Summer is here and everything is looking fantastic in Lakewood. The Association is spending more on common ground care this year and so far we are seeing the merits of this new program. This has also allowed the Golf Course maintenance staff to focus on just the golf course grounds this year and that program is paying off as well.

The proof is what everyone sees as the drive down Lakewood Boulevard or Fairway Homes Drive or Lake Drive or even Gregory.

The drought we experienced in the first quarter of this year made for a slow start to spring, but we sure accelerated in late May with the perfect amounts of rain, temperature and sunshine.

While everyone begins to enjoy the start of summer, including all of the amenities such as the pools, playgrounds, ball fields and more, I want to remind residents of one of the largest amenities available to them next to the lakes, which would be the Golf Course.

When we use the word amenity, we understand that it has several definitions. Whereas one definition is “something that helps to provide comfort, convenience, or enjoyment” as in providing residents with basic amenities.

An additional definition is “The quality of being pleasant or agreeable” as in the attractiveness and value of real estate or of a residential structure.

We know that pools are an amenity as they provide enjoyment and the facilities are pleasant and agreeable which adds value to the community. Pools are funded through LPOA member dues and the sales of guest passes.

The Golf Course is an amenity as it provides enjoyment and value to the community yet it is funded solely by golf member dues as well as fees from guest and LPOA member golf play.

What started out as a $2.5 million dollar loan to acquire the assets of the prior Golf Club has now gone below $1 million for the first time in 30 years.

At the same time, we are reinvesting profits back into the course. We completed the $660,000 sand bunker project last year, which was paid for with 100% of the profits generated by Golf Membership dues.

If you have heard that there was any LPOA dues money applied to the golf course then you were given false information. The golf course adds both beauty and value to our community. Being able to keep control of the Golf course is enormously important to all of the home values in Lakewood, but particularly important to the 400+ homes who are located directly on the course.

As the Lakewood Property Owners Association is the singular stakeholder in the Lakewood Holding Company (d.b.a. Lakewood Oaks Country Club), we honor this by giving all LPOA households the opportunity to play the course (hence, amenity) up to six times a year, at the published daily fee rate, with some restrictions on tee times.

Otherwise, you would need a membership in the Club to be able to play the course at all unless you were a guest of a member. We have a high demand for memberships and we are currently capped and our waiting list is growing. The Golf Course is thriving and we’re excited to continue to watch it grow!

Just like with our LPOA member rules and regulations, every year, it is important for me to remind everyone to follow the rules and help us preserve this valuable golf course asset as follows:

A. Do not walk on the course or the cart paths. We have warning signs on the course to try to deter you from getting hit by a golf ball traveling at 130 miles per hour and higher.

B. Do not play the course without obtaining a tee time and paying the fee. We issue citations when caught and charge you for a round of golf as this is stealing from the Association.

C. Pets are not allowed on the course.

D. Get to know our dress code before you book a tee time and show up to play your round of golf. It is distressing for both player and staff when we have to deny you access to the course because of dress code violations.

E. Follow the on course direction signage while driving your cart. Carts can cause significant damage to turf in areas where they are not supposed to be driven. Stay on the cart path on days where staff says that the course is “Cart Path Only”.

F. Enjoy a wonderful round of golf and make sure you drink responsibly. These simple reminders, to know and follow our rules and regulations, go a long way to protecting and preserving our beautiful Golf Course as well as the Association’s Lakes, Pools, Sports Facilities, Parks etc.

Thank you in advance and have a wonderful Summer,
From the General Manager,
Mark Reid