Over the course of the last few weeks, as I have been highlighting the Master Plan, I have heard many positive remarks and also some criticism. Many members have seen the wisdom in having a plan that provides us a road map as we discuss potential changes to the course. We now have a course wide plan that creates continuity, a plan to guide future committees, and a plan that is separated from personal design requests. The old adage goes 'If you fail to plan, you plan to fail'. We know that FCC and every other golf course out there evolves over time, some slightly and some more aggressively. To sit here today and say this course will be good enough for the next 50 years is not wise. It is our responsibility to keep FCC viable and maintain its prominence in the community, and that means updating the course from time to time. Thank you to the Grounds Committee and Board for your leadership and foresight in planning for the successful future of FCC.
One notable criticism I have been hearing regarding the plan is 'We can't afford this, this is too costly for the membership'. The answer to that would be yes and no. If I were to sit here today and ask the membership to pay for a complete renovation of the course, - that would be too costly at this point. But, we can complete and afford small projects just like we did this past year on 11 and the previous year on 10. These projects were funded not only by the Grounds operating budget, but mainly from the Golf Course Improvement Fund. This small account is funded by the fees charged to our Junior Academy members, it does well enough for us to pick off one small project a year. So back up 4 years ago, we knew we needed to start improving the course over the long term and we knew we had modest funds to complete small projects but we didn't have a plan - enter the Master Plan.
Moving forward, you will see us continue to complete small projects that can be afforded within our budgets. Another adage says 'A goal without a plan is only a wish'. It is our goal to provide consistent improvements to FCC on an annual basis, to continue to grow and evolve with our members needs. It is also our goal to continually reach for our Mission Statement - 'To offer our members an inviting family atmosphere, personalized services, outstanding facilities, and a commitment to excellence.'
