit holders of LCC. Because of all of the turmoil of the last two years the Board simply did not have the time or the energy to focus on how to add new unit holders. BUT NOW IS THE TIME.

An equity unit in LCC costs $1,000. Our new By-Laws define an Equity Member as an individual that holds at least ONE or as many as THREE units. Each unit has one vote at membership meetings. In addition, this year unit holders are entitled to a discount of $50 per unit held on the annual dues–if paid in full by January 15th– and significant discounts on cart books. The 2010 dues form for Equity Members can be found here as is a notice concerning dues discounts and cart books.

Equity members have to pay their dues no later than March 1 or they lose their equity status. In addition the units are not currently transferable and equity members could be asked to pay an assessment on a per unit basis if the Club were to experience a deficit or a capital expense for which there were insufficient reserves. Gone are the days when we will borrow to cover operating shortfalls or new improvements without the approval of the membership.

Our By-Laws do provide that equity members can take a medical leave from the Club for an illness or injury and they also provide for a one time personal leave of one year at the sole discretion of the member.

WHY DO WE NEED NEW EQUITY MEMBERS? We have identified a number of projects that we think will improve the course and the golfing experience at LCC while also improving our golfing operations. We call it “Brian’s wish list.”  We also will begin to develop a long range capital maintenance and improvement fund to improve the course and to maintain the great course we all enjoy.

At a time when other clubs are facing dwindling membership and reduced revenues LCC has grown and gotten better. We have a new restaurant operation that will open in the spring with a fair lease and a great operator. We have cut our operating costs and maintained a close watch on our expenses. We have added new mowers and will have a brand new fleet of carts at no additional cost to the Club. Every Equity Member gets a monthly update during the golfing season on the financial condition of the Club.

We think LCC’s future is bright and hope that you will join us in this journey. If you are interested in becoming an Equity Member and want to hear more about the process just call one of the folks listed here. If you have already decided it’s time to take equity status then simply fill out this application and mail it along with your check to our address. The board has also approved a payment plan for those folks who would like to join but need to spread out their payments.

PLEASE NOTE: YOU CAN PAY IN FULL BEFORE JANUARY 15TH OR YOU CAN USE THE PAYMENT PLAN. UNDER THE PAYMENT PLAN YOU MUST PAY 1/5TH OF YOUR UNIT PURCHASE PRICE BY JANUARY 15TH. YOU CAN THEN MAKE FOUR MORE INSTALLMENTS FROM FEBRUARY 15TH THROUGH MAY 15TH. YOU ARE THEN ELIGIBLE FOR THE DUES DISCOUNT. We prefer you pay by check but if you wish to use your credit card there is an additional charge of $5.00 per transaction.

Just two years ago many people thought LCC was going to close. They were WRONG. Today LCC is on firmer ground than most area courses during difficult economic times. We think the best is yet to come.

Very truly yours,

– Dana Leonard, President LCC