Tee Off News November/December 2014
Winter Conference Rancho San Marcos Golf Club Tennessee McBroom Host Superintendent
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Save The Dates January 26, 2015 Winter Symposium Rancho San Marcos Golf Club Host Superintendent Tennessee McBroom
April 23, 2015 Spring Symposium Rio Bravo Country Club Host Superintendent Trini Hernandez
February 21-26, 2015 GCSAA Golf Industry Show San Antonio
June 2015 Al Glaze Memorial Scholarship & Research Tournament Morro Bay Golf Course Host Superintendent Josh Heptig
February 25, 2016 California Room 6:00 to 9:00 Sunset Station San Antonio
Inside this issue:
August 2015 Tri Chapter Event Hosted by the Nor Cal Chapter Location to be determined
2014/2015 GCSACC BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Presidents Message
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North Ranch
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2014 Delegate Meeting Recap
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From the Field
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Winter Educational Conference
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Meeting Highlights
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PRESIDENT TENNESSEE MCBROOM SANDPIPER GOLF CLUB /RANCHO SAN MARCOS GOLF CLUB SECRETARY/TREASURER STEVEN SHOWERS AIRWAYS G. C.
VICE PRESIDENT . BRIAN DAUM VALLEY CREST/PALO ALTO G.C
BOARD MEMBERS ANDY CORDOVA CYPRESS RIDGE G.C.
.GLENN MATTHEWS VISALIA C.C.
.JOSE ALVAREZ FORT WASHINGTON C.C.
TRINI HERNANDEZ RIO BRAVO C. C.
CRAIG JOHNSON BELMONT C.C.
JEFF KOLLENKARK WEED MAN
PETE BOWMAN JACOBSEN WEST PAST PRESIDENT
JOSH HEPTIG SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY
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President’s Message “Health, Family and Friends-Leadership Opportunities” By Tennessee McBroom News in our local Association has a positive note to end the year with a great head start on rainfall amounts across our region. El Nino conditions seem to be providing heavier results with Tennessee McBroom each passing storm. I’m encouraged to see green hillsides throughout the Central California Region during my travels recently, while this is encouraging we still have to be
mindful of our precious resources, and hope to see continued storms setting up to fill much needed storage in our reservoir system throughout the State. Over the course of 2014 the Board has spent a lot of time improving our Association and meeting goals set in 2013. Those goals include improving value at educational events, providing great venue locations, donating to charities and scholarships through outstanding tournaments, and providing the very basics of comradery amongst colleagues at each and every event. In November at Cypress Ridge Golf Course the Board held our Fall Strategic Planning Session with our GCSAA Southwest Representative Jeff Jensen as the facilitator. The mission of the session was to continue our focus on building operational goals and setting a roadmap for a stronger Association. The review of our Strengths, Challenges, Opportunities and Risks for the coming months and years was determined to continue the success built from 2014. Several different outcomes were encouraging to the board as we established goals, set the foundation and core of our Chapter. SCOR analysis shared the following results;
Strengths: (1) Advanced scheduling for 2015 and 2016 events, (2) Building strong vendor/affiliate support, (3) Good Comradery. Challenges: (1) Geography of our Chapter, (2) Local/National Economy, (3) Member Participation. My favorite, Opportunities: (1) Getting Non-Engaged members to participate in the chapter, (2) Work with Allied Golf Organizations, (3) Develop Satellite and Regional Meetings. Risks: (1) 80% of current members Not-Engaged, (2) Water Issues, (3) Perception of the Golf Industry. Put simply, how do we increase the value to you the member, increase participation among current members, and build new memberships to sustain the vitality of our great Association? The Board has set some lofty goals for 2015, and I ensure you we will keep our focus based on our goals as to our team work and decision making at the board level to meet expectations. Developing the Assistant Superintendent Membership and Program, Continue developing our Committee Assignments and Team Work, and improving our financial savings over the next year are some examples of goals that have been set. The title of this article represents a very real outlook on life as “Health, Family and FriendsLeadership Opportunities” face us each and every day in our place of home, work, and community. Recently we were asked to set goals personally at our workplace, and I’ve always held the old saying from my Grandparents of “health, family and friends” without health you have nothing, while family and friends in your life bring the value (Continued on page 5)
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President’s Message Continued from page 4 to an individual’s happiness. I know Past-President CGCS, Retired NCAA/ many Superintendents that walk their NBA Coach Gary Colson, Monterey’s golf course each and every day, what a Leader Mike McCullough, and Profesbetter personal leadership opportunity sional speaker Rick VanDermyden than the one that has a dual-purpose of from Sacramento Ca Affiliate and Faencouraging your personal health, cilitator with the John Maxwell Comwhile ensuring great and consistent pany. I’m really looking forward and surfaces for your hope to engage you the member to set your calendars for a great guests/members. event January 26th, 2015! Leadership “Expect the best work opportunities also perCheers to a Successful sist within each of our New Year! out of everyone, families spending especially yourself” Lead quality time making by Example, sure everyone can share their happiness and stresses along the “Expect the best work out of everyone, way of life. The Dalai Lama once said, especially yourself” Lead by Example, “the greatest gift you can give a child Bob Zoller Superintendent Monterey is to prepare him for great change”, I Peninsula Country Club agree family is at the upmost importance and valued time spent with family is a priority of my own. Friends and relationships built in our industry are some of the strongest. I’ve encountered superintendents, from day one in the business, mentors, colleagues met during school and educational events, and current neighbors enduring and sharing solutions to local issues and weather concerns such as job placement and water concerns, and I value each one of those individuals. So, my personal goals all set around these three values, all of which I will continue my focus to improve my life and career as a Superintendent. What drives our passion and opportunities sets the tone for our next Winter Leadership Conference at Rancho San Marcos Golf Club in Santa Barbara Ca. The event title “Leadership Perspectives in Today’s World”, we have an excellent group of speakers set to provide you the member an excellent opportunity to take home some real time information that will hopefully better your own business and personal relationships. Our lineup of speakers; Pat Finlen GCSAA
Tennessee
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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS MICHAEL HARMON SPEEDY ENTERPRISES CLASS E SCOTT MICHEL RIVER CREEK G.C. CLASS A
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Newsletter Title
North Ranch Country Club to remove more than 35 acres of turf in water conservation project Upscale golf facility near Los Angeles embarks on state’s largest turf removal project to save money and cut water usage Lawrence, Kan. (Dec. 17, 2014) After several years of trimming at the edges and avoiding the inevitable, the leadership at North Ranch Country Club, 30 miles north of Los Angeles, came to the realization that the area would never again see water in plentiful supply to maintain 175 acres of turf on its 27-hole private golf facility. The cost was too great. The choice to continue to use the current water allocation was not feasible. So, when the historic California drought conditions hit this summer and the Metropolitan Water District (MDW) of Southern California, which serves Los Angeles and the
surrounding area, doubled its incentive program for turf removal to $2 per square foot, North Ranch Golf Course Superintendent Ryan Bentley took off the gloves. He showed the club's board that it was worth moving on a dramatic 35-plus-acre turf removal program that would save the club $500,000 annually within five years, after counting the initial costs and the rebate. “I’d like to think that North Ranch is on the front end of this, and it is one of the largest projects of its kind in the state; but it’s also about being the leader in our community,” said Bentley, who has been a mem-
ber of the Golf Course Superinten-
“I’d like to think that North Ranch is on the front end of this, and it is one of the largest projects of its kind in the state; but it’s also about being the leader in our community,”
dents Association of America (GCSAA) for 11 years. “Everyone has seen what we are doing, but every club in this area is reevaluating how much turf they need to keep in play.” (Continued on page 7)
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According to the Metropolitan Water District, requests for turf removal rebates since the start of 2014 have nearly doubled. The rebate program calls for California-friendly plants and drought-tolerant landscaping to fill in where turf has been removed. “The tremendous public response clearly demonstrates that Southern California residents and businesses are enthusiastically answering the statewide mandate to lower water demands in this difficult drought,” said MWD board Chairman Randy Record. Southern California has had less than average rainfall in each of the past three years. Presently, the U.S. Drought Monitor website classifies 80 percent of the state to be in extreme drought and 55 percent of the state to be in exceptional drought. Not surprisingly, the state has mandated a water reduction of at least 20 percent for everyone by the year 2020. “We had done all that we could do, and it was time to take a fresh approach,” said Bentley of the project, which is being handled by Jackson Kahn Golf Course Design and is scheduled for completion by summer 2015. The upscale private club overhauled its irrigation system in 2005, and since 2007 it has been working on small projects for turf removal and even converted to a bermudagrass that needed less water. The club also largely uses recycled and reclaimed water for its irrigation, pulling precious little from the municipal water supply. But, it still wasn’t enough. Since 2005, the cost of water has climbed annually from $400,000 to about $1.5 million. And costs will continue to rise. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime project,” said Graham Lebowitz, North Ranch general manager. “This is not just about current members, but about
how we make sure that North Ranch is here 100 years from now. It’s about sustainability and looking to the future.” The club, which was opened in 1974, currently has about 600 golf members, including some well-known athletes and Hollywood celebrities. Other clubs in the area are in step as well. For example, Brookside Golf Club in Pasadena, a 36-hole municipal facility, has removed 22 acres of turf; and Glendora Country Club is just starting to remove approximately 25 acres of turf. “The golf industry has heard the message for some time now, and we are doing everything we can to be leaders in the area of water conservation and sustainability,” said Rhett Evans, CEO of GCSAA. “It is not enough to say that the golf industry consumes less than one-half of one percent of the estimated water use in this country. We are all in this together.” The rebate program and the turf removal projects in the area have combined to show a 25 percent drop in water use since 1990, according to the Metropolitan Water District, a coop-
erative of 26 cities and water agencies serving nearly 19 million people in six counties. “This year, we especially needed the public to continue its remarkable water-saving efforts to help maintain our stored reserves in case the drought carries into 2015,” said Jeffrey Kightlinger, MWD general manager. “We have to make conservation and efficient water use a permanent part of life in Southern California.”
Ryan Bentley, Superintendent North Ranch Country Club
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2014 Chapter Delegates Meeting Recap Tennessee McBroom attended the 2014 Chapter Delegates in Lawrence Kansas. Tennessee will represent the members of the Central California Chapter as their voting delegate. 87 delegates representing 91 of GCSAA’s 98 affiliated chapters attended this year with 30 of the delegates being first time attendees. Key Outcomes • The membership will vote on adding an equipment manager classification to the GCSAA Bylaws at the Annual Meeting in San Antonio. • The membership dues increase will move forward as written and the membership will vote on it at the Annual Meeting in San Antonio. • The GCSAA Board of Directors will continue to refine the new member standards proposal and bring it before the delegates at the 2015 Chapter Delegates Meeting. • The GCSAA Board of Directors has decided to not move forward with altering the current Board Terms of Service. President’s Association Briefing: Patrick R. Finlen, CGCS, GCSAA Immediate Past President, delivered the President’s Association Briefing
for President Keith A. Ihms, CGCS, Pat focused his presentation on GCSAA’s mission, vision and organizational priorities. He emphasized that while GCSAA’s Mission hasn’t changed much in 90 years, the vision to be the global leader in golf course management is relatively new. Part of these priorities is to stay unified and focused – only by working together will we be able to be successful in the future. Organizational Priorities: GCSAA is well positioned to move forward and are strong financially. The delegates heard about a few of the achievements in each priority area. 1. Enhanced Technology – GCSAA+ mobile app was launched in 2014. 2. Advocacy and Outreach – GCSAA and allied partners recently garnered a win with EPAs announcement it would extend Nemacur use through October 2017. GCSAA Government Relations has a more robust presence on the website housing action alerts, GR updates and webinars in one area. GCSAA launched its new Grassroots Ambassador Program in July.
3. Opportunities for Growth. Environmental Institute for Golf, Golf Industry Show, International, Partnerships 4. Member Focus – GCSAA has not wavered from its primary mission – “to serve our members”. Increased educational offerings Environmental profile – Enhanced Job Board CEO Briefing: Mr. J. Rhett Evans, CEO began by asking the delegates the following question: Why are you a member of GCSAA? He had them call out their top answers. The most commonly held reasons were: • Education • Advocacy • Community • Environmental issues backing (science and research) • Networking opportunities Mr. Evans noted that many of the responses embody the definition of what an association is – people coming together to organize for a joint purpose, to form a connection, a bond and form lasting relationships. As the world becomes more complex and diverse, GCSAA becomes even more important and we must strengthen that cooperative link with one another. Mr. Evans highlighted (Continued on page 9)
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Chapter Delegates Meeting Continued from page 8 one of the reasons delegates said they joined GCSAA - Advocacy – Member Dues Increase Discussion: Peter J. Grass, CGCS, GCSAA Secretary/Treasurer advised the delegates that a dues increase would be on the ballot at the 2015 Annual Meeting in San Antonio. It is part of the GCSAA Board of Directors Self-Governance Policy to review membership dues for Class A, SM and C members a minimum of every two years. Factors the board considers in the review process are other non-dues revenue sources, the association’s financial position and other general economic projections. The member dues are tied to the 11 Consumer Price Index (CPI) in a process that was developed and approved by members
back in 2006. The current proposal: • CPI increase of 3.3% since 2013 • Translates to a $10 increase for Class A/SM and $5 increase for Class C New dues rate would be Class A/SM $375; Class C $190 Candidate Presentations Chapter delegates had an opportunity to listen to and participated in the “Meet the Candidates” session where they asked questions of the delegates in breakout groups. The 2015 GCSAA Board candidates are: Office of President – John J. O’Keefe, CGCS Office of Vice President – Peter J. Grass, CGCS Office of Secretary/Treasurer –
Rafael Barajas, CGCS and Bill H. Maynard, CGCS Director (electing 3) – Kevin P. Breen, CGCS; Darren J. Davis, CGCS; John R. Fulling, Jr., CGCS; Mark F. Jordan, CGCS; Jeffrey F. Millies, CGCS; Rory Van Poucke; and John Walker. For a full copy of the Delegate meeting outcomes please contact Irene Cline or Kimberly Milne at the association office. (559-298-4853)
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From the Field 87 GCSAA chapter delegates met in Lawrence, KS in October to discuss a number of proposals including a $10 Class A/SM and $5 Class C dues Jeff Jensen increase, the addition of an equipment manager classification and a model to update both member standards and member classifications. The dues increase is based on a 3.3 percent increase in the Consumer Price Index since 2013 and would raise dues levels to $375 for Class A/ SM members and $190 for Class C members. The dues increase will assist GCSAA in continuing to pro-
Jeff Jensen, GCSAA Field Staff, Southwest Region
vide its core mission programs and services as well as more recent initiatives and program developments. The new equipment manager’s classification would assist equipment managers in obtaining golf specific education while providing a vast array of GCSAA central resources to assist in the advancement of their careers. The decision to add this classification was reached after conversations with numerous members from around the country. Both of the above issues will be placed before the membership for a vote during the 2015 annual meeting in San Antonio. The proposed updates to both member standards and member classifications created the most discussion during the meeting. After care-
ful consideration, the GCSAA board has made a recommendation that: Reduces the number of member classifications from 13 to 5. The classifications would include Class A, Class B (currently SM), Class C (Assistants), Equipment Manager and Member. Class A eligibility would be strictly determined by the sliding education and experience scale. Education and service points would no longer be required to maintain Class A status. In place of the current points system, various educational certificates would be created to help members to continue to market themselves and
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their individual achievements. Key points to consider: Aligns this association with the vast majority of associations around the world in focusing education around designations and not classifications. Proposal is still centered on formal education. Maintains CGCS as the pinnacle of continuing educational attainment. Reduces the confusion around CGCS, Class A and SM members. Creates a cohesive and inclusive association. The proposed updates to both member standards and member classifications will not be voted on in 2015 and GCSAA will use the next year to solicit additional input from the membership. The membership will vote on the new pathway at the 2016 annual meeting. If you have any questions concerning the above proposals, please don’t hesitate to contact me at jjensen@gcsaa.org or speak with your assigned chapter delegate. We will be glad to walk you through the discussion. More information is also available at http:// www.gcsaa.org/newsroom/news/chapters/2014/delegates-discussinclusive-membership-as-the-future-for-gcsaa.
The second phase of the 2014 Rounds 4 Research fundraising program for turfgrass studies, run by the EIFG, sold more than 200 rounds of golf and yielded $30,891 in the seven-day online auction that closed Aug. 10. The total for the June and August auctions was $145,339. The Central California GCSA would like your assistance in helping us become a bigger part of this worthwhile program. It isn’t too late to start thinking about 2015. Contact the association office if you want to become a part of this program.
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Winter Educational Conference 2015 By Andy Cordova
Finally some rain! I hope that these last few big storms that moved through has treated everyone and their golf courses very well. It’s a refreshing and exciting feeling to be able finally hit the rain/hold button on the irrigation system for a change. For most, if not all golf courses in California, this summer has been a trial to see how far we can push the limits of the turf in drier conditions. For some its been a matter of just cutting back on water use in one way or another, but for others lack of water has forced them to shut off most of their irrigation systems. The site of our association's winter educational meeting at Rancho San Marcos Golf Club in Santa Barbara was one of those unfortunate ones to be forced to shut off most of their irrigation system. Superintendent Tennessee McBroom was limited to watering greens for the majority of the year due to a lack of any runoff water from the Santa Ynez River that supplies all water sources to the property. Although some of his members were actually thrilled because of their long drives, the fact still remained that without water the course dried up. While the remnants of a rough summer still linger, winter rains are stacking up early this year and Rancho San Marcos will look forward towards greener pastures. We, as part of the golf industry, are very understanding what courses like Rancho San Marcos has had to endure this past year. There is a part in the back of our minds that knows that this very situation could or will happen to our golf courses in the future. That is why this is the
perfect golf course to be playing for us all to see what could be forthcoming and to pick Tennessee's brain on how he has dealt with it all.
leader to what is your role as a leader to leadership of the masses. This is an excellent lineup of speakers and we are fortunate to have them at our meeting.
The educational portion of the I look forward to seeing everyone meeting “Leadership Perspectives out at Rancho San Marcos on Januin Today's World” will help us beary 26th, not only to support our come better leaders, not only within chapter but to join friends and colour jobs but in life as well. Over leagues for a good day of golf. the past few years we as Superintendents have been asked to do so many more things and have been stretched so thin that having good leadership skills has been crucial to our job. You may have been asked to take on a particular project that was once contracted out or taken on more duties while keeping the same staff or even gone as far as making the jump from superintendent to general manager. With any of these For over 80 years the changes, how do specialty seed source for: you motivate and lead your staff into -Native Grasses and being as productive and content as Wildflowers possible? Even if -Kikuyu, Paspalum, you had no changes at all, how Hybrid Bermuda do you continually -Bentgrasses, Fine get the most out Fescues, Ryegrasses your staff? Our speakers, Gary Golf Course Representatives: Colson, Mike Jim Culley 213-268-3193 McCullough and Pat Finlen CGCS, Don Lewis 213-247-3266 and Rick VanDerHome Office: 800-621-0315 myden. will cover range of topics www.stoverseed.com from how do you rate yourself as a
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Highlights
2014 Lowell Stone Charity Event Fort Washington Country Club
The 2014 Team Winners of this year’s charity event was the Belmont C.C. team.
Bill Griffith, CGCS, Cooper River C.C. in Fresno pictured above with Rafael Barajas, CGCS Hacienda C.C. and Ricardo Gonzales, Fort Washington
A big THANK YOU to Ewing for sponsoring lunch at the event again this year. Pictured above are Scott Furtak and Phil Chan
Lowell Stone, founder of the Charity Event, is pictured above along with the Madera C.C. team: Ismael and JJ Gonzales, and Loren & Mitzi Layne
Pete Bowman, Speedy Lipari, Tennessee McBroom and Jeff Kollenkark
Central Valley Veterans were recipients of this year’s Charity Funds
Thank You 2014 Holiday Event Sponsors
Official Publication of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of Central California. The purpose of this publication is information and education for the membership. Published bi-monthly by GCSACC, 5322 N. Leonard Clovis, CA 93619 Phone (559) 298-4853 Fax (559) 298-6957 Email gcsacc@aol.com Newsletter Chairman & Newsletter Editor Jeff Kollenkark Executive Directors Irene Cline & Kimberly Milne