Fall 2017
The DogWood Report from the Vancouver Island Region
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s I write this, we are finally seeing some relief after what has been another drought year with many days of smoke filled skies here on the island. I saw first hand some of the devastation while I was on route to the Exchange Tournament in Prince George. My heart goes out to those living in communities that have been effected by the fires. I know those on the island wish you all well and a speedy recovery to your lives. Back on June 13th we had the honour of hosting Larry Gilhully and Blake Meentemeyer from the USGA at the Nanaimo Golf Club for a joint meeting between Superintendents and Equipment Technicians. Larry started off by introducing a new tool that the USGA has created to allow golf courses to look at their properties and better determine necessary maintenance practices based on golfer traffic. I think us as Superintendent’s need to make this a priority at our clubs as finding ways to reduce maintenance in areas that do not need to be intensely maintained and perhaps better maintaining areas to increase pace of play based on golfer traffic is necessary for our clubs to prosper. From there, Larry and Blake discussed the past, present and future of golf course maintenance. It was interesting to note some trends from the past that are making their way back and then what the future has in store for us. We ended up closing the meeting with a short roundtable discussion, lead by Larry, directed towards the relationship between Superintendent’s and Equipment Technicians. I would like to thank our host Superintendent, Garth Sjolie for allowing us at his facility as well as Daryl Nagy of Oakcreek Golf and Tur f for sponsoring a great day! Salt Spring Island Golf Club was our next stop on July 18th where we held the 1st Annual Dave Creamer Memorial Golf Tournament. The event from start to finish had a great feel to it. A quick hop on the ferry and a drive through the small town of Ganges on route to the golf club, you couldn’t help but feel relaxed and at ease. We started off the day with a roundtable discussion on HR lead by T-Jay Creamer. Afterwards GM, Steve Marleau and Superintendent, Chad Wiliams hosted our group for a fun day on the course while we raised $875 towards the Dave Creamer Memorial Bursary. This great day couldn’t have happened without our sponsors of Don Coles and Jack Vanderbasch at Coast Environmental and Jason Hooper and Gregor
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Kowalski at Plant Health Division, thank you very for your generous support. I also want to thank T-Jay Creamer. Without his efforts, this event would have never have gotten off the ground, nor have been such a great success, thank you T-Jay! Our hopes are to make this an annual event that will help break up the season all while raising money towards a great cause. I want to take this opportunity want to pay homage to Rory Johnstone, superintendent at Qualicum Beach Memorial Golf Course. Rory is a founding member of VIGSA and Past President of both VIGSA and the BCGSA. After 37 years at Qualicum Beach Memorial, he has decided to hang up his work boots and enjoy the course from the other side of the ball. Rory was honoured on September 15th at the Club by both members, fellow staff members and a large contingent of industry friends. He was also awarded a lifetime membership to VIGSA for all his contributions as he represented our industry with class and dignity. Thank you, Rory, for helping make our profession what it is today! He will be succeeded by his Assistant Superintendent, Terry Lamport, who over the past two seasons has apprenticed under Rory. Our annual Fall Windup Tournament took place on Friday, September 29th, at Mount Brenton Golf Club. Superintendent Ernie Whitelaw and his staff did an incredible job in preparing the golf course. The evening was capped off with Mount Brenton’s Assistant Superintendent and sensational drummer Russ Eitner ’s rock ’n’ roll band, “The Divots” who entertained us with great dance music from the “60’s and 70’s. Having this year ’s VIGSA Fall Wind-Up at Mount Brenton Golf Club was special as this was where VIGSA began in the Fall of 1987. This Fall marks the 30th Anniversary of VIGSA. It all began thirty years ago at Mount Brenton Golf Club because of one man’s vision, then Superintendent, Dave Sandulo. Dave was hired as a superintendent at Mount Brenton in 1980. In 1984, he made his first attempt to gather together the superintendents of that day on Vancouver Island to form a group to heighten the professional image of the profession. With marginal interest, he tried again in November of 1987. There were approximately eight superintendents at that first meeting who became the founding members of VIGSA which grew in thirty years to almost one hundred members.