March 28, 2020 COVID-19 NOTICE 6
**REMINDER TO ALL MEMBERS – REQUIRED CDC Precautionary Measures AT ALL TIMES on MCC Premises**
YOU MUST HELP FIGHT OUR INVISIBLE ENEMY: THE COMMUNITY SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS & ENSURE IT APPEARS to all of MADISON that we are doing our part to WIN this World Wide WAR
(1) practice greens by 1st & 18th holes; (2) ANY TEE BOX at MCC; (3) ANY staging area adjacent to Any Tee boxes
****ANY MEMBER or MEMBERS FAILING TO ABIDE BY THESE EMERGENCY RULES WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE COURSE IMMEDIATELY & INDEFINITELY SUSPENDED****
Thank you for your Absolute Cooperation MCC COVID-19 Task Force, Board of Directors & Management
COVID-19 NOTICE 6 DO YOU WANT MCC TO REMAIN OPEN?
Dear Members:
Ok folks, here’s the deal. I know many of us are diligently complying with the Club’s COVID-19 Precautionary Measures as urged since Saturday, March 14.th To date, the Club has issued 5 separate membership-wide emails, as well as posted signs at key locations in the past 2 weeks. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, some members are just not willing to comply. Yet, do we all want to stay open for play? Yes, but too many of our members apparently can’t be bothered to keep themselves, or more importantly, our other members and staff safe. While it’s just a relatively small number of members who are either oblivious, insensitively careless, or intentionally reckless, that is clearly too many. Here’s just a few examples from the past 2 days:
Thursday, March 26: A five-some of Junior members reported playing on the back nine.
Today, Friday, March 27: Members gathered within arms-length on the 4th teebox, 6th green, and 8th teebox, plus 6 people standing in close proximity on the 1st tee. Five junior members on the 1st hole practice green, a four-some of junior members with 2 playing out of the same bag, and members loitering in the parking lot, drinking beer.
During these extraordinary and increasingly difficult times, our ability to play golf provides a rare outlet for outdoor activity that Madison’s other 18,000 citizens simply do not get to enjoy. And its right out there in the open for all the Town to see. With holes adjoining West Wharf Road, Cherry Lane, and Surf Club Road, and, the parking lot located directly on Boston Post Road, we live in a fishbowl. Given the visibility and the fact that we’ve been getting pushback from Town leaders on the Club remaining open, the “optics” of any member’s non-compliance with the Governor’s mandates, particularly the 6-foot social distancing to prevent community spread, begs one question: are we not deserving or responsible enough to stay open?
Proudly, it was your Madison Country Club that led the way for 30 Clubs who followed the proactive COVID-19 safety measures we first implemented Saturday morning, March 14th. It was those serious measures that earned the respect of our Town’s First Selectman, Peggy Lyons, and the Health Director, Trent Joseph, who believed we were capable of protecting not just our members & staff, but even others in Madison from the community spread of COVID-19. The bottom line is this: our opportunity to remain open and continue playing golf depends on each one of us. If ANYONE fails to comply with ALL of the Club’s CDC based precautionary measures, then we fail as a Club.
Right now, it is very simple. If today, Saturday, March 28, 2020, and moving forward, ALL members carefully observe and comply with the COVID-19 precautionary restrictions as established by our Club, we’ll REMAIN OPEN. The MCC Board of Directors meets again this Monday evening in another emergency session, and a motion will be presented to determine what shall be done. Your actions will decide the matter.
Thank you.
MCC COVID-19 Task Force,
Matt Rubano, Chair & President
COVID-19 NOTICE 5 **ATTENTION – MCC REMAINS OPEN as of March 25, 2020 at 9:00a.m. –
Zero Tolerance Policy for COVID-19 Precautionary Measures Violations**
Many of you may have received an email from the CSGA early Monday morning stating that golf courses in Connecticut were to be closed according to Governor Lamont’s Executive Order issued at 10:00pm Sunday night. The MCC Board has since been in contact with the CSGA, the CT-PGA and the CT Golf Course Superintendents Association to request clarification of the CSGA’s interpretation of the Order’s “non-essential” business definition given that a number of Connecticut golf courses have remained open. In light of the fact that no further clarification has been provided, the MCC Board has decided to keep our Golf Course OPEN, provided that ALL members carefully observe and comply with the COVID-19 precautionary restrictions posted at our Club on March 14, 18 & 20th. Please keep in mind that the present circumstances behind keeping the course open could change at any time, whether by external forces or our own collective failure to adequately protect one another while on the golf course. Based on COVID-19 information as it evolves, and our ability to maintain safe play at MCC, your Board will continue to take actions to protect all members.
ATTENTION: We are implementing a Zero Tolerance Policy for violations – this means member violations will result in immediate removal from premises and indefinite suspension.
Every Member is Responsible to Comply with All Precautionary Measures Posted to Date, and:
Our ability to REMAIN OPEN depends on every member’s strict compliance with the CDC’s COVID-19 precautionary measures and the many restrictions that we have diligently and responsibly put in place for everyone’s protection. Please respect the “OPTICS” of our playing activities: any and all outside parties must see that MCC is in complete COVID-19 compliance.
Remember: Our best opportunity to Remain Open DEPENDS on each member’s full cooperation with ALL of our CDC-based COVID-19 precautionary measures. Everyone MUST COMPLY to ensure that we can continue playing safely at MCC this spring.
Thank you for your continued cooperation
MCC COVID-19 Task Force, Board of Directors & Management
COVID-19 NOTICE 4
**ATTENTION ALL MEMBERS – REQUIRED Precautionary Measures
AT ALL TIMES while on MCC Premises**
Currently, All of us at MCC have been fortunate that State and/or local authorities have not required the Closure of our Golf Course. However, if as a collective membership we fail to Adhere to COVID-19 Precautionary Measures MCC Issued on March 18 and Again TODAY, The Board & Management will consider Immediately CLOSING the Club Ourselves. To Ensure the Continued Safety, Health and Well-being of Our Members & Staff, ALL MEMBERS MUST FOLLOW the Required Precautionary COVID-19 Measures AT ALL TIMES WHILE ON the MADISON COUNTRY CLUB PREMISES as Notified on March 18, 2020 and Issued Today:
(1) practice greens by 1st & 18th holes;
(2) ANY TEE BOX at MCC;
(3) ANY staging area adjacent to Any Tee boxes
****ANY MEMBER FAILING TO ABIDE BY THESE MEASURES WILL BE REQUIRED TO LEAVE THE COURSE IMMEDIATELY & WILL BE SUSPENDED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE****
Thank you for your immediate and full cooperation MCC COVID-19 Task Force, Board of Directors & Management
COVID-19 NOTICE 3
Additional Precautionary Measures Beginning Today - 3/18/2020
Ensuring the Safety, Health and Well-being of Our Members & Staff
The Madison Country Club intends to regularly inform and update our members regarding current efforts to maintain the safest possible environment under the extraordinary COVID-19 circumstances we are all facing. No matter what we do, members must understand that there is no guarantee that our efforts will keep everyone completely safe. In this regard, it is essential that each member evaluate their personal situation carefully and determine whether he or she feels that the benefits of their activity at the Club outweigh the risks.
The Board of Directors met on Monday, March 16, 2020 and discussed all of the latest COVID-19 recommendations of local, state and national authorities. Through March 30, the Board will be meeting weekly to carefully consider new developments to have the benefit of the newest information available on the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, as well as the ability to evaluate how our interim precautionary measures are working.
After careful consideration, the Board of Directors has decided to implement the additional temporary precautionary measures listed below for the current time period beginning TODAY, March 18, 2020, and continuing through March 31, 2020 as follows:
****PLEASE READ – Detailed Instructions on items I, II & III above****
2. *During this period and until further notice, NO members will be allowed to enter the Pro Shop, and members will be REQUIRED to refrain from going on the Pro Shop steps/stairways and porch.
2. *Always be observant of the minimum 6 foot social/physical distance requirement at all times while at the Club.
3. *NO MORE THAN 4 golfers will be allowed at any one time in the following areas: (1) On the practice greens by the 1st & 18th holes; (2) On the 1st Tee boxes; (3) In the staging areas immediately adjacent to each of the 1st Tee boxes; and, (4) No more than 1 golfer on/in each of the short game practice area greens/sand traps. All golfers are expected to maintain the 6 foot social/physical distance while in these areas AND the 18th green & adjacent stone patio areas.
4. *Please avoid walking through or standing in the concrete foyer/under-porch areas at the rear entrance of the Clubhouse.
5. *For the time being, if a member wants to bring a guest, please call the Pro Shop in advance to pre-register the guest(s) and the fees will be assessed by the office as usual.
6. *To avoid contamination, we are advising members (and your guests) who play this month NOT to make contact with the pins/flagsticks. Pins will remain in and all Cups will be raised 1” to 2” inches out of every green. A putt will be considered holed out once it strikes the cup, eliminating the handling of all pins and cups. Playing this as a local rule will effectively assure that you will be the only person handling your equipment on the course.
7. *Bunker rakes will be removed from the course during this period.
8. *During this initial period, the Course will be OPEN for walkers only. We are working on some options, but golf carts will NOT be available for the rest of the month of March. As soon as we can do so safely, we intend to allow the use of golf carts to our members. There will be further updates on this issue.
9. *The Irons hitting Practice Areas (adjacent to 18th hole, & mats in short game practice area) shall remain available but to ONLY (1) golfer at a time.
Course maintenance
MCC Superintendent Mike Chrzanowski and his crew will be working as usual during this time period. We are requiring that members observe the 6 foot social/physical distance to limit any personal contact if you are in the vicinity of Mike or any of his maintenance crew members on the Course.
*Mike’s crew will not fill ball washers and NO water coolers will be available.
2. *For everyone’s safety, you will need to pick up and carry your own bag from the bag racks/staging area to your car to avoid the possibility of cross- contamination.
Several members of the Board also participated this week in a nationwide conference call held by the National Golf Association for representatives of public and private golf courses. We would direct those interested members to review the following link to a Golf Digest article that touches on many questions and issues addressed at that time: https://www.golfdigest.com/story/can-you-play-golf-amid-coronavirus-concerns-with-proper-precautions-yes
Please be assured the Board recognizes that these drastic changes and requirements impose a hardship on our members and impact the normal enjoyment of the membership’s experience at the Club. But we also ask each and every member to recognize that we face an extraordinarily difficult set of circumstances. We sincerely hope that each of us as dedicated members of the Club will work diligently to get through these difficult times.
Thank you for your anticipated cooperation and patience, and above all, we sincerely hope you and your families stay safe & healthy.
Most respectfully,
Your Board of Directors, Committees, Management & Staff Employees
****MCC GOLF CART Usage Suspended Effective Immediately**** In light of the current COVID-19 situation, please be advised that the use of golf carts at MCC will be suspended until further notice, effective immediately. Please note that this is a precautionary measure based on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's latest precautions to combat the possible community spread of the virus, whereby cart usage is one of our particular golfing activities that is an especially capable mechanism via its concentrated & sustained tactile usage for 9 or 18 holes which could lead to potential transfer of the virus under infectious circumstances. Depending on further COVID-19 developments, the Club will re-address the use of carts and advise the membership accordingly. Thank you for your understanding and patience during this period of uncertainty. The Executive Committee
COVID-19 NOTICE Steps to Ensure the Safety, Health, and Well-being of Our Members The Madison Country Club will be taking the steps necessary to promote a safe environment given the present COVID-19 situation. This will be possible as long as we follow the recommended guidelines concerning cleanliness, safety, and staffing. Unlike gyms, movie theaters, restaurants, and casinos, the golf course is a relatively germ free environment. Golf is generally a very solitary sport. However, under these current circumstances, our individual and collective use of the Club’s common areas and facilities calls for practical cleanliness measures that will be critical for each and every one of us to emphasize. We will follow and ask Members to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on handwashing, hygiene, disinfecting and other preventive health measures. Please use the published resources to deal with your time in the locker room and bathrooms. At a minimum, please make an extra effort to keep your hands clean as well as all the surfaces with which you come in contact, for example, the tops of tables, arms of chairs, beer cups and the tap (use a napkin when pouring). Along those lines, we are planning to remove the locker room computer keyboards, and are considering other similar measures such as restricting or suspending the use of golf carts at this time. Please avoid handshaking for the next few months (fist bumping may be a good alternative). We also want to assure our Members that we will follow guidance from State and Local governments regarding meetings and events, which could impact early season tournaments. We will provide ongoing updates to Members related to impacts of State and Local Government restrictions on our organization and facility. Perhaps most importantly, as the Coronavirus threat is presently about controlling its spread, in the event you are not feeling well we ask you to be especially considerate to our staffs and your fellow members, and please stay home until you’re feeling better. Thank you very much for your anticipated cooperation. Most sincerely, Your Fellow Members and the Staffs at Madison Country Club
Course Update We are getting ready for the start of another golf season, the weather has been great, the course is drying out and we will be opening earlier than normal this year.
We will be open for play this weekend and carts will be available. Because overnight temperatures will be near/below freezing, we will open for play this weekend on Saturday and Sunday at 10am to avoid frost.
The Greens Committee has a meeting on Monday March 16th and will discuss the appropriate time to open each morning through the end of March.
Since the renovation in 2014, one of our primary goals has been to keep poa annua out of our greens. One very significant downside of opening the greens this early is that every unrepaired ball mark makes a perfect seed bed for poa encroachment. It is also very difficult to see ball marks at this time of year so please take the time to repair your ball mark and to remind the others in your group to do the same.
We are about to finish a small project to the right of the 4th green that will make the hole more playable for the higher handicap player. There were a small series of mounds to the immediate left of the greenside cart path that have been removed. This was the area that players who were not able to clear the pond on their second shot would play to in order to avoid the water. The area will be maintained at our regular rough height of 2 inches and provide a bailout area to avoid the penalty area.
We have completed two of our annual cultural practices which will impact play in the beginning of the golf season. Late last fall, we used the graden process on our greens, thatch was removed, and sand was injected into the grooves of the putting surface. By opening up earlier than normal, the greens have not had as much time to heal and this will be noticeable. Second, the fairways were aerified, cores removed and top-dressed. These practices will help provide smoother, firmer surfaces later this season.
During the winter months, our grounds crew renovated the Men’s locker room and it will be done soon. Trevor Hill, our Assistant Course Superintendent did an amazing job; the finished product is a major improvement for the club. Several Members who have seen the Men’s locker room have subsequently ordered a locker based on the improvements. There are some lockers still available. Please contact Kerry in the Business Office if you would like one, at krosa@madisoncountryclub.org.
We will continue to send updates throughout the season to keep you informed and ask you to play a larger role in maintaining our course. One example will be our Divot Party in May.
Mike Chrzanowski
Congratulations Congratulations to the 2019 MCC Club Champions! Lynda Foster - Ladies Club Champion Jeff Schroeder - Men's Club Champion Joan Piccolo - Ladies Senior Club Champion Hugh Duffy - Men's Senior Club Champion Maureen Porter - Ladies Super-Sr. Club Champion Frank Dranginis - Men's Super-Sr. Club Champion Matt Doyle - Junior Club Champion ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~
Business Office/Clubhouse Hours
The Business Office is open from 9am-3pm weekdays and closed on weekends.
If you are making a payment, there is a mail slot on the office door that faces the Golf Shop for your convenience.