NovemberDecember 2015

Tee Off News November/December 2015

Winter Association Meeting Cypress Ridge Golf Course Hosted by Andy Cordova January 11, 2016

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TEE-OFF News

President’s Message By Steven Showers As I sit down to write this President’s Message we just made it through two weeks without running the irrigation system here in Fresno. I hope that all other areas of our association are getting the rain and we continue with our wet winter. Although it won’t end the drought, a wet winter on the coast Steven Showers and in the valley with continued Airways Golf Course snowfall in the mountains can do 2016 GCSACC President nothing but help. Now if we can just find more ways to store the water and keep all parties involved happy, we will perhaps be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel regarding this past year’s water restrictions.

Stone, who was my boss at Madera Municipal Golf Course. Lowell certainly showed me a lot about growing grass and how to be a superintendent, but I feel that the biggest thing he did to advance my career was encouraging me to be an active participant in the association. I learned early on that attending meetings was the best way to meet others in our industry, gain some great education, and also have some great times on the golf course and off! Please encourage anyone you know who is not a member yet but is involved in the golf industry to join.

Whether it’s learning something new you can use on the golf course or just enjoying a beer with new friends, it’s always a joy to attend the meetings. Please try and make it to the upcoming event in January or the Spring event at Hunter Ranch and see for yourself how much fun these meeting are.

I hope everyone has had a great start to the holiday season and will be able to enjoy some time away from work.

Another great party and networking event will be the California Room at the Golf Industry Show this February, please remember to register early for this event as the price increases the longer you wait.

Our January event is scheduled for Cypress Ridge Golf Course, hosted by Vice President Andy Cordova.

Andy has put together a great meeting at a very reasonable cost, so I would challenge our members who have not attended a meeting in a while to try and make it to this one. We are making a concerted effort to regain our student member base and I look forward to learning more about the work Cole Thompson has put in at Cal Poly resurrecting the turf program. The students who move into the golf business are the future members of our association and anything we can do to help expose them to who we are and what we do will help them in their future careers.

In closing I would like to recognize Tom Elliott, CGCS at Monarch Dunes Golf Course for being selected as the recipient of the 2015 Leo Feser Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA). Tom wrote a great article ―Rx for Recovery‖ for the May issue of Golf Course Management magazine and will receive this award at the GIS in San Diego in February. When you see Tom congratulate him for his achievement. Thank you for your time and I look forward to seeing you in the next couple of months at one of our meetings or at the big show in San Diego.

I was first exposed to the GCSACC by Lowell 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 Andy Cordova Executive Directors Irene Cline & Kimberly Milne

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Save The Dates Winter Symposium January 11, 2016 Cypress Ridge Golf Course Hosted by Andy Cordova

Al Glaze Memorial Scholarship & Research Tournament June 2016 Date to be Confirmed Visalia Country Club Hosted by Glenn Matthews, CGCS

GIS San Diego Turf Pro 2016 Professional Update Series

February 10, 2016 California Room USS Midway Spring Symposium Date to be Confirmed

Hunter Ranch Golf Course Hosted by Jason Pautsch

Morro Bay Golf Course April 13, 2016 June 15, 2016 September 7, 2016 November 9, 2016 Copper River Country Club April 14, 2016 June 16, 2016 September 8, 2016 November 10, 2016 For Information Call 559-269-7342

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TEE-OFF News

Winter Meeting at Cypress Ridge by Andy Cordova I hope that this winter has been as wet for you as everyone has been predicting for the past few months...or not. As of right now (mid – December), we are behind our averages through this first part of our rainy season. They (the experts, in what I don't know) say that this ―big‖ rain year is supposed to hit later, as in January to March.

Personally, I'm not going to believe anything until my golf course is under so much water that we start launching ski boats into our driving range. All I can say is that I hope and pray that it comes.

Even though I hope that we get lots and lots of rain, I'm putting in my request now that we don't get any for our January meeting out here at Cypress Ridge in Arroyo

Grande. For those of you who haven't been out here during the rainy season (if it actually rains), this self sustaining property becomes quite unique. Even though the course drains very well there is potential for a few ―lakes‖ throughout the golf course. But the main thing is, is that it is playable.

As for the meeting itself, Cole Thompson from Cal Poly will be speaking to us about the turf program and its direction for the future. Since the turf program took a downward turn a few years ago we really haven't heard much about it so it will be nice to hear from Cole and his intentions. Some of his turf students are planning on joining us as well, so it will be good to meet them as possible fu-

ture employees. Whatever time remains we will spend talking about whatever we as a group feel we need to talk about.

Even though the weather might or might not cooperate for our meeting, I hope that everyone can join us on Monday, January 11th for the meeting out here at Cypress Ridge. If anything, we know it won't be too cold outside, the beer will still taste good, and we will have a great time. So come on out.

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2015 Charity Event Kings Country Club It was a very rainy day for this years Charity Event hosted by Joe Elias at the Kings Country Club in Hanford. We normally have well over a 100 attendees for these great events and this year started off the same. Registrations were up but when it came to the day we had about 66 brave soles that made it through.

Our vendors came through as they always have. Bayer started us off with a wonderful continental breakfast. The rain hadn’t started but everyone was watching the doplar to see how many holes they could get in before calling it a day.

Scott Furtak and Phil Chan set up and delivered a wonderful barbecue lunch for everyone. That kept those playing going through the tough holes. At the end of the day more than 50 actually finished, even though they were very wet. Everyone came in to the dry club house and had hors ’d ouerves sponsored

by Bill Galli and CPS. We were able to donate $2800 to Youth on Course and representatives were there for the event to talk to our attendees. We had tee towels donated by AmeriPride and

everyone that attended had an opportunity to purchase raffle tickets for some great items. We thank the staff and crew at Kings Country Club for hosting this event. A special thank you to Joe Elias for stepping up and getting sponsorships and handling the details of the event for us.

Pictured at right are Joe Elias, Host Superintendent, Paul Wightman, Director of Golf, along with Rex Keith Board Member

Kathy Jaunich, Youth on Course Community Volunteer.

Phil Chan, Ewing & Scott Furtak below did the famous EWING BARBECUE,

Lowell Stone stopped by to say HI Our 2015 Team Champions.

S*E*E*D

C*O*M*P*A*N*Y

Jim Culley REGIONAL SALES MANAGER 9180 San Fernando Rd. P. O. Box 1579 Sun Valley, California 91353 Cell (213) 268-3193 Office (800) 621-0315 Fax (213) 626 4920 Email jim_c@stoverseed.com

www.stoverseed.com

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Newsletter Title

From the Field Jeff Jensen, GCSAA Field Staff, Southwest Region Eight Nine GCSAA chapter delegates representing Ninety affiliated chapters met in Lawrence, KS. Oct. 27-28 to disJeff Jensen cuss GCSAA initiatives and meet with candidates running for the GCSAA National Board of Directors.

The main topic of the meeting was the proposed changes to Class A membership standards and membership classifications.

The new Class A standard will be based on a sliding scale of education and experience. Formal education value + years superintendent experience + education points = 20. Additionally, a state pesticide license or the successful completion of the GCSAA IPM Exam is required. The IPM exam will now be free of charge to members wishing to take it.

The renewal process will continue to necessitate a total of 5 points over a 5-year period. However, education points have been en-

hanced to a minimum of 3 from the current 2. Service points have been proposed to be golf-centric only with community service points being eliminated.

It was also proposed that the current ―Superintendent Member‖ (SM) classification becomes ―Class B.‖ The purpose of this change is to eliminate any confusion amongst employers, some who assume that ―SM‖ is a higher designation than ―A‖.

The Nominating Committee placed the following candidates on the slate for the 2016 GCSAA Board of Directors (election to be held Feb. 11, 2016): For President: Pete Grass, CGCS For Vice President: Bill Maynard, CGCS For Secretary/Treasurer: Rafael Barajas, CGCS Darren Davis, CGCS For Director: Kevin Breen, CGCS Jeff Millies, CGCS Rory Van Poucke John Walker

There are two open positions for director, with Rafael Barajas, CGCS being at the end of his two-year director term and Kevin P. Breen, CGCS, completing a one-year appointment. The two director candidates receiving the most votes will be elected to two year terms. For the secretary/treasurer candidates, if Rafael Barajas, CGCS, is elected secretary/treasurer, Darren J. Davis, CGCS, will automatically remain on the board as a Director for another year. If Darren J. Davis, CGCS, is elected secretary/treasurer, Rafael Barajas, CGCS, will have to be nominated from the floor for the position of director, since he is at the end of his two-year term, at which point the two candidates with the most votes will be elected to two-year terms and the remaining year of the director term of Darren J. Davis, CGCS, would be filled by an appointment.

If you have any questions concerning the delegates meeting, please speak with your appointed chapter delegate or contact me at jjensen@gcsaa.org and I would be glad to point you in the right direction.

Happy Holidays to all of you and I look forward to working with you in 2016.

WELCOME NEW MEMBER Mark Weitz Santa Maria C.C. Class A

Volume 1, TEE-OFF N ews

Issue 1

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Tom Elliott, CGCS Wins 2015 Leo Feser Award Tom Elliott, CGCS

Tom Elliott, CGCS at Monarch Dunes Golf Course in Nipomo, has been selected as the recipient of the 2015 Leo Feser Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA). The award is presented annually to the author of the best superintendentwritten article published in Golf Course Management magazine, the association’s flagship publication, during the previous year.

Tom, wrote the article ―Rx for Recovery,‖ which was published in the May 2015 issue. The story chronicled the development and suc-

cess of a program that was initiated by he and his wife, Liz, an oncology nurse, to use the golf course and the game of golf as a part of support programs for cancer patients. ―It’s been very gratifying to see just how well this program has worked out, and it’s inspiring to see the golf course used in a way that can help out the community in this manner,‖ Tom says. ―To have the article in GCM recognized the way it has been with this award is just icing on the cake. It’s been a very exciting, very rewarding experience for me.‖ ―Giving back and contributing to their communities is something that is second nature to most superintendents,‖ says GCSAA President John J. O’Keefe, CGCS. ―Tom is to be commended for not only the program he started at Monarch Dunes but also for the GCM story that so eloquently

describes that program and the benefits that it brought to countless people in his community.‖ As a part of winning the Leo Feser Award, Tom will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to the 2016 Golf Industry Show in San Diego, where he will officially receive the award at the Opening Session, presented in partnership with Syngenta, on Tuesday, Feb. 9. He will also have his name engraved on a plaque that is permanently displayed at GCSAA headquarters in Lawrence, Kan. Tom has written so many articles for our association over the past years and it is with great pride that he be nationally recognized for his talents. Congratulations to Tom and to Liz.

2015/2016 GCSACC BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT STEVEN SHOWERS AIRWAYS G. C.

VICE PRESIDENT ANDY CORDOVA CYPRESS RIDGE G.C.

.JOSE ALVAREZ FORT WASHINGTON C.C.

PETE BOWMAN HELENA CHEMICAL

CRAIG JOHNSON BELMONT C.C.

PAUL BARR SAN LUIS OBISPO C.C..

PAST PRESIDENT TENNESSEE MCBROOM SANDPIPER GOLF CLUB /RANCHO SAN MARCOS GOLF CLUB

SECRETARY/TREASURER GLENN MATTHEWS, CGCS VISALIA COUNTRY CLUB

ALBERT NUNES MORRO BAY GOLF COURSE

ZACK MORAN WATER QUALITY CONSULTANTS

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GCSAA Water Study Yields Key Results by John O’Keefe The results from the latest national study of golf course water use and conservation are encouraging and demonstrate our industry’s thoughtful environmental stewardship.

The report which is now available on line at is also the latest step in a landmark project that speaks for the golf course management profession and represents the golf industry in a positive manner.

Part of the multiyear Golf Course Environmental Profile project funded by the USGA through the Environmental Institute for Golf, this study helps us measure our industry’s progress since the first study was conducted in 2006. It is vital that we communicate these results and our continuing efforts in the areas of water conservation and sustainable business practices. The latest results provide us with key information about management practices in light of regulations pertaining to water use, drought restrictions and

water quality protection. Water is a valuable resource to everyone, and it is keenly important that we continue our efforts to reduce water usage and specifically, potable water use. We have a responsibility — not only for the golf industry, but also for the planet we share and for future generations.

Our members care for the biggest asset of any golf facility — the golf course. We must continue our sciencebased training, utilize best management practices to lead and educate in this vital area, and convey the overall benefits of the game and the golf industry.

On behalf of your board of directors, I thank all the superintendents who took the time to take part in this study. Measured against the baseline data collected in 2006, these results provide valuable information to allow us to be stronger advocates for our profession and the golf industry as a whole.

John J. O’Keefe, CGCS 2015 GCSAA President

Access On Line at http://www.gcsaa.org/environm ent/environmental-profile/golf-courseenvironmental-profile-overview

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2016 California Room February 10, 2016 Member Entry $35 for early registration from Oct. 1st to Dec. 31st.

If registering after Dec 31st. The cost will be $50 per person.

After Feb. 1st it will be full price of the event of $100.

Member Guest Entry $35 for early registration from Oct. 1st to Dec. 31st. If registering after Dec 31st. The cost will be $50 Per person. After Feb. 1st it will be full price of the event of $100.

(Limit One Guest per member) Registration is Mandatory, no walk-ins will be allowed.

On Line Registration: Californiagcsa.org For questions or additional information please contact the association office at 559-298-4853 or email californiagcsa@aol.com

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2015 Holiday Party Highlights

Craig & Amy Johnson Debbie & Joe Tompkins along with Andy Cordova and Mike Cline

Above are Pete & Nina Bowman.

At right are Josh Heptig along with his wife Christiana.

Glenn & McKenzie Matthews

At left are Scott & Shelly Furtak.

Above are Zack Moran along with his daughter.

At right are Trini & Miros Hernandez

Mike and Irene Cline

TEE-OFF News

2015 Holiday Party Highlights

The group toasts to the holidays. Above at right is Andy Cordova with his fiancĂŠ Sarah Odam Below on the right are Joe & Debbie Tompkins We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas Holiday and have a happy and safe New Year.

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