Golf course success possible because of a lot of people

Many volunteers have made Banks Lake Golf Course a great success this year. There has been mention in The Star newspaper of some of the people who have helped give of their time, but not all the volunteers have been mentioned. I would like to let the community know who these people are.

Early in the season, Orville Sharbach would be out raking the sand traps in the mornings before golfers even showed up. Hellen Olbricht helped get the ladies organized to weed the bunkers and plant flowers (Sally McDowell, Sandy Sheehy, Betty Davis, Donna White, Cathy Evans, Bird Hensley). Others who helped with weed eaters were Carl Sheehy and Don Brunni. Hellen gathered trash weekly. Lowell Bowman filled water jugs on the course each week. Ross Clune donated the ice making machine, which was appreciated in hot weather. Herb Sherburne and Larry Jordan were instrumental in Merchants League play in the evenings. I saw Kevin Tipps and Jerry Birdwell sawing down trees after one of the many windstorms … many helped on those days.

Kay Johnston volunteered in the club house Mondays and Tuesdays without pay. Frank English, Stan Fukuhara, and Bill Dunlop were taking the old wood tee signs down. A.J. Gerard has donated heavy equipment to the course over the years. Richie Gerard has helped with that. The many hours the volunteer mowers (Jerry Birdwell, Gary Haag, Randy Larson, Tag Grier, Doug Boll, Bobby Carlson) have put in weekly made the fairways and putting greens look better than they have in years.

Jerry Birdwell spends many hours fixing the irrigation system. Gary Haag applied fertilizer to the putting greens this month. Bob Carlson spent over two full days cutting brush and weeding around #17 tee box. Many of the men golfers helped plug the greens this spring … Dick Brokway, Dennis Lohrman, Mike Higgins, Bill Desautel, John Stensgar, Darrell Dick. Herb Sherburne helped with golf classes for young people this year. Claude Hilton trimmed trees. Brett and Gina Seaver of Oasis Lawn Care came out with six employees to do weeding, work on the flower bed near the entrance to the course, and other things they saw that needed attention. Hellen Olbricht, Sandy Sheehy, and Sally McDowell painted the railing on the clubhouse deck.

There were three tournaments in September. Other groups had tournaments this summer that led to increased play: Electric City Bar and Grill (Janet Hanke) The Finley Family, The Coyote Open (Larry Jordan and Bunky Andrews) Class of ’74 (Steve Tillman) Dakota Holt Memorial (Stephanie Anderson) Rattlers Open (Russ Marchand) BGA (Don Brunni, the Glow in the dark Ball tournament (Randy Friedlander, Lloyd Myrick, Bunky Andrews).

New golf signs are on the tees, and community businesses have bought ads for these signs. You can contact the course for information if you want to purchase an ad. I am sure that the tourists who played were impressed with Banks Lake Golf Course this year. This course is an asset to this community. The members hope to continue this effort next year.

Sally McDowell