AGC Annual Meeting Agenda

Saturday, October 13, 2018, 10:30 AM

President’s Message – Jack Jemsek

After a couple of solid years of increasing membership and having the course rebound from the 2016 drought and recovery efforts in 2017, 2018 has presented some new challenges for the Amherst Golf Club.  We’ve seen a slight downturn in membership, despite our best efforts to retain our existing members and recruit new ones.  But the reality is that the golf industry has been challenged the last 10 years, and we are simply part of that industry.  We’ve had some greens issues, but as we look further, we are not the only ones to suffer from the challengers that the climate presented this summer.  But there is good news.

What has always buoyed this Club is the faithful core that resides at the heart of our membership.  When called upon, our members have stepped up.  We’ve seen 40+ people volunteer in our Spring cleanups each of the last two Springs, we’ve seen a late Fall fund drive raise $10,000 in an effort to balance our 2017 budget, which is just amazing.  We have members organizing charity tournaments successfully pretty much from scratch.  We had a Chamber event held here last month where we had people parking down to the Amherst Common!  And a couple of weeks ago, we had over 140 members and guests come together and celebrate our Pro’s 40^th year of service to the club. . . . more on that later . . .

The Club greatest asset is this course, which operates on a shoestring budget but still challenges as being the finest 9-hole course in the valley – all thanks to our Superintendent Carl Teschke and his family.  We are lucky to have Carl.  We have a solid Pro that we’ve been able to count on day in and day out for 40 years – Pro Dave is ultimately the face of the Club, and he continues to wear that face well for  us.  We also have a landlord in Amherst College that has provided a sympathetic ear to the Club’s needs.  Last but not least, our best asset is our membership, as the Club would not exist without our 200+ loyal members.  As a reminder, we are always looking to increase our membership, just 20 additional members would be a huge, and that only comes to one in ten of us recruiting an additional member!

At this time, I’d like to thank our dedicated Board of Directors that served in 2018.  Our VP John Hunter, our Treasurer Gordy Palley, our Greens Chair Coach Carl Vigeland, our liaison with Amherst College Jack Arena, our Secretary Bob Nakosteen, our AGCWA representative and newly past-president Ann Kieser, and our at-large members Alan Pandiani, Jean Gowdey and Dave Dougan.  This group has helped our Club behind the scenes in countless ways.  Thank you for all you do.

• Committee Reports:
  • Secretary – Vote to approve minutes from 2017 Annual Meeting
  • Treasurer’s Report – Gordy Palley
  • Women’s Association – Ann Kieser
• Presentation of 2018’s Awards and Prizes:   Dave Twohig
• Election of the Board of Directors for the coming year:   Jack Jemsek
  • President: Jack Jemsek (renew 2-year term)
  • Past-President:
  • Vice President: John Hunter
  • Treasurer: Gordon Palley
  • Secretary/Clerk: Dave Dougan
  • Women’s Representative: Edith Hunsberger
  • Green’s Committee Chair: Carl Vigeland
  • Amherst College Rep: Jack Arena
  • Membership Chair Alan Pandiani, Aaron Dowd
  • At Large Jean Gowdey, Jay Morgan
• Vote to accept
• New Business:

We’d like to hear from our membership at this time.  What can we do to increase our membership and further improve our golf experience at Amherst Golf Club?

• Adjournment