Berksdale opening as nine-hole course
“It’ll be a good practice nine.”
Keith Ihms golf maintenance director
Berksdale Golf Course will soon be open as a nine-hole course, Golf Maintenance Director Keith Ihms told the POA Board of Directors during a work session Thursday.
The new route will use the holes formerly numbered 1,2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 15, 16 and 17 as soon as new signs and a new score sheet are ready. Those holes are not close to the dangerous areas where Sugar Creek has moved close to the cart paths, Ihms said. He plans to add more signs and probably some gates to keep golfers from straying into the dangerous areas.
“It’ll be a good practice nine,” he told the board. There will be three par 3 holes; three par 4 holes, and three par 5 holes. The course will begin and end at the clubhouse. In addition, the former fourth hole can be used as a practice hole.
The rest of the course will continue to be maintained at a lower level until a final decision on the 18-hole course is made.
The POA is looking for an engineering firm to perform a hydrology study before a decision is made, General Manager Tom Judson told the board. He has already met with one firm, but hopes to get three bids. The firms will probably use aerial photography and county maps and surveys to develop a better map of Little Sugar Creek.
The future of the dam on Lake Bella Vista will also be a factor to consider, he said. Bentonville owns Lake Bella Vista and had plans to replace the dam which failed a few years ago. But work on the dam was delayed when a group of residents protested and asked the city to remove the dam.
Other POA lakes will also be considered when a study is performed since they contribute to the watershed.
The board’s newest member David Brandenburg, a longtime resident, said that at one time the POA pulled gravel out of Little Sugar Creek and sold it. That kept the creek flowing and allowed space for extra water. Now, environmental regulations won’t allow gravel to be taken from the creek.
In other business, Lakes and Fisheries Superintendent Rick Echols told the board that before the POA lowers two lakes this coming winter, residents will have the information they need to schedule work on their docks and sea walls. Lake Avalon will be lowered about four feet so work can be done on a beach near the pavilion. Some dredging is also planned. The project will begin on Nov. 9, when siphon tubes will begin pulling water from the lake. The work should be complete by Feb. 15, when the lake will be allowed to fill. But, he reminded the board that refilling any lake depends on rain water.
Loch Lomond was lowered last year so work could be done near the new Lake Point Event Center, but residents didn’t have time to schedule their own projects. This winter, Loch Lomond will be lowered again starting Nov. 13.
Residents can use the time to work on docks and sea walls, Echols said. He has information about what permits may be needed and how to apply for them. This summer, the POA has a lake ranger assigned to inspect docks on all the lakes. He will start with Avalon and Lomond so residents can plan around the drawdowns, Echols said.
Chairman Ron Stratton announced that board member Andrew Davis is resigning from the board for personal reasons. The board agreed to solicit resumes and interview candidates for the seat. An acting director will serve until the May election, when the membership will vote on his replacement.