As President of the La Mirada Disc Golf Club, I have to clear some things up here...
First, if you want things to happen at La Mirada, please, 1) join the LMDGC, and 2) show up to our club meetings and volunteer. There are a handful of us who do 90% of the club work, on a completely volunteer basis, and we've been putting in dozens of hours a month for the last four years. We always need help, we welcome ideas, and love to hear about things you would like to do and see at La Mirada.
What does the LMDGC do? We work with the County of Los Angeles, INNOVA, and our club members to run the weekly and monthly tourneys. We run the FREE skills clinics one day a month for half the year. We have replaced 18 baskets with brand-new DISCATCHERS, including two that were stolen, and one that was demolished by a car. We have replaced 8 Tee Pads, with brand-new Tees. We do weekly course-maintenance, including scrubbing basket and tee sign graffitti. We arranged for 12 trash cans to be added to both courses. Last year when the Pro Shop wanted to make La Mirada pay-to-play, we negotiated with the County to keep that from happening. We've hosted the Turkey Shoot doubles tourney for years, and have more recently started putting on the Lady LaMa Tourney, which did not happen this year, because after six months of promising us they would help, the Pro Shop dropped the ball and just forgot to reserve the date with the County.
The fact is, no tourneys can happen at La Mirada without the support of the Pro Shop. The Pro Shop has 100% control over any and all tourneys that happen in the park, and anyone who wants to do a tourney at La Mirada has to work with and through the Pro Shop for it to happen. Los Angeles County has told us they will no longer work with us, they will only work with the Pro Shop. So any time anyone asks, what they need to do to get a tourney at La Mirada, the answer is, YOU NEED TO TALK TO THE PRO SHOP. Patrick (from the Pro Shop) used to come to the LMDGC meetings, but stopped coming... so if that is what you mean by the club "shunning" the Pro Shop staff... well, I don't know exactly what you mean by that, but whatever - you have your right to say whatever you want, because it's the Internet, right?
The Pro Shop has repeatedly offered to help us with club stuff... they offered to help us build the new tees, install the new baskets, run the weeklies or monthlies... but then when the time comes they just have not shown up. All they have done is sell discs. It is their job, their responsibility to run tourneys at La Mirada, and until they step up and start actually DOING something to help out the course, well, basically, the rest of us are screwed.
And Joseph, sorry, but losing Mike Williams in the Pro Shop IS one of the biggest setbacks the course has faced in the last decade. He has ALWAYS supported the club, the course, and the players. To say anything to the contrary is just plain ignorance. He still comes out and supports the weeklies, and the clinics... when have you EVER helped us run an event? And PLEASE come to the next meeting. We NEED you to know what is going on. And please stop bad mouthing the course, the club, and the players online! It's just plain irresponsible.
Sincerely,
Indigo Brude
LMDGC President
