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Country Club Management Committee

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Committees: Country Club Management Committee

Country Club Management Committee

2009 Annual Report

The Country Club Management Committee is pleased to submit this annual report for calendar year 2009. We recognize the unique asset we have at the South Shore Country Club (“South Shore”) and continue to look for ways to improve the facilities and programs offered in an effort to better serve the recreational needs of Hingham families.

2009 was the first full year for our new management team and they thrived. Jay McGrail, Director of Operations and Golf Course Superintendent, Joe Keefe, PGA Golf Professional and Jake Silva, Assistant Golf Course Superintendent are continuing to improve the golf course, the facilities and the services available at South Shore for the families of Hingham to use and enjoy. This includes: our professionally run junior and adult golf programs, year-round golf, enhanced driving range and practice areas, our outdoor swimming pool, beginner and advanced swimming lessons as well as swim team competition, tennis instruction and candle pin bowling for kids and adults.

The positive feedback we continue to receive on the improved condition of our golf course and the enhanced value of our golf packages is also reflected in our growing membership base and the increasing number of rounds played. With this increased demand in mind, we have implemented a new T-time system (“EZ Links”) to allow members and non-members to book tee times much more easily (24hrs a day either by phone or online).

Further recognition of our improved golf course came this year in the form of requests that South Shore host several important regional amateur golf events. We hosted the Mass Mid Amateur qualifier this summer and capped off the season hosting the final round of the prestigious Southeast Amateur. The latter event was a very significant one for us, because, we were one of the original golf courses to host this event but have not been asked to host the event in the past forty years. While we have many golfers taking advantage of our year-round golf offering (weather permitting), we, like almost everyone else, are looking forward to Spring and the official commencement of the 2010 golf season.

At the end of 2009, we made another exciting addition to our service offering, our new food and beverage operator/manager Elio Ricci. Mr. Ricci, the owner of Raffael’s, has considerable experience owning and operating restaurants, as well as wedding, banquet and meeting facilities. Almost immediately after Raffael's was awarded the contract to manage our food and beverage facilities, Mr. Ricci and his son Frank commenced a comprehensive remodeling program to upgrade the facilities. We are certain the upgraded facilities, energy and experience provided by Raffael’s will be another substantial improvement to the services South Shore is providing the golfers, families and residents of Hingham.

We have highlighted only a few of the exciting things happening at South Shore and hope everyone will stop by to see what we have to offer. Please take advantage of our annual Kite Day Festivities, which now include new activities such as hayrides. Visit our outdoor pool, which has been improved by the addition of a protective, permanent sun shade area, and was recently cleaned-up and repainted, or spend some time in our repainted and remodeled pro shop at the golf course (with a new pa system for use with our golf outings), our bowling alleys or our upgraded restaurant, wedding and banquet/event facilities.

We are proud of what we have been able to accomplish in 2009 and look forward to an exciting 2010 at the South Shore Country Club.