As new residents, renters and returning snowbirds start to arrive for the warm winter Arizona sunshine, the SunBird Men’s Golf Association, aka the Men’s Club, wishes to invite all who are not members of the club to join. The Men’s Club provides the opportunity to participate in weekly tournaments, which include gross/net play, scrambles and other events at the discretion of the tournament committee. All events are handicapped, so all skill levels have a chance at prizes. Participation in the club is a great way to play some competitive golf at your skill level and make some new friends. Membership in the club does require a membership in the Arizona Golf Association and its GHIN handicap system. It also allows the player to participate in the many other golf events and groups where handicaps are required.
For those who are already members, 2019 dues are due by December 15, 2018. The dues are $50 if paid online at www.azgolf.org or $55 if paid in the Pro Shop. If paid after December 15, the dues are $55 or $60, respectively. For questions, please contact Fred Garmeson at 480-695-9363.
Looking ahead to the rest of 2018-2019 season, there will continue to be some regular special events, such as home and home tournaments with Palo Verde and Sun Lakes Phase 1, Shoot Outs, the SunBird Cup, the Club Championship and the normal optional games, such as the hole-in-one pot, closest to the pin on the number three green and the King of KPs (closest to the pin on 14). In addition, there are several new optional games being introduced this season. They include the Player of the Year Award which will be based on a combination of participation and performance, the Eclectic Scorecard which is a continuous scorecard where the player can improve his score on a hole where he has carded a better score for that day and, finally, the MacPherson Challenge which will be a three-day event modelled somewhat after SunBird’s USA vs. Canada Conley Cup that is held each season. Check the bulletin boards by the Pro Shop for more details.
In other news, the SunBird Open, one of the biggest fundraising tournaments of the season, will be held on Saturday, December 8, 2018. Players can form their own foursome or put their name in at the Pro Shop and be paired in, if possible. Time is of the essence, so you will need to enter quickly if you want to play.
Finally, it was announced in November that Jerry Lingen will be retiring from the position of Pro Shop Manager and that Gary Hodges will be replacing him. The Men’s Club would like to congratulate Jerry for his many years of service to the SunBird Golf Club and to welcome Gary on board.