Finally, it is fall! I hope all of you had a successful summer season. It was wonderful to see many of you at Edgewood Tahoe during the President’s Cup. I want to extend my thanks to all who were able to attend and participate. A big THANK YOU to Edgewood Tahoe, Brad, and his team for hosting us. The course and the conditions were truly exceptional, making it a special experience for everyone.
I also want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to our vendors and affiliate members. Your support and sponsorships play a crucial role in the success of our association and help us continue to thrive on the golf course. Additionally, I want to thank our Board of Directors for their unwavering service and dedication.
A special acknowledgment goes to our Association Manager, Kimberly Milne, for her exceptional work and commitment to ensuring everything runs smoothly. Another heartfelt thank you goes to Dave Bermudez for organizing and managing another very successful Scholarship and Research Tournament. And of course, I want to give a special shoutout to Dean Kinney for his invaluable help in organizing and arranging successful events throughout the year.
As we move into the fall season, this is also the time when we seek new board members to serve on our association’s Board of Directors. I encourage anyone interested to reach out to Kim at the association office, myself, or any other board member. It is a rewarding experience to work alongside some of the nicest and most talented people in our industry. The time commitment is minimal, typically only about one hour per month.
If serving on the board is not feasible for you right now, please consider getting involved in other ways. Whether it is by hosting a First Green field trip, becoming a GCSAA Grassroots Ambassador, or simply attending our association meetings, there are plenty of opportunities to contribute. These meetings are designed to provide valuable networking and educational experiences for all of us.
I am looking forward to seeing many of you at Morgan Creek Golf Club in Roseville this October!
Sincerely,
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali
EVENT CALENDAR
2025
2024
October 28, 2024
Fall Meeting
Morgan Creek GC
Tuesday -November 19, 2024
Empire Ranch
Annual Meeting
December 4, 2024
Holiday Open House 4-8PM
Dust Bowl Brewing– Elk Grove
SECRETARY/TREASURER
Billy Witt
Hidden Valley Lake G.C.
Dave Bermudez
Del Rio G. & C.C.
January 14, 2025
Turf Tech
The Ridge
February 5, 2025
California Room
San Diego
March 24, 2025
GrassRoots Tournament
Teal Bend GC
April 14, 2025
Canyon Oaks CC
July 14, 2025
S&R Tournament
Stockton CC
2024 SNGCSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT
Muhammad Ali
Bing Maloney G.C.
VICE PRESIDENT
PAST PRESIDENT
Juan Gonzalez Jeremy Payne
Empire Ranch G.C. Cameron Park CC
DIRECTORS
Logan Bloom
Scott McCullough Lonnie Dunn
Mather G.C. The Ridge Wild Horse GC
Affiliate Representatives
Dean Kinney, Sierra Pacific Turf
Published
Ryan Thornberry, California Landscape Supply
FORE YOUR INFORMATION
sngcsaa@aol.com
Greeting fellow golf industry workers. It’s me Michelle, the golf course dog from Teal Bend, and your favorite canine journalist. As you know, each newsletter I write an article about a fellow golf course dog. More specifically, working dogs. This quarter, I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing not one, but two, wonderful working dogs. I went up to beautiful Grass Valley, where Alta Sierra Golf Course is located.
I met up with Sammy and Chance who keep the geese on the move. Actually, it’s just Chance who is the primary goose chaser, as Sammy is in retirement. It’s the old guard and the new guard living happily together. You see, Sammy, a beautiful black and white Border Collie is now 13 years old and the hearing just isn’t what it used to be. In fact, it’s almost nonexistent. For the most part, Sammy is happy to let Chance, who is a handsome brown and white Australian Shepard, do the chasing. Chance is two years old and a fine specimen. I thought I was good at what I did, until I saw this dog do his thing. Chance can really move! He is not at all afraid to swim out into the ponds if that’s what he is required to do.
I asked Chance about his master and he said he was a very nice man named Billy Hausch. He has a house right on the ninth hole of the golf course where Chance works. That is mighty convenient and makes for a very short commute! Just a bones throw to work. If I’m not mistaken, the ninth hole at Alta Sierra is a dog leg.
For the work that Chance does at the course he gets paid an annual fee of “free family membership”. But since Chance doesn’t care about playing golf or swimming in a chlorine filled swimming pool, he just lets his master use the membership.
It was a pleasure watching Chance roam the course in search of Canada geese. At one point he stopped in the tall wet grass and rolled and frolicked and basically swam through it. I’ve never seen another dog enjoy tall wet grass like Chance. It was also fun to watch Chance interact with the golfers. He was acting like an ambassador, the way he approached the players. Some even had special treats for him like jerky and dog treats. Sometimes, the golf course superintendent will come collect Chance and go out on the course to do some chasing. His name is Bob Bruggermann and he’s a very nice man who is very easy to work with.
Chance and Sammy were a delight to bark with. If you re ever up that way be sure to look out for this dynamic duo. Until next time, keep those geese moving along!
SUPERINTENDENT P ROFILE
K YLE JONES – YOCHA DEHE
I grew up on a farm in central Illinois. The town name is called Petersburg, with While growing up I had two jobs. I worked at the local 9-hole golf course, and also at my parents farm. I did all of this while playing football and When I went to college I studied Agricultural Science at Western Illinois Upon graduation I bought/built up a landscape and lawn care business in Springfield, IL and sold it three years later. I decided to get certified as a Microsoft Certified Engineer and work at a college for 1 year. I quickly realized that I was meant to work outdoors so I quit and planned a move to AZ. Once I got to AZ, I had no plans on what career path I wanted to go into. I started looking at ads and came across an irriWhen I went to interview, the Superintendent said that I’m over qualified and needed to apply for an Asst. Superintendent job across the freeway I interviewed there and was hired. My first day on the job was craI showed up early, along with the staff, but the gates were locked and no one had The Superintendent showed up 1 hr later and golfers what the hell did I get myself into”. Once we started working he had me ride I couldn’t speak Spanish so it made it very interesting. I had also never seen Bermuda grass, so it made it even more interesting. That was a long few months. That didn’t I would work sun up to sun down because I needed to get over the learning curve. I took a class in I loved working on the golf course. Six months later I was asked to interview for It was for an Asst Superintendent job at Quintero Golf and CC. One week later I was offered
After two years at Quintero, Troon offered me a Director of Agronomy job in SoCal. I would oversee EaI took the job and boy did I have more learning to do…. Eagle Glen needed a lot of love to get it back on track and The Retreat was being built on the side of a mountain, For an 18 hole golf course, we built it 2-3 times because it would We finally got it open to rave reviews. Unfortunately, it was built during the housI left in 2007 to spend 4 months a Yocha Dehe to finish the construction process and then I was supposed to go build another golf course in Utah. After 4 months at Yocha Dehe and getting it opened, I was asked to stay. I agreed, and 17 years later I’m still here. What a ride…
I am married to my wonderful wife Amber, and have an 11 year old daughter named Anna. What activities do we do as a family? Well, I got suckered into coaching girls softball and after 3 years I have decided to retire from it. It has been a wonderful ride spending this time with my daughter , watching her grow as a young lady. Now, any free time we have we take out our travel trailer that we bought a couple of years ago. We have already made it to Zion, Bryce Canyon, Yellowstone, and Jackson Hole. The plan is to see all of the National Parks in the Western US.
CAMERON CHAMP
FIELD DAY 10/22/24
On Tuesday, October 22nd the Sierra Nevada Chapter of the GCSAA will once again be assisting the Cameron Champ Foundation at Foothill Golf Course with aerification, topdressing, seeding and fertilizing.
This has been an important showcase for our Association, gaining local news coverage of what benefits golf brings to the community. Especially inclusion, diversity, and assisting the less fortunate. This is the Cameron Champ Foundations mission.
We are asking for the support with equipment, labor, and any other resources that you might be able to donate.
I will be reaching out to our members over the next few weeks. You can also contact me directly to participate at 916-792-1042
Work is scheduled from 8am to noon. Lunch will be provided.
Sincerely,
Jim Ferrin, CGCS
2024 Scholarship and Research Tournament
The 2024 Scholarship and Research Tournament, hosted by Dave Bermudez at Del Rio CC, was a HUGE success. We gave out over $10,000 in scholarships, and raised funds for next years recipients. This event would not be possible without the support of our vendors/ affiliate members who continue to show up to the events, donate product for the auctions, and sponsor fun games out on the field.
Legacy Scholarship Recipient Adrian Ganir. Received by father Akoni Ganir
Legacy Scholarships–Natalie and Celeste Gonzalez. Received by father Juan Gonzalez
Turf Scholarship Recipient Emma Baswell.
Legacy Scholarship Recipient–Jacob Shanahan
California Landscape Supply, Ryan Thornberry and Justin Tracy were set up on Hole 1 to hand out drinks and mingle.
Antonio Rappa with Tri-Max Mowers, had a great booth set up with equipment.
Ryan Nichols and Sierra Pacific Turf hosted a driving game.
Sunbelt Rentals had a SUPER Fun set up on the course. Giving away all of the Freebies
Event Winners –1st Place Team Mike Stieler, Michael Stieler, and (Not Pictured Shea Rollins, and Bailey), with Muhammad Ali
SNGCSA President Muhammad Ali with Host Superintendent Dave Bermudez
2nd Place Ram Sena, Jason Conrad, Jordan Holcomb, and not pictured Patrick from Baylands, with Muhammad Ali
FROM THE FIELD
Jeff Jensen, GCSAA Field Staff, Southwest Region
I hope this finds everyone’s fall season off to a productive start. It was a tough summer with the heat and fires, so let’s hope that Mother Nature brings us some early season precipitation.
I have been busy with GCSAA Conference and Show activities and just returned from a visit to the San Diego area. The 2025 event will take place Feb. 36 at the San Diego Convention Center with the GCSAA Golf Championships being held Feb. 1-3 at Torrey Pines, Omni La Costa, Aviara and Del Mar Country Club.
There are some great events already planned for San Diego including the Opening Reception aboard the USS Midway, The Health in Action 5K in downtown San Diego, interactive facility tours at some of San Diego’s finest golf courses, the Sustainability Showcase, Sunrise Celebration to open the trade show floor, hundreds of educational seminars and power hours, GCSAA Annual Meeting and Election, and the Closing Reception.
Also, do not forget about the California Room which will be held Wednesday, Feb. 5 at Petco Park. Located directly across from the Convention Center, the California Room is the premier networking event during show week. Stop by for drinks, great food and mingle with over 600 members and guests of the California GCSA. Registration for the 2025 Conference and Show, GCSAA Golf Championships and housing opens on September 24 at https://gcsaaconference.com/. You can register separately for the California Room at https://cgcsa.wildapricot.org/event-5846255
In other news, the annual GCSAA Chapter Delegates Meeting will be held Oct. 28-30 in Lawrence, KS. The meeting brings together representatives from each of GCSAA’s affiliated chapters to discuss initiatives and issues facing GCSAA and the profession as well as providing the opportunity to meet Board of Director candidates who will be voted on at the Annual Meeting in February in San Diego. T.A. Barker, CGCS, will serve as the 2025 GCSAA President with Paul Carter, CGCS serving as Vice President. The remainder of the candidates can be viewed at https://www.gcsaa.org/about-gcsaa/annual-meeting/2025/2025-annualmeeting-preview. Your respective chapter delegate will provide the board and membership with a breakdown of the meeting prior to Conference and Show.
Thank you for your continued support of GCSAA and if I can be of assistance or answer any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me at jjensen@gcsaa.org and follow me on X at GCSAA_SW.
Also, Please check out the Aug/ Sept issues of California Alliance for Golfs Newsletter.
Safety Moment
As we enter into another school year for our parents out there and during those first weeks and months of school, new germs and virus spread around as we are reunited with friends. We should expect to see more illness going around. So, we should remind ourselves and team members to think about good hygiene and use sick time to stay home when ill.
Here are some strategies to help manage it:
1. Promote Hygiene: Encourage regular hand washing.
2. Stay Home When Sick: Create a supportive environment where team members feel comfortable taking sick leave. This helps prevent the spread of illness and gives everyone a chance to recover.
3. Improve Ventilation: Ensure good air circulation in the office. Proper ventilation can help reduce the concentration of airborne viruses.
4. Clean and Disinfect: Regularly clean high-touch surfaces like doorknobs, light switches, and shared equipment.
5. Promote Healthy Habits: Encourage employees to get enough rest, eat well, and stay hydrated, which can help boost their immune systems.
Flexible Work Options: If possible, offer remote work or flexible hours to help employees who are sick or need to care for sick family members
In addition, Cal/OSHA still requires COVID-19 policies (see attached). If you or a team member tests positive for COVID-19 monitor the employee and make sure they are aware of return to work policies.
Isolation Policy
• Positive cases with symptoms must isolate for 24 hours from symptom onset (Day 1 is the day after symptom onset).
Positive cases without symptoms do not have to isolate.
Return to Work Policy
• Positive cases may return after 24 hours if symptoms are mild and resolving, and they have been fever-free for 24 hours without medication.
• For COVID-19 cases with no symptoms, there is no infectious period for the purpose of isolation or exclusion. If symptoms develop, the criteria above will apply.
• A negative test is not needed to return to work.
Presidents Cup– Edgewood Tahoe Resort
Winners of the Presidents Cup Tournament were Mike Cunniff of Clear Creek who shot a 77 and Mark Stutsman was the returning winner of the Affiliate trophy with a score of 79.
It was an absolutely Picture Perfect day in Tahoe. Blue skys and a high temp of 73. We could not have asked for a better day to kick off the Fall Season and celebrating our Presidents final event. Thank you to all who attended, and Thank you to Brad Wunderlich at Edgewood for hosting.
Above: Brandon Russell and Kyle Teubert from Belkorp both had teams in attendance
Above: SNGCSA President Muhammad Ali and his guest.
Welcome New Members
Raudel Guardado Del Rio CC Class C
Sam Florez Florez Paving Class E
Paul Smith Helena Agri Class E
Alec Lemay AG Sod Farm Class E
David Schwedller Dr. Well Water Well Service Class E
BILLY HAUSCH
GRASS VALLEY, CA
831-333-6412
Billy@grassrootsturfsupply.com
SERVING: SACRAMENTO, RENO, LAKE
TAHOE, CARSON CITY, MONO COUNTY AND GOLD COUNTRY
THOR LARSON
SALINAS, CA
831-277-4356
Thor@grassrootsturfsupply.com
SERVING: MONTEREY PENINSULA, SANTA CRUZ, SAN JOSE AND SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO
GAVIN DICKSON
MARINA, CA
831-333-6839
Gavin@grassrootsturfsupply.com
SERVING: SAN FRANCISCO, STOCKTON, CENTRAL VALLEY, BAKERSFIELD, SANTA BARBARA AND SLO
PETER J GALEA CGCS
FAIRFIELD, CA 831-234-3218
Peterjg@pacbell.net
SERVING: EAST BAY, WINE COUNTRY, NORTH COAST AND NORTHERN SIERRA
V ENDOR P ROFILE
K YLE T EUBERT – BELKORP AG
Growing up in the vast, scenic landscapes of Minnesota, Kyle Teubert developed a deep appreciation for the outdoors, which naturally led him to pursue a career in turfgrass management. He obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Turfgrass from the University of Minnesota, laying a strong foundation for what would become a diverse and impactful career in golf course maintenance.
Over the past 18 years, Kyle has accumulated extensive experience across the golf industry, working in various states, including Minnesota, Colorado, Iowa, Arizona, and New Mexico. His career even took him internationally when he interned in Hong Kong during the 2008 Summer Olympics. This breadth of experience has allowed Kyle to gain valuable insights into the unique challenges and needs of golf courses in different environments and climates. From starting as a crew member to eventually taking on the role of Superintendent, Kyle’s journey through these various positions has provided him with a well-rounded understanding of the industry’s inner workings.
In 2022, Kyle made a significant career shift by joining the sales team at Belkorp Ag John Deere. This transition from hands-on maintenance to sales was a natural progression, enabling Kyle to bring his wealth of knowledge to a new role where he can help clients select the most suitable equipment for their courses. His practical experience in maintaining golf courses gives him a unique perspective on the needs of his clients, allowing him to offer tailored solutions that align perfectly with their specific requirements. Outside of work, Kyle values spending quality time with his wife and twin boys. As a family, they share a love for adventure, often exploring new local ice cream spots during their biking, camping, and hiking excursions. These outdoor activities not only allow them to enjoy the natural beauty that Kyle has always cherished but also provide a perfect balance to his professional life.
As an Account Manager with Belkorp Ag John Deere, Kyle is excited to continue supporting the golf course maintenance community. He looks forward to offering valuable insights and equipment solutions that meet the evolving needs of golf courses.
W OODBRIDGE G OLF & CC
August marked the Sierra Nevada GCSA’s turn to host the Annual Tri Chapter meeting. Woodbridge Golf & CC in Lodi, CA. was a fantastic site to hold all of our Chapters members. There was a panel discussion on Turf Grass conversion. Local Superintendent Dave Bermudez from Del Rio CC gave an in depth look into the renovations and turf conversions he has been going through for the past few years. Grass and seed vendors from all over the state also weighed in on the ins and outs of converting turf. We “Thank” all of the members who were able to attend the event. Sierra Nevada did manage to take home the Chapter Cup and win with the low score from all 3 Chapters. The Sierra Nevada members who were the low score winners, were Jorge Gomez, Billy Witt, Raudel Guardado, and Ryan Thornberry. We thank the Host Superintendent Lou Silveira for having us out.
Low Gross First Place winner was Jorge from Spring Creek, Pictured left. Pictured 2nd from left are the Low NET Score winning team from the Sierra Nevada Chapter. Made up of Billy Witt , Raudell Guillardo, Ryan Thornberry and not pictured, Kurtis Wolford. With Chapter President Muhammad Ali.
It was a beautiful day in Lodi, Ca. at Woodbridge CC. Members from the Sierra Nevada, Central California, and Northern California Chapters were in attendance. The Country club put out delicious meals, and a fun day of golf for everyone in attendance.
Dave Bermudez, giving his presentation on Del Rios remodel.
