When International Golf Maintenance (IGM) took on complete management and maintenance of the Rose Hill Golf Club, Bluffton, SC, in August 2022, the prior company had essentially abandoned the property. Over the past 8 months, IGM has implemented a total start-over, from hiring staff and establishing procedures to repairing equipment and caring for the golf course. While the job is not finished, IGM will celebrate the positive changes with Rose Hill residents and members on May 20, 2023.
IGM Regional Manager Tyler Minamyer has been the project’s point person and said, “We started with 30 inches of rain in the first 30 days we were on-site. The golf course is not where we want it to be, but we’re making progress. The Rose Hill community has been great each step of the way.”
Through Rose Hill Golf Club’s new equipment technician, Juan Palacios, Minamyer and the company learned about OPFOB, a local nonprofit serving military veterans. (OPFOB stands for Operation Patriots Forward Operating Base). Palacios is president of the organization’s advisory board, a role he took after discovering its value for himself, a multi-tour veteran of the U.S. Army.
Palacios explained that in a war zone, a FOB (or Forward Operating Base) is a safe space for frontline service members to relax and let their guard down. The mission of OPFOB is to be a safe space for veterans and to help with and create awareness of PTSD and veteran suicide. On a large piece of property, veterans meet for Saturday coffee and camaraderie in the barn area. They also hunt, fish, shoot clays, and engage in a variety of outdoor competitions.
“IGM always feels a commitment to the communities we serve, and we want to be supportive partners,” said Minamyer. “We had the idea that we would focus the Club’s support on a single nonprofit. Veterans are terrific employees in the golf course maintenance industry, so there was a logical tie-in to OPFOB.”
The May 20 Rose Hill Golf Club celebration will include some fundraising for OPFOB, donating a portion of the team fees. In addition, professional golfer Jeff Crittenden, the world long drive champion, will be on-site for a demo. With a donation to OPFOB, teams can have Jeff hit a shot for them.
“OPFOB has helped me,” said Palacios, who served in Iraq. “You always think you’re strong enough to do things alone. For me, the grass IS greener on the other side.” He appreciates IGM’s interest in the organization and commitment to helping.
IGM looks forward to continuing its improvements to Rose Hill Golf Club, while also providing support to the community.
IGM provides complete golf course management and maintenance services in markets across the U.S. The company is committed to agronomic excellence and environmentally conscious methods and products. To request a consult, please contact Greg Plotner, Executive Vice President, 407-589-7200. Additional information may be obtained by visiting IGM’s website at golfmaintenance.com.