JulyAugust2014

TeeOff News July/August 2014

Monarch Dunes Golf Club 2014 Annual Meeting Tom Elliott, CGCS Host Superintendent

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Save The Dates September 16, 2014

January 26, 2015 Winter Symposium Rancho San Marcus Golf Club Host Superintendent Tennessee McBroom

“Tuesday Meeting”

Annual Election Meeting Monarch Dunes Golf Course Host Superintendent Tom Elliott, CGCS

April 23, 2015 Spring Symposium Rio Bravo Country Club Host Superintendent Trini Hernandez

November 3, 2014 Annual Charity Event Fort Washington Country Club Host Superintendent Jose Alvarez

December 6, 2014 Holiday Event “Windows on the Water” Morro Bay

Inside this issue:

June 2015 Al Glaze Memorial Scholarship & Research Tournament Morro Bay Golf Course Host Superintendent Josh Heptig

2013/2014 GCSACC BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT

Presidents Message

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Around the Green

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2014 Annual Meeting

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From the Field

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Tri Chapter Meeting Highlights

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Tri Chapter Meeting Highlights

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JOSH HEPTIG SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY

SECRETARY/TREASURER BRIAN DAUM VALLEY CREST/PALO ALTO G.C

VICE PRESIDENT TENNESSEE MCBROOM SANDPIPER GOLF CLUB

BOARD MEMBERS STEVEN SHOWERS AIRWAYS G. C.

TRINI HERNANDEZ RIO BRAVO C. C. ANDY CORDOVA CYPRESS RIDGE G.C..

JEFF KOLLENKARK WEEDMAN

MICHAEL CLINE WILBUR ELLIS COMPANY

PAST PRESIDENT MICHAEL SWING, CGCS VALLEY OAKS GOLF COURSE

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President’s Message As I exit as the President of our chapter and enter into past presidency, I want to thank all of you for your support and camaraderie during the past two years. Serving as your President has been a true pleasure. I have met so many great people and learned many things Josh Heptig that have and will continue to assist me in my professional and personal growth as a husband, father, leader, and supervisor.

Reviewing my past President messages makes me realize that I have often discussed the benefits of the involvement with the GCSAA. This stems from my passion for our profession, the brotherhood that binds us together, and the organization that has given us all so much throughout our careers. It is because of those that have managed the turfs before us that we have the respect of our customers and the other organizations involved in the golf industry.

My career has led me down the path to a position resembling more that of a General Manager than a turf manager, but it is difficult for a leopard to change his spots. I relish every moment I get to spend with my crews on the turf at our three courses and the opportunities that abound to talk shop with our customers to provide a little insight into the methods of our madness.

More often than not it is answering the question, “Why the heck do you guys have to punch holes in the greens just when they are in perfect condition?” Sometimes I cannot help but reply, “Because I like watching you miss two footers!” I became a superintendent because of my love for the game and those people that I have met during my visits to golf courses across the globe that share that same passion. The GCSAA is full of these individuals and that is blatantly obvious each time I attend a GCSAA event.

I would be remiss if I did not thank the Board of Directors, Officers, Jeff Jensen (GCSAA Southwest Regional Representative), Irene, and Kim for their guidance and support throughout the past 24 months. These indi-

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President’s Message Continued from page 4 viduals are full of passion and are driven to provide us, the members, with the best learning and career opportunities possible. If you have an interest or desire to get involved and give back to your profession, I would encourage you to reach out to any of these individuals or myself to discuss these opportunities. We have a great board that is committed to serving our members with our budget and values in mind. With election time upon us, we are in need of a few individuals to assist our current Board to carry on and navigate the waters ahead. There are a number of national decisions on the horizon that require our attention. Just like having kids, there is no right time to start and now is as good as any. Serving on your local Chapter Board is a com-

mitment that will require your time and energy to help our fellow members and the future of our association, but it is worth the opportunity to “pay it forward.”

My final thought is a remembrance of my grandpa as I spent many days and evenings helping him with his dairy and hog farm in Kansas where I grew up. First, he always said to find a profession that you enjoy and you never have to go to work and second, don’t become a farmer.

When I graduated with a degree in golf course management I told him, “I guess I didn’t listen to all of your advice.” He asked, “How so?” My reply was, “I am now a low yield farmer, but I think I have found something that will allow me to never have to go to work.” He told me he

always secretly wished I would become a farmer, but I had to make my own choices and he needed me to know that it was ok if I did not follow his calling. He passed away 11 years ago this past June, but he still shows up to my office every now and again when I need his help. I am glad to call myself a superintendent and I am even more glad that you do too!

Have fun out there because this is not a practice life, it’s the only one you get!

The GCSA of Central California is now on Facebook and Twitter.

Check it out!

You will find all the association information on our website CentralCaliforniaGCSA.com

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Around The Green

By Mike Cline

Strange summer so far, very hot one day and very cool the next, and then July hit and we went for days upon days of 100 degree weather. Hard to get a beat on anything and all we know is that we are still in drought mode and it’s going to get worse before it gets better.

Some of the things going on around the chapter will get you scratching your head in both amazement and bewilderment.

Jason Pautsch at Hunter Ranch Golf Course gave me a tour of the new hybrid Bermuda stolonizing taking place at the course.

The course hired a contractor to cut in several truckloads of Santa Ana Hybrid sod stolons into the perennial rye fairways. This operation took about 2 weeks for the 18 hole course and requires about a year to really begin the move to a total Bermuda stand on the fairway cut of the course. This will be fun to watch and Jason said he is available as an educational speaker for chapter meeting and weekend BBQ’s.

Stopped by Marshallia Ranch Golf Course at Vandenberg Air Force Base in Lompoc recently, only to hear that Superintendent Alan Goethe had departed in January for a course in Missouri. The individual I spoke with was not sure where Alan went only that it was Missouri. I was also told that the Air Force was going to contract out the course to a management company with a 50 year lease. No other details were available to me at this time.

Superintendent Albert Nunes reported that the Men’s Pe-

nal Colony had recently finished Fly in a while, you might want to their facilities up-grade and reduced stop by and take a look. They’ve water usage from over 500,000 galcome a long way and they have lons per night down to around plans to go a lot farther.

150,000 gallons per night. That If you see Superintendents water was primarily used at Dairy Tom Elliott, Michael Scott, or Jon Creek Golf Course, along with Christensen, ask them about Pineother County properties and left the hurst North Carolina and their tour course scrambling on how to fill the of Pinehurst # 2 and the remodel void.

Riverbend Golf Course is in the news again with a ton of things happening at this Fresno/Madera based course. In no particular order; Riverbend has changed their name Pictured at Pinehurst #2 is from left Jon Christensen, Mike Scott, to Dragon Fly Golf CGCS, and Tom Elliott, CGCS Course, setting a new image for the course along that’s going on since the two U.S. with its new ownership.

Opens. I’m sure they have lots of Superintendent Adric Ryan, only tales to tell of their trip back as on board for about 6 months has guests of BASF and sales rep Fred resigned to take on the reins of Eckert.

Bayonet/Blackhorse Golf Course in Keep your eye on the ball, Monterey. Adric was the assistant we hit the magic August 15th date at Bayonet during the remodel a where your over the hill, at least few years back and when the head that’s what the old time superintenjob became open, Adric was high dents use to say. Nights are getting on the list and will oversee both longer; more cooling, daytime courses. Adric will assist the highs don’t get up as early and course in the transition to a new don’t last as long. superintendent.

The flip side of that is, this Replacing Adric at Dragon Fly is is the time we start to see scalping long time GCSACC member Kevin for those very reasons, so stay alert.

Friesen who returns to the golf Help, in the form of cooler weather game after several years managing is not too far off, and we can say the grounds of an estate in the Mowe survived another summer. desto area. Glad to have you back See you around the green.

Kevin.

If you haven’t seen Dragon

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2014 Annual Meeting Monarch Dunes Hosted by Tom Elliott, CGCS

Tom Elliott, CGCS has been a golf course superintendent for more than 26 years. He is our host this year for the 2014 Annual Election MeetTom Elliott, CGCS ing at Monarch Dunes Golf Course.

Monarch has 18 championship holes and a 12 hole par3 course.

The game of golf has always been Tom’s life and he is attempting to rekindle the fun and enthusiasm for the game at Monarch Dunes for future generations to come. Tom loves seeing a busy, successful golf facility.

The business side of the game interests him and he likes to pitch in with marketing ideas, often on the crazy side to say the least.

The courses were designed by architect Damian Pascuzzo & PGA Tour Pro Steve Pate. Both courses were uniquely created to test your skills and tempt your senses. Tom and the GCSAC Tournament Committee have set up a truly unique tournament for all attendees so be prepared for this when you attend the meeting.

This is annual meeting and election for the association. We have some fine candidates this year who are all new to the GCSACC board.

Running this year for the

board are Glenn Matthews, CGCS, Visalia C.C., Craig Johnson, Belmont C.C., Jose Alvarez, Fort Washington C.C., and Simon Herrera, Santa Barbara Muni. Be sure to get your registrations in for this meeting and if you can’t attend get your Absentee Ballots returned to the Association office so that your vote can be counted.

The Board Members will be making their committee reports on the State of the Association so again, Don’t Miss This Event!

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From the Field Jeff Jensen, GCSAA Field Staff, Southwest Region Where has summer gone? Labor Day is quickly approaching and GCSAA staffers are starting to prepare for the 2015 Golf Industry Jeff Jensen Show and GCSAA Golf Championships scheduled for Feb. 21-26, 2015 in San Antonio.

I am making a pre-convention visit to San Antonio in late September to preview the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, the surrounding River Walk and hopefully make a few visits to some of the host golf courses for the GCSAA Golf Championships.

Housing is now open for GIS and our partner Travel Planners features 14 properties all located within an 11 minute walk of the convention center.

The Grand Hyatt San Antonio will serve as GCSAA Headquarters for the week and other featured chains include Hilton, Holiday Inn, Marriott, Omni and Westin. Travel Planners offers a low rate guarantee, no booking fees and online service 24 hours a day. Reservations can be booked at tphousing.com.

Early registration for GIS will begin in November and we hope to have a large turnout from our California members in San Antonio. More information is available at www.gcsaa.org and www.golfindustryshow.com.

In the world of technology, GCSAA recently launched the GCSAA + app for iPhone and Android. GCSAA+ is the next evolutionary step in the GCSAA smartphone app roadmap. This builds on the current app by adding basic membership functions. Now members can use their web login to access and update their member profiles and search the member directory from their mobile phones or tablets. GCSAA + still provides news and the same great resources as the previous app. Links to download the app are available at http://www.gcsaa.org/newsroom/new s/gcsaa/2014/gcsaa-app-launches.

Last but not least, if you have changed jobs, relocated or updated your email address, please remember

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From the Field Continued from page 8

to login into your member account at gcsaa.org to update your member profile. We want to make sure that you are receiving your member materials in a timely manner and are able to communicate with you as needed.

Thank you for all of your support and please contact me at jjensen@gcsaa.org if I can be of any assistance.

You may also follow me on Twitter @GCSAA_SW and make sure to visit the Southwest Regional webpage at http://www.gcsaa.org/community/regions/southwest/.

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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Highlights

2014 Tri Chapter Meeting & Tournament

The theme for the event was “Honoring a Legend”. The “Legend” Cliff Wagoner, CGCS is pictured above center with Rafael Barajas, CGCS, CGSACC Members and GCSAA Director. At right is Host Dave Bermudez It was a great honor to have the opportunity to see all our retired members that came out for this meeting. Pictured from left are Jim Bantrup, Sierra Nevada/NorCal Member, Steve Carlton, Nor Cal Member, Cliff Wagoner, Jose Rodriquez, Nor Cal, Member, Corey Eastwood, Central California, Sierra Nevada, & Nor Cal Member, Rod Kilcoyne, Nor Cal Member, and Emil Yappert, Central California Member.

Del Rio Country Club hosted several retired members of the three associations in honor of Cliff. Pictured above is Emil Yappert, GCSACC retired member.

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Highlights

2014 Tri Chapter Meeting & Tournament Pictured below is Host Superintendent Dave Bermudez along with his celebrity course dog, Lance. Lance was chosen for the “Dog Day of Golf� 2014 Calendar sponsored by LebononTurf. Lance is Mr. August.

Nor Cal took the Tri Chapter Cup this year posting the best scores. Pictured from left are Jeff Arneson, Steve Byrne, Michael Garvale, and Tyler Gillette.

Sharing in the fun on the course was Jeff Jenson, GCSAA Field Staff, Rafael Barajas, CGCS, and Reggie Pomicpic of Brown Sand.

Below the BelKorp crew was very popular. They hosted the beverages for the day. Thanks to Sal Sorbello and Tom Corralez for working hard that day.

For over 80 years the specialty seed source for: -Native Grasses and Wildflowers -Kikuyu, Paspalum, Hybrid Bermuda -Bentgrasses, Fine Fescues, Ryegrasses Golf Course Representatives: Jim Culley 213-268-3193 Don Lewis 213-247-3266 Home Office: 800-621-0315 www.stoverseed.com

Thank You Sponsor for the 2014 Tri Chapter Event

2014 Annual Sponsor

2014 Annual Sponsor

2014 Annual Sponsor

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 Tennessee McBroom Executive Directors Irene Cline & Kimberly Milne