Crab (and steak) Feed set for Mach 4

ROYAL CITY — The Royal Golf Association will have its annual Crab (& steak) Feed on Saturday, March 4, at 6 p.m. at Keeley’s Barn.

The Crab Feed is the RGA’s big fund-raiser of the year. It is run by the RGA board of directors and other volunteers.

“Last year we had a great response from the community,” Golf Course Superintendent Shawn Veterrick said. “We had around 40 items donated last year for our silent auction.”

The Crab Feed will feature a live auction and a silent auction this year. Bob Murphy is heading up the donations and has received around 20 so far, including a BBQ Grill provided by Lowes.

Well known auctioneer Chuck Yarbro will do the live auction. Also planned are games, including the balloon pop.

“Last year we had record attendance, and I believe and can surpass that mark,” Vetterick said.

Vetterick announced that the men’s Spring League will be starting March 14. He would like to get a women’s league started. Also a Seniors League.

“We did see an increase in number of teams per tournament,” last year,” he said.

The reason for the fund-raiser is that the Royal Golf Course is so out of the way that player green fees alone can’t support it. And that’s unfortunate if you ask retired Seattle Times sports columnist Blaine Newnham.

Newnham made a three course golf tour on the road from Seattle to Pullman recently. The courses included the Othello Country Club and the Royal Golf Course.

“On the way back, play the nine the farmers built in Royal City, where the driving range balls were scooped up from a bathtub,” he wrote.

“This course, especially when the wind blows, is as tough and demanding as those who built it. We played it and wondered what if they held a U.S. Open qualifier there.”

Vetterick believes all of this winter’s snow is only helping to insulate the turf. The ground underneath may not be so frozen the thaw won’t help.

“If the ground stays frozen and we experience rapid melting, we will lose a lot of the benefits of getting that melting snow deep into the soil profile,” he said. “Ideally, a good slow constant melt would be the most beneficial. As far as damage from the snow, we shouldn’t have any or it should be minimal.”

After last year’s fundraising drive and Crab Feed the course was able to purchase a used rough mower, a tee mower and a Cushman trickster with spray rig and box.

This year, the RGA has purchased a used verticutting machine to help thin the greens and resolve a thatch issue. That will ultimately lead to a more consistent and smoother playing surface.