FORE YOUR INFORMATION Ju l y / A u g u s t 2 0 1 6
2016 President's Cup Tournament Clear Creek Golf Club September 26, 2016
Sierra Nevada GCSA An Affiliate Chapter of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
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P R E S I D E N T S M E S S AG E
Kurtis Wolford, SNGCSA President Superintendent Cherry Island Golf Course
Hello everyone. It is now August and we can all make a collective sigh of relief that July, our hottest month, is behind us. The days are getting shorter and we are on the downhill side of summer. Yeah, we are almost done with the summer of 2016. In talking with members, it has been a doozie. I have heard a few reports from guys about what they have gone through the past few months and to say the least, it’s been a challenge. Hearing about all of the challenges that our members have faced this year makes me think of our profession and what we do every day. I can’t think of many jobs out there where we are forced to deal with so many challenges that are
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thrown our way on a daily basis. Weather, machines, infrastructure failures, labor, regulatory (water & labor), and then there is the politics. We as superintendents are very prepared to handle whatever is thrown our way. It’s just what we do. On behalf of the entire SNGCSA Board I would like to thank everyone who participated in last months scholarship and research tournament. A big thank you to Kyle Dykstra and Sierra View Country Club for hosting. The course was awesome and we had a great time. We would also like to thank every member, vendor and business that generously donated to the live and silent auctions. Without your donations we would not be able to grow the S&R program and give out as many turf scholarships and legacy awards. If you have children going into college soon, keep this on your radar for next year. Have them get an application in. This year we generated $31,496 for the S&R fund that will be distributed next year. Since 2011 our small association of under 225 members has been able to distribute over
$67,000 for scholarships and research. That is an awesome feat and something we should all be very proud of. I would also personally like to thank Irene and Kim and the Board for their efforts in running the tournament and all the work that goes into getting donations for the event Coming up are a few things of interest. The GCSAA Melrose Leadership Academy which supports the professional development of GCSAA member superintendents by providing individuals the opportunity to attend the Golf Industry Show. The program is set up to provide up to 20 scholarships every year. September 26th – President’s Cup at Clear Creek Tahoe Golf Club November 8th – Annual Elections & Annual Association Meeting at The Reserve at Spanos Park. If you are interested in joining the board please let us know. I hope to see everyone at on of our upcoming events and thank you for your support of the association.
2016 SNGCSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT Kurtis Wolford Cherry Island Golf Course 916-991-7659
DIRECTORS Dave Bermudez Del Rio Golf & Country Club 209-341-2413
VICE PRESIDENT Scott Dickson Valley Crest 209-369-7037
Hulises Avila, Greenhorn Creek Resort 209-736-8164
SECRETARY/TREASURER William Hamilton Lake Wildwood Association 530-432-2187 PAST PRESIDENT Rob Williams Stockton Golf & C.C. 209-462-6734
Affiliate Representatives Joe Kurung West Coast Sand & Gravel 916-386-8177 Tim McCoy, Turf Star 916-861-7924 FORE YOUR INFORMATION
Wes Hull, Nakoma Golf Resort 775-781-4494 John Jorgensen, The Reserve at Spanos Park 925-584-4592 Kyle Jones, Yocha De He Golf Club 530-796-5816
Published by the Sierra Nevada Golf Course Superintendents Association
EDITOR Bill Hamilton, CGCS OFFICE SNGCSA 5322 N. Leonard, Clovis, CA 93619 559-298-6262 Fax# 559-298-6957 sngcsaa@aol.com
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M E E T I N G DA T E S
September 26, 2016
December 2016
Annual President’s Cup Clear Creek Golf Course Hosted by Michael Cunniff
Annual Holiday Event Location and Date to be confirmed
October 24-25, 2016 NCGA Assistant Bootcamp Monterey ,CA If Interested in applying for Professional Assistance to attend please contact the association office
November 8, 2016 Annual Meeting and Elections The Reserve at Spanos Park Hosted by John Jorgenson
2017 January 10, 2017 Mechanic Seminar The Ridge Golf Course Hosted by Scott McCullough
January 11, 2017 Irrigation Seminar The Ridge Golf Course Hosted by Scott McCullough
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Bernie Holloway Class C Stockton Golf & C.C.
The SNGCSA is now on Facebook and Twitter. Check it out! Check out the website: Sierranevadagcsa.com
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F ROM T HE F IELD BY
JEFF JENSEN GCSAA FIELD STAFF
Applications for the GCSAA and Golf Digest Environmental Leaders in Golf Awards open Aug. 1. Presented in partnership with Syngenta and Rain Bird, the awards Jeff Jensen recognize superintendents and golf courses around the world for their commitment to environmental stewardship. Categories for this year’s awards include Overall Winner, National Award Winners (Private, Public and Resort), Chapter Awards (one award winner from each affiliated chap-
ter represented), International Award and Merit Awards (applicants equal to or greater than the average score who were not selected for national or chapter awards). Applications are reviewed by an independent panel of judges consisting of highly engaged professionals in the golf course industry. Applications are evaluated in categories including water conservation, water quality, integrated pest management, energy conservation, pollution prevention, waste management, wildlife habitat, communication/outreach and leadership. Award winners receive recognition in Golf Digest and GCSAA publications, recognition at the 2017 Golf Industry Show and personalized trophies. More importantly, winning superintendents and facilities garner national, regional and local publicity while improving the golf industries image. The 2014 and 2015 Overall Winners represented California (Gary Ingram, Metropolitan Golf Links and Mark Condos, Las Positas Golf Club) and
the state garnered seven award winners in 2015. The deadline for applying is Sept. 30 with online applications available at www. gcsaa.org/ELGA. Winners will be announced in late November. In other news, GCSAA recently announced the sites for the 2017 GCSAA Golf Championships in Orlando, Fla. Presented by Toro, the members-only event features four competitions over three days: National Championship, Golf Classic, Four-Ball and Shamble. Celebration Golf Club, Orange County National, Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes and Shingle Creek Golf Resort will serve as hosts for the championships that will be contested Feb. 4-6. The Ritz-Carlton will also serve as the host hotel. More information including pricing and registration will be available in the coming months. Thank you for your continued support of GCSAA. Please contact me if I can be of assistance and follow me on Twitter @GCSAA_SW for daily golf industry updates. Enjoy the remainder of summer and I will see you on the links!
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20 16 S CHOLARSHIP & RESEARCH SIERRA VIEW C.C. D B BY
This year’s Scholarship and Research Tournament at Sierra View Country Club was a huge success. It would not have been possible without the help of so many people. The SNGCSA would like extend a thank you to Sierra View Country Club for allowing us to use their fine facility and we would also like to thank Kyle Dykstra, CGCS for having the course in such great condition. Thank you to all who made donations for the auction and the raffle, and a special thank you to Joe Ballmer of Syngenta who sponsored the shirts for the tee prize. We thank Turf Star, Ewing Irrigation, Commercial Pump, and Belkrop AG for their on-course equipment displays. It was a great day with the fun and competitive course games
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that were graciously sponsored. We thank Sierra Pacific Turf Supply who sponsored the “Casino Golf Hole”, Harrell’s who sponsored the “closet to the pin” and Cornerstone Environmental Group who sponsored the “longest drive”. The on course beverage cart was sponsored by Holganix. Most importantly, we would like to thank the 120 players who came out to play golf and support our chapter. At this year’s tournament we were able to give out $13,500 in scholarships - three turf grass student scholarships received $2,000 each and six legacy scholarships who received $1,250 each. This year’s Research and Scholarship Tournament raised $31,496 which is a terrific amount based on our
small association. The money raised at this tournament goes to Scholarships, Turf Grass Research, Personal and Professional Development Programs and our Benevolence Fund. We are proud of the efforts our chapter makes toward these young people and proud of the support we are able to provide to our industry. Thank you, to our membership for their involvement and support. David Bermudez Kurtis Wolford Tournament Chairmen
2016 Sierra Nevada GCSA Scholarship & Research Tournament Sierra View Country Club 800 MOSSDALE RD, LATHROP, CA. 209 234-1500 www.brownsandinc.com PRODUCTSSERVICES AVAILABLEUSGA Top Dressing Sand Deliveries by MAGNUM TRUCKING INC. Greens Top Dressing Sand Blend Materials to Customers Specifications Bunker Sand Profile / Sand Blends 0-0-50 / Kiln Dried Sand blends Kiln Dried USGA Sand - 3000lbs Super Sacks Dakota Peat Sand Blends Peat Inc Sand Blends Pea Gravel Top Soil
FOR ALL YOUR MATERIAL NEEDS PLEASE CALL OUR OFFICE OR
REGGIE POMICPIC – Director of Sales and Market Cell# 209 993-5211 E-mail: reggie@brownsandinc.com
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CHAPTER NEWS
TIM MCCOY Things are popping around the chapter . Rob Williams has returned to the Tahoe area to be closer to his family. He accepted the position at Schaffer’s Mill Golf Club in Truckee. Congratulations Rob! With that move Bernie Holloway has been named the Interim Superintendent at Stockton Golf & C.C. We just welcomed Bernie to our association this past month as a new member. Cliff Rourke is no longer at Dry Creek Ranch and we are not aware of who his replacement is as of this date. We will keep you informed of that once we know. Belkorp Ag. just announced that Josh Martin has joined their team as Golf Account Manager at their Stockton dealership. We look
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forward to seeing Josh at some of our events very soon. The Roddy Ranch Golf Course in Antioch closed this month. It was one of the newest courses in the Bay Area. It was said that it closed due to the fading popularity of golf but operators stated it was expenses related to water that forced the closure. Either way it is a blow to the California Golf Industry. In the last 18 months we have seen Sunol Valley near Sunol, Grayson Woods in Pleasant Hill, Springtown in Livermore and Pine Meadow in Martinez close and The Shadow Lakes course, less than a mile east of Roddy Ranch, is operating a partial schedule, mostly weekends. Availability and cost of water was cited as a key factor in every case.
The California GCSA State Chapter recently held their annual elections. We are well represented on that board with Jim Ferrin, CGCS taking the VP position for this year. Jim also represents us on the CAG board and is our Government Relations Liaison. One of our members, I won’t mention who, has found a new way to keep moles out of his greens. Is that right Bill?
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MICHAEL CUNNIFF CLEAR CREEK GOLF CLUB HOST OF THE 2016 PRESIDENT’S CUP TOURNAMENT Mike Cunniff will be hosting our annual President’s Cup Tournament at Clear Creek Tahoe on September 26, 2016. This is the first time Mike has hosted a Sierra Nevada GCSA meeting and the first time we have visited Clear Creek as an association. Michael has been working in the golf industry for almost 20 years. He started back in high school on a course about a mile from his home in Pittsfield, which is in Berkshire County Massachusetts. He quickly became a fan of golf course architecture and found a profession he was passionate about. Mike attended the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where he received a B.S. in Plant and Soil Science with a concentration in Business Management. During his col-
lege years he was able to do internships at Berkshire Hills Country Club where he met his mentor and lifelong friend, Steve Curry, who was the superintendent. Mike attributes Steve with opening his eyes to the opportunity in golf. In May of 2003 he was hired as the First Assistant Superintendent at an 18-hole private club called Charles River Country Club in Newton, MA. Charles River had over 500 members with 20,000 rounds annually and had originally opened in 1921. Then in 2005 Mike was offered a position at a new facility being constructed in Plymouth, MA. Old Sandwich Golf Club is a private club located in an historic area along the oldest unpaved continuously operated road in the United States -Old Sandwich Road. Old Sandwich Golf
Club was designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, which you may recognize as the architect for Clear Creek. Mike would be working as the First Assistant Superintendent and would gain experience with the grow-in and final phases of golf course construction. In 2012 he was encouraged to apply for a new position as superintendent. This job however, would require that he relocate to the west coast. He was confident in the project because of the architects involved and was excited to work at another course designed by Coore & Crenshaw. He made the move to Nevada along with his wife Lauren and began work at Clear Creek. (Continued on page 9)
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2 0 16 S C H O L A R S H I P A N D L E G A C Y R E C I P I E N T S Obispo Country Club while going to school. Including our Turf Scholarship we provided 5 Legacy Awards to children of our members. This program is also From Left Nick Niles, Jonathan Delallo, and Zachery Plum funded through our Scholarship and At this years Scholarship & Research program and we are proud Research Tournament the SNGCSA of how this program has grown. gave away a record number of Tanner McVey, son of SuScholarships & Legacy Awards. perintendent Steven We would like to introduce the winMcVey, CGCS. ners of this years awards. Tanner has been atFirst for the Turf Student tending Sierra ColScholarships. Zachary Plum. Zach lege in Rocklin but is entering his Senior Year at Cal will be transferring Poly San Luis Obispo. Zachary is to CSU Monterey majoring in Environmental EngiBay in Seaside to Tanner McVey neering with plans on continuing his continue toward his education and entering the Masters degree in Kinesiology. He has Program at Cal Poly. While at Cal plans on transferring to Chico State Poly he worked with superintendent to continue his education. Albert Nunes as an intern at Morro Kelsi Stieler, daughter of Bay Golf Course. Superintendent Michael Stieler, Our next Scholarship recipiCGCS, is attending CSU Fresno. ent is Nicholas (Nick) Niles. Nick is She is working on a Liberal Studies also at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Degree that will lead to her final He is majoring in Agricultural & goal of becoming a teacher. Environmental Plant Science with a Lauren Bermudez, daughter focus on Field and Turf Manageof Dave Bermudez is attending the ment. Graduation date for Nick is University of Colorado in Colorado Dec 2017. He also is interning Springs CO. She is working on a while in school and is working with Masters in Education of Secondary Paul Barr at San Luis Obispo CounEnglish Language and Culturally try Club. Diverse Learners. She has been Our third Turf Scholarship teaching Social Studies and Coachwent to Jonathan Delallo. Jonathan ing Softball in a low socioeconomic is a Sophomore at Cuesta College middle school while completing her with plans on transferring to Cal degree. Her ultimate goal is to bePoly SLO to complete his degree in come a professor and teach educaAgriculture and Environmental tion to upcoming teachers. Plant Science. Jonathan is also Haley McIntyre, daughter of working with Paul Barr at San Luis Retired Superintendent Dan McIn-
trye. Hayley is attending Cal Poly San Luis Obispo working towards a degree in Wine and Viticulture. Haley spent last summer working in Germany for a winHaley McIntyre ery called Weingut Scheidgen. She was able to learn many aspects of running a wine business. Christopher Jones, son of Michael Jones, Sierra Pacific Turf. Christopher is attending Cosumness River Col- Christopher Jones lege working on a degree in Environmental Studies/ Geography. He is currently working at Mather Golf Course in Rancho Cordova while attending school but hopes to transfer to Chico State next year to complete his Environmental Sustainability studies and hopefully work for the State of California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Joseph Kurung Jr. is the son of Joe Kurung of West Coast Sand & Gravel. Joseph is a 2016 graduJoseph Kurung Jr. ate from Pleasant Valley High School and is headed to Butte College in the fall where he will major in Kinesiology. He also plans to continue with his football career and hopes to get a Masters Degree. We want to congratulate all of these fine young people and we are happy that we could help them reach their goals.
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MICHAEL CUNNIFF CLEAR CREEK GOLF CLUB CO NTI NUED FRO M P AGE 7 Mike is passionate about golf and golf course architecture. He loves the style of architecture that Coore & Crenshaw do with such amazing results. He loves the people that he works with everyday and the opportunity to work in such beautiful area. “I feel rewarded when you know that people enjoy themselves because of what you have done.” When asked what he dislikes about his job. Mike says “Weekends”. Mike not only loves the work but the game of golf. He is pretty good at it too. With an 8 handicap you know he loves the game. Mike also enjoys skiing, mountain biking and spending time with his wife Lauren and their new addition to the family, 9 month old son Cole. They also share their home with two spaniels Bode and
Cooper and get to enjoy one of the most beautiful areas in Nevada. Don’t miss your opportunity to visit this amazing location. Clear Creek Golf Club is widely regarded as one of Tahoe’s' finestconditioned private golf courses. The primary challenge presented to Coore & Crenshaw was in building greens that represent good golf. Greens like the second, fourth, ninth, tenth and fifteenth sit peacefully upon the land yet required quite a bit of skill and work to make them play properly. Come check them out for yourself on September 26th.
Mike with Bode one of his spaniels.
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SCHOLARSHIP & RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
Pictured above Craig Waters from Belkorp had a wonderful selection of equipment to see on the course for attendees.
Sierra Pacific Turf held a Casino Hole to help raise additional funds for the Scholarship & Research Program
Pictured at right Commercial Pump had quite the set up and we were able to enjoy the games, beverages, and gifts they provided to all the attendees
Pictured above, Joe Elias, Kings C.C., Mike Olson, Oakdale C.C., Michael Farmen, Farmload Distributors, and Bo Urquidez
Pictured at left are the scholarship students with Mike Kavaney.
One of the winners in our team competition were Mike Stieler, Tim Texeira, Jim Ferrin, and Joe Diaz. At right Kyle Dystra, Ram Sena, and Mark Thawley check out Commercial Pump’s Display
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TRI CHAPTER MEETING HIGHLIGHTS The Tri Chapter meeting held annually included members from the Northern California Chapter, Sierra Nevada GCSA and the Central California Chapter. This year it was Central California’s turn to host the event which was held at Ridgemark Golf Club in Hollister. The host superintendent Gerardo Gonzales is pictured below. Gerardo welcomed everyone and explained how the course had changed and what he was currently doing. The education was provided by Ken Mauser, Aquatrols and featured an in-depth discussion on ISTRIC. Breakfast was sponsored by Wilbur Ellis and Aquatrols. As always there was much anticipation on the annual team competition. This year the trophy went to the Central California Chapter. Pictured at right.
Pictured above are the winning Central California Team members. From left, Andy Cordova, Cypress Ridge G.C., Josh Heptig, SLO Country Golf Manager, Steven Spatafore, Cal Poly and Michael Scott, CGCS Blacklake G.C.
Pictured above Gerardo Gonzales, Host Superintendent
Reggie Pomicpic, Jeff Jensen and Steven Spatafore show off their winnings for the camera. Below Phil Brown is pictured with Steven Spatafore getting ready for a fun day out on the course.
There was plenty of time to visit with friends and meet new people. Pictured above Reggie Pomicpic and Dave Bermudez prepare to hit the course. It was beautiful weather and wonderful group of people to be with. Thank you to Ridgemark for hosting the event and providing us with great service and a wonderful course.
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