Friends of Stambaugh Golf Course

May 2022 Report:
May has been a difficult month at Stambaugh Golf Course. The wet weather has led to difficulties in mowing both fairways and rough. Greens were aerated and sand applied as is necessary annually. So the greens are bumpy.

These conditions were compounded by breakdowns in mowing equipment and under staffing. For example, you may have seen the effects of hydroxylic fluid leaking on to the greens from the old greens’ mower. Also, some golfers have contributed to the situation by not repairing ball marks on the green. Repairing ball marks takes away staff time from mowing.

The overall wetness of the course has made in difficult to keep up with mowing and has often led to overgrown fairways and roughs. This has made it difficult for the small staff to keep up with the required mowing. Further, some golfers are misusing the carts by driving them through wet or even muddy areas that will need to be repaired.

Per suggestions from last year, Youngstown City government has authorized monies from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to purchase new mowing equipment. Youngstown received $82.5 million from the ARP and city officials made $2 million available to Youngstown’s Third Ward where Stambaugh Golf Course is located. Yet, despite the authorization and orders, supply chain issues are causing delays in receiving the new equipment. I will give an update when I get additional information.

Finally on a good note, the City has funded the course manager on a full-time basis. As important, this year the Parks Department has been fully supportive of the course manager and is helping when possible. But it seems to me that the course manager could quickly become overwhelmed by the lack of additional staff and consistent staff hours of work. More in the upcoming weeks.

Important!!!
The City of Youngstown has received an $82.7 million from the American Rescue Plan (ARP). If you would like to see improvements done to Stambaugh Golf Course, follow these steps.

1. Visit www.youngstownohio.gov.
2. Click on the American Rescue Plan icon (the $1 bill)
3. Click on “Youngstown ARP – Stakeholder Survey”
4. Take the survey and voice your opinion.
5. Don’t wait as time is short before city government makes its decision to allocate ARP funds

*** Remember this is the best opportunity for the Friends of Stambaugh Golf Course and other community members to help obtain much-needed funding to improve our municipal golf course and its equipment, while adding to the attractiveness of Youngstown’s Northside.

City of Youngstown, Ohio Municipal website for the City of Youngstown, Ohio.

We have now reached the midpoint of the 2021 Stambaugh Golf Course season. As mentioned earlier posts, the course is in good shape. But as in the past, we have begun to see problems with course’s maintenance equipment. For example, last week the greens mower began to leak fluid and the greens. This week I asked former course manager and pro, Tom Ciminelli, his appraisal of the age and current condition of the course mowers.

The greens mower has a bad engine and, as mentioned, has been leaking fluid. The apron and tee mower and fairway mower are both well over 20 years old and in need of regular repair. The rough mower, which is relatively new, has needed regular repair and maintenance. The Parks Department have zero turn mowers but the course staff does not regular access because they are needed throughout the city. Zero turn mowers could be used for mowing fairways.

What can be done. My suggestion is that the city government use $100,000 of the $82 million that it is getting from the American Rescue Plan to upgrade its course mowers and purchase several zero turn mowers.

Since the City is a municipality, it can receive deep discounts in purchasing course maintenance equipment. Since most of the mowers are already Toros, I would suggest that they purchase Toro mowers to make future maintenance more efficient.

I am urging the members of the Friends of Stambaugh Golf Course and others to contact the Mayor and Third Ward Councilpersons and discuss our suggestion for the use of the American Rescue Plan funds. Do it now as City government is currently reviewing proposals for the use ARP funds. I will also be approaching the current course manager about this suggestion so that he can discuss the suggestion with the Park Department and other city officials.

I hope everyone is playing Stambaugh this year. It is in the best condition in years. Kudos to Matt and David Sturz for keeping the greens and fairways properly fertilized and conditioned and taken time to instruct the summer help.
Not an easy task on a shoestring budget. All of which is to suggest that the City needs to make Matt full time course manager not a low wage part time contractor. In the past, the course has lost other good course managers for failing to pay them properly. ie. Dave Boos and Tom Partoleno. The result has been uneven course conditions at best. Also, the City should be involved in grant writing to help offset the costs of maintaining an urban golf course in this very competitive golf environment.
Please contact the Mayor and Third Ward Councilperson and let them how you feel.

There is good news for those who wish to play at Stambaugh Golf Course. It is in the best condition that it has been in recent years. Greater attention has been paid to the greens. They are being properly cut and rolling well save for inability to repair the green on hole 6 from past inattention. The fairways are being cut regularly despite the wet conditions.

Much of the credit for course improvement goes to Matt Morgan who was named course manager. He has experience being the golf coach at Ursuline but who has taken the time to learn more about course management. Furthermore, he doesn’t just manage per se but takes an active role in getting the course in good shape. You can frequently see him cutting grass.

To help, former Stambaugh course manager and pro, Tom Ciminelli, has made suggestions on dealing with course issues, such as adjusting the fairway and green mowers. Morgan seems to have listened. Further, there is enough staff to take care of the course properly.

All of which is to suggest that the City seems to have become more interested in keeping the course in good shape and understanding that it is an important site for both the North Side and City itself.

Has anyone heard about the status of Stambaugh golf course -when or will it be opening this year? Are there any preparations and work currently be made?

August 7th:
Several FSGC reported that the greens were both fertilized and sprayed this week. The greens continue to long and slow so the green mower blades should be lowered and adjusted. The cups on the greens are raised and have not been changed. Save for the damaged greens on the 5th and 6th holes, the greens are looking better.

The rough was cut but the clover is widespread making it difficult to see the ball unless you are on top of it. Because spraying was not done in the Spring, the growth of the clover will continue to be a problem. If you remember a number of years ago when the course was not being maintained, it took two years to get rid of all the dandelions.

Thanks to Joe Bettura and Mathew Delsignore for helping document what has happened to the golf course. I am suggesting that others should report and photograph any problems that you see with golf course.

July 27th: Per your request. Those who played golf at Stambaugh this weekend found little improvement. The rough is still pretty bad and without proper mowing will continue straggly. Some greens are very shaggy and others are on the brink of being lost.

Golf courses are NOT parks and cannot be maintained in the same way. Park directors are not golf course managers. The employees need to be properly trained to see problems, maintain equipment, and learn proper cutting techniques.

The Third Ward Councilperson is committed to improving "neighborhood infrastructure" and that includes the most valuable resource on Youngstown's northside.

Many people have been asking me about the status of Stambaugh Golf Course. I am sad to report the course is in terrible condition. Much of it is the result of neglect, the failure to hire an experienced course manager, and improper maintenance of equipment and staff.

The greens are hairy and in some cases burning out. The fairways are also burning out. The rough is intolerable and the result of trying to use fairway mowers to cut grass that is too tall. The City administrators and Park Department lack an understanding of course management or is just not interested. This is not just about resources.

I am part of a group of 10 that, in the past, played the course 3 or 4 times per week. Today, we agreed not to play the course again without drastic improvements. Members of this group raised thousands of dollars in past. No longer.

Talked to someone at course and the course will open on Monday, June 29th. The fee will be a flat $12 including cart. One person per cart except with a family member. The question remains will there be enough carts. None of this has been verified or made public.

We have no specific knowledge that the course will be opening. But the hiring freeze for the City ends June 30th. There is no course manager as no one has been hired to replace Tom Partoleno.