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May/June 2020
Rancho Del Rey Golf Course Superintendent Candy Ortega
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President’s Message Glenn Matthews, CGCS been reviewed by the CDC and feature printable posters spelling out guidelines for social distancing on the golf course. It is so wonderful to see how our industry has come together to support one another, one more example of the value of membership in both our local and national associations.
Glenn Matthews, CGCS
My last message addressed the availability of resources to members from our national association related to the current Covid-19 pandemic. Those included minimum maintenance golf course guidelines, advocacy reports and updates, daily updates by state, emergency business and communication templates, information from other golf course superintendents, and ongoing Coronavirus updates. Resources available from GCSAA continue to evolve and now include Back2Golf industry-wide guidelines, which have
full schedule of events for our members. Your board of directors is working diligently to create events that provide valuable education and networking opportunities, but the nature of the current pandemic has created a great deal of uncertainty in our ability solidify our calendar. We promise to do our Two months ago, as an indus- best to communicate changes in calentry, golf was grinding to a halt. Almost dars and to make sure the business of our association continues as required. all golf courses in California and around the country were closed. In the Updates will continue to be delivered past several weeks we have seen cours- to you through our newsletter and email. In the meantime stay safe and es opening back up and a return to a healthy. more familiar set of operating standards. Unfortunately, larger golf events We hope to see you at a meetand golf outings have, for the most part ing soon, had to be cancelled or postponed. The schedule for the Central California chapter has been turned upside down with no local events occurring since January. Our Field Day event scheduled for April was cancelled and we hope to be able to reschedule for late summer or fall. The annual Al Glaze Memorial Scholarship Tournament, originally scheduled for June, is also searching for a new date. The end of this calendar year is shaping up to be very busy as we endeavor to deliver a
Glenn Matthews, CGCS
2020 GCSACC BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT GLENN MATTHEWS, CGCS VISALIA COUNTRY CLUB
VICE PRESIDENT PAUL BARR SAN LUIS OBISPO C.C. ALBERT NUNES MORRO BAY GOLF COURSE JIM CULLEY SEED KING
PAST PRESIDENT ANDY CORDOVA CYPRESS RIDGE GOLF COURSE
CANDELERO ORTEGA RANCHO DEL REY G.C.
SECRETARY/TREASURER MARK WEITZ ALISAL GUEST RANCH ROB LOMELI RIDGECREEK G.C.
JOSE ALVAREZ FORT WASHINGTON CC
MATT GRAVES BELKORP
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, 3273 Richert, Clovis, CA 93619 Phone (559) 298-6262 Fax (559) 298-6957 Email gcsacc@aol.com Newsletter Chairman & Newsletter Editor Michael Scott, CGCS Executive Directors Irene Cline & Kimberly Milne
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Save The Dates 2020 August 24, 2020
October 5, 2020
Tri Chapter Event Hosted by the Sierra Nevada Chapter Del Rio Country Club Hosted Superintendent Dave Bermudez
Lowell Stone Charity Event and Annual S& R Tournament combined Madera Country Club Hosted by JJ Gonzalez
September 21, 2020
December 5, 2020
Field Day with UC Extension Ridge Creek G.C. Hosted by Maggie Reiter UC Extension Rob Lomeli Superintendent
Annual Holiday Event Windows on the Water Morro Bay
2021
January 2021
Annual Election Meeting Volunteer Today!
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Around the Green By Matt Graves & Jim Culley
As you all know by now we had to postpone the Al Glaze Scholarship & Research Tournament that was scheduled in June. We were going to have the opportunity to play a course that we haven’t seen as an association in a very long time. Unfortunately with the Covid Pandemic we were not going to be able to hold a tounmament of that size. We tried to reschedule for later in the year but with all tournaments in the same boat there was just not room on our calendar for that. We do have an idea that we are working and and with the approval from the course to combine events we hope to have some good news out to you in the very near future. We want to congratulate Mike Cline on his retirement from Wilbur Ellis after a 45 year career with the company. Mike served on the Board Of Directors as the affiliate representative for four separate two year terms. He has been a member of the association for over 25 years. With all that is happening in the world his plans of traveling have been placed on hold for the time being. If you get a chance give him a call and congratulate him. We have news that Seven Oaks C.C. in Bakersfield has hired a new superintendent. Tom Litscomb. Tom is from the Washington DC area and has just relocated to the Central California Mike Cline area. We are hoping to convince Tom to join our local chapter. I also wanted to report the news that past member Shane Canfield has passed away. Shane was a member for several years while working in the Central Valley for Wilbur Ellis Co. then Western Farm Service/CPS . Shane last worked for Simplot before retiring. We also wanted to report that Eagle Springs is looking for a new superintendent. Bob Brueggemann has taken a position in Nevada and there is an immediate opening for this position.
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Member Highlight Candelario “Candy” Ortega Our featured member this issue is Candelario “Candy” Ortega, Superintendent at Rancho Del Rey Golf Course in Atwater. Candy is also one of our Chapters newest board members.
that, “I learned everything I know about being a superintendent from Pete”. American Golf was managing the course at the time and Pete helped Candy get the classes to continue his education in Turf Science and the experience he would need for his career. That was in 1988. Candy remained at Micky Grove for nine years becoming the assistant. Then in 1994 he moved to Merced Hills and his first Superintendent position. He remained the superinCandy grew up in tendent at Merced Hills from 1994 -2000. In 2000 he was hired as the Superintendent at Pheasant Run C.C. in Lodi. He took a job in Merced just after graduat- Chowchilla remaining there until 2011 when he was hired Candy Ortega by Rancho Del Rey as their superintendent. ing High School. He started working for Bailey Construction Co. that was Candy and his wife Patricia have three children. building Micky Grove Golf Course in Lodi at the time. He Francisco 25, Eucevio, 22, and a daughter, Dulce 19. worked for Bailey Construction through the Micky Grove They have three grandchildren. Candy’s favorite hobby is project and then on to the construction of Merced Hills golf. He plays every opportunity he has. He also enjoys G.C. After that they began the construction of Brookside fishing with his favorite area being on the Delta. This was C.C. in Stockton. While working on the Micky Grove a big year for the Ortega family with their son Eucevio project he met Pete Bowman, CGCS. Little did he know graduating from UC Davis. He was fortunate to have had that this friendship would change his life. Pete was the the opportunity to work for the school during his time superintendent and saw something in this young man. there and once he graduated he was offered a full time poPete would eventually become his mentor. Candy says sition with them. The family is extremely proud and we want to say CONGRATULATIOS to this fine young man. Rancho Del Rey G.C. is located in the small town of Atwater California. It is a semi private, 18-hole, par 72 parkland golf course. Rancho was designed by Bob E. Baldock and offers a challenge to golfers of any level. They have a full driving range and two practice putting greens to tighten up that short game. Candy loves what he does and his favorite part of the job is building greens. He handles everything on the project from the planning through construction. He thinks he has done about 20 in his career. One of his least favorite parts of the job is dealing with employees. I think we can all agree on that.
We want to THANK Candy for stepping up to volunteer for our board and we are looking forward to holding a meeting at Rancho Del Rey sometime in the near future.
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N e w s l e t tT e rETE i tl eO F F
From the Field
News
Jeff Jensen, GCSAA Field Staff, Southwest Region
I hope this finds everyone back at the course and prepping for a busy summer of play. With restrictions loosening up around California, we should see golfers flocking to local courses for some safe outdoor activity. GCSAA recently launched a webpage containing reopening resources for golf facilities who were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemJeff Jensen ic. Back2Golf was specifically designed for courses to work with counties, cities and state governments to open golf courses where closed as well as provide a roadmap to getting golfers back on the course in a safe and efficient manner. Partnering with allied golf organizations through the We Are Golf Coalition, the documents include an industry wide guideline developed off the plan of the White House and CDC “Guidelines for Opening Up America Again” including a specific, three-phased approach to golf that aligns with the broader plan to reopen the economy as well as a playbook for operations that provides guidance to the nations nearly 15,000 golf courses. The operations playbook covers clubhouse operations, cart operations, practice facility set-up, staffing, signage, payment/cash handling, pool, tennis, and basic guidelines for on-course play.
Additionally, GCSAA prepared its own guidelines focused on the maintenance side of the operation which includes BMPs for on-course setup, sanitizing of vehicles and equipment and safety protocols and social distancing requirements for the workplace. The remaining GCSAA Back2Golf materials include temperature screening logs, potential exposure questionnaire, employee infection actions flowchart, maintaining a healthy work environment checklist, acknowledgment of preventative measures checklist, termination letter, signage templates and a return to work letter. The templates are Word documents that can be modified for individual facilities. The GCSAA Back2Work webpage can be viewed at https://www.gcsaa.org/resources/back2golf-resources and links to additional materials from the CMAA, NGCOA and PGA of America are available at the bottom of the webpage. Check back regularly as the documents will continue to be updated as the situation evolves. I hope you and your family are safe during this crisis and make sure to take some time away from your facilities this summer to recover from both the physical and mental grind that this situation has caused. If you have any questions or need assistance, don’t hesitate to contact me at jjensen@gcsaa.org and make sure to follow me on Twitter @GCSAA_SW for industry updates.
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LAS VEGAS UPDATE The world is a much different place than when we gathered in Orlando in January for the 2020 Golf Industry Show. It seems much longer ago than just five months. And as many of you have had to adjust or adapt your business operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so has GCSAA. Each summer, we begin revving up planning for the next conference and trade show. 2021 is no exception to that, but as we look toward Las Vegas, it is with a much different lens than in other years. Our usual work of coordinating the gold standard education, networking opportunities and industry innovations you have come to expect continues, but we are also driven by the key question in the face of an uncertain world: Can we produce a quality experience that meets the safety recommendations for COVID-19?
To help us prepare, we are developing five scenarios and mapping out what every activity would look like in each scenario. The five scenarios are based on potential pandemic threat levels.
1. Scenario One (low threat): Business as usual. 2. Scenario Two (minimal threat): Live event in Las Vegas with social distancing and large-gathering restrictions in place.
3. Scenario Three (moderate threat): Hybrid with a live event in Las Vegas and virtual event options. 4. Scenario Four (substantial threat): An all virtual event. 5. Scenario Five (significant threat): Event postponed or cancelled.
We were very fortunate that the 2020 GIS had already taken place before the virus took hold in most of the country. Many similar gatherings were postponed or cancelled this year, and we have been able to watch and learn from others.
Las Vegas We are equally fortunate that Las Vegas, a city so dependent on tourism, is at the forefront of making sure visitors are safe. The city reopened its casinos on June 4, and the brand-new Las Vegas Convention Center, hotels and all venues are consulting with public health experts to redefine cleaning, safety and sanitation standards. The Global Risk Advisory Council’s STAR is the cleaning industry’s only outbreak prevention, response and recovery accreditation for facilities. The LVCC is one of the first convention centers to pursue this certification and should be accredited by the end of August. The NFL’s 2021 Pro Bowl recently announced it plans to hold the event in Las Vegas on Jan. 31, and the Consumer Electronics Show, the largest tech industry event in the world, has announced it will go forward with its 2021 convention January 6-9 at the new LVCC. We too are currently moving ahead with hosting our event in Las Vegas.
Timeline In addition to keeping an eye on the latest data and the status of other events, we also want to know what your level of comfort is in attending a live event. In mid-August, we will be conducting a survey of members to gauge your sentiment on traveling and any other factors that could affect your attendance. In October, we will have a follow up survey in case circumstances have changed. Using this information and guidance from health and venue officials, we will decide on the best scenario for all involved in October, with registration opening in November. With so much uncertainty in the world, it is difficult to know where we will be at the start of 2021. However, I am certain that GCSAA is putting your safety and comfort first when it comes to planning the conference and show. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Rhett Evans GCSAA CEO
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N e w s l e t t eT r T l e- O F F Ei tE
News
Consider the Rule of Three to Restore Balance to Your Aquatic Ecosystem Written by Erin Stewart, Aquatic Biologist & Regional Manager and Katelyn Behounek, Aquatic Biologist When developing a management plan for a golf course lake or pond, it is important to keep its purpose and priorities in mind. Is it strictly aesthetic? Maybe it facilitates irrigation, fire suppression, or stormwater collection? An effective freshwater management program can be compared to the importance of each leg on a “threelegged stool.’ Just like the legs supporting the stool, many water resources are interdependent, meaning that the actions taken in the watershed could cause imbalances that have negative consequences downstream.
limited water movement, will be more likely to experience algae and weed growth than a large, deep lake or one with lots of movement. The chemical characteristics, the second leg of the stool, refer to natural water quality components that can be measured, such as temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, nutrients, water clarity, dissolved metals, salts and many other parameters. Poor water quality in lakes and ponds
Think of each “leg” of this metaphorical stool as representative of the (1) physical, (2) chemical, and (3) biological components of a freshwater resource. If one part of this trinity breaks down, the others will follow. The first leg of the stool—the physical characteristics of a lake or pond—includes features such as size, depth, volume, bottom substrate, water source and exchange through the system. These are major components that can affect how a lake or pond responds to environmental conditions. For instance, shallow ponds with excessive build up of bottom muck and sediment, or those with
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Consider the Rule Contnd. from page 8 Having knowledge about the benefits of proactive management, and sustainable tools and technologies at our fingertips, adds a fourth, stabilizing “leg” to the “threelegged stool.” With a proactive management in place— even if one of the other components is slightly out of balance—the stool may wobble but will not fall over. In other words, problems that might often occurs when these parameters normally be detrimental for a lake or become imbalanced in one direction or pond can be identified and resolved another. This is often caused by pollut- early on, before they can impact other ed runoff entering the waterbody that aspects of the ecosystem. contains fertilizer, pet or wildlife waste, landscaping debris (grass clip- A proactive approach is most effective ping and leaves) and other organic ma- when it accounts for all elements of an terials. This process of nutrient ecosystem. Vegetative buffer “pollution” is one of the most common management, shoreline stabilicauses of chemical imbalance in a zation, aeration, regular stormfreshwater ecosystem. water inspections, and even sediment removal are all proactive The third biological component of the ways to support the physical leg stool comprises all living things, inof the stool. It is important to cluding algae, plants, bugs, fish and bring in a professional to edumicroorganisms. Nutrient pollution is cate you about the best proacan example of how one component can tive approaches for your waterdirectly affect another; nutrients enbody and help design a custom courage algae and aquatic plant management plan before probgrowth. While moderate levels of growth are natural and provide habitat and food for fish and wildlife, algae and aquatic weed growth can proliferate under imbalanced conditions. Without proper management, nuisance algae and vegetation can block sunlight and compromise aesthetics. As these increased populations of plants and algae decay as part of their natural lifecycle, they will release more nutrients into the waterbody to fuel additional growth, creating a vicious cycle. In the process, the risk of offensive odors, accumulation of bottom muck and nuisance insect populations can all increase— further offsetting the balance of the waterbody’s physical, chemical and biological characteristics.
lems get out of hand. Just like a master carpenter would use his knowledge and expertise to build you the best seat, a certified and trained lake management professional will take each “leg” of the aquatic resource into account to achieve your unique goals and objectives. Erin Stewart and Katelyn Behounek are Aquatic Biologists with SOLitude Lake Management, a nationwide environmental firm that provides sustainable lake, stormwater pond, wetland and fisheries management solutions. Learn more about this topic at www.solitudelakemanagement.com/kn owledge.