TeeOff News
4th Quarter 2020
Rancho Del Rey Golf Course Annual Meeting Superintendent Candy Ortega January 25, 2021
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President’s Message Glenn Matthews, CGCS
Glenn Matthews, CGCS
Good day members! It was uplifting to see many of you this past month at our scholarship and research event at Madera Country Club. The event, held November 9th, was our only in-person event since February. There were a total of 32 players who enjoyed a beautiful day of golf. The fundraising event raised over $4,000 through the online and in-person auction. Thank you to those who participated. For those who did not have a chance to place a bid, look for the event next year. There are always many great
deals provided by our sponsors and the try Show has also gone virtual. Members can sign up for a facility package proceeds benefit our scholarship proand have access to ALL of the semigram. nars presented at GIS. With GIS regisYour association board of di- tration your facility can have access to rectors continues to work hard to pro- every single GCSAA seminar for 30 vide meaningful activities for you dur- days, a great opportunity to earn ing these unpredictable times and your CEU’s at an affordable cost. If you are needing CEU’s to maintain your pestiparticipation is vital to the health and cide license many of the vendors who sustainability of this association. We are planning a full schedule of golfing support our association also have educational opportunities available to help events for the coming year, but our superintendents meet DPR requireability to host in-person educational ments for continuing education. events will be limited until Covid-19 is Most of us are ready to turn the page under control. Keep your eyes on the on 2020 and get back to “normal”. Be association calendar and do your best patient and stay strong, 2021 is a new to make it to an upcoming event. The year. health of your association depends on Get ready for a great new year, it. If you are looking for education opportunities there are many available. In October the GCSAA and the California GCSA hosted an online workshop for introducing the California BMP document and how to implement it for your golf course. There are several webinars available at https:// www.gcsaa.org/environment/bmpplanning-guide , which will help you develop a BMP document for your facility. GCSAA’s annual Golf Indus-
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 2021 January 25, 2021
August 2021
Annual Election Meeting & Tournament Visalia Country Club Hosted by Glenn Matthews, CGCS
Date Pending Confirmation Tri Chapter Event Del Rio Country Club Hosted by Sierra Nevada GCSA
February 2-4, 2021
September 2021
GCSAA Golf Industry Virtual Show
April 2021
Date Pending Confirmation Dairy Creek & Tracer Golf Hosted by Josh Heptig, CGCS
June 2021
Date Pending Confirmation Al Glaze Memorial S & R Tournament San Joaquin Country Club Hosted by Dario
Field Day Date Pending Confirmation Ridge Creek G.C. Hosted by Rob Lomeli
October 2021
Annual Charity Event Location Pending Confirmation
December 4, 2021 Holiday Event Morro Bay “Windows on the Water”
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From the Field
Jeff Jensen
Jeff Jensen, GCSAA Field Staff, Southwest Region
I hope this finds you and your family enjoying the holiday season! 2020 was not what we envisioned, but there is some light at the end of the tunnel moving into the new year. As you read this, vaccines are being distributed to frontline workers and vulnerable populations and hopefully things will be back to some semblance of normal late this summer or early fall.
As a reminder, there is still time to register for the virtual 2021 Golf Industry Show Feb. 2-4. We have 88 education seminars scheduled as well as Opening and Closing Sessions, awards ceremonies and numerous networking events. Packages are available for individuals as well as facilities. Complete information, a schedule of events and registration can be found at https:// www.golfindustryshow.com/. Please begin to think about your facility donating a foursome for the 2021 Rounds 4 Research auction. The dates haven’t been officially set yet for the Spring auction, but we are already taking donations at https:// www.eifg.org/research/rounds-4-research. We realize that many facilities are seeing record breaking play and donating can be difficult, but this is a great opportunity to assist your local chapter in raising funds for research, education and advocacy purposes. 80 percent of all funds raised through the auction goes back to the participating facilities home chapter. You have the ability to set blackout dates and times that work best for your course. Resort, private, daily fee and municipal courses are all welcome to participate in the auction and it is a great way to market your facility due to the national nature of the auction. Several Southwest chapters have experienced success over the past years including the Hawaii GCSAA who raised nearly $6,000 during the 2020 auction. In closing, I would like to thank those members who have signed up to be a GCSAA Grassroots Ambassador. We still have numerous openings available in Central California and it is a great opportunity to work as a liaison between the golf industry and your member of Congress. As we shift from the pandemic back to normal business, golf will once again be under the microscope for its water and pesticide use, taxes and beneficial use of open space. It is important that we get the message out about the games economic, environmental and social impacts. Please contact
me if you are interested in participating in the program. Thank you for your support and if you have any questions, please email me at jjensen@gcsaa.org and follow me on Twitter at GCSAA_SW for industry updates. Happy Holidays!
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California Alliance for Golf (CAG) wins the 2021 GCSAA Excellence in Government Affairs Award by GCM staff ing for the golf course management profession. GCSAA annually recognizes a chapter, coalition or superintendent for outstanding advocacy or compliance efforts in government affairs. CAG is a nonprofit corporation that serves as a unified voice for its members in front of various legislative and regulatory bodies that affect their common interests in the game and industry of golf. The alliance was initially formed to deal almost exclusively with water issues, and it later grew to address additional environmental matters. CAG is involved with legislative and regulatory issues at local, regional and national levels of government. The alliance is governed by a board that includes the state’s amateur golf associations, PGA sections, GCSAA chapters, the California chapter of the National Golf Course Owners Association, and others within the California golf industry. CAG is Photo courtesy of Jim Ferrin further supported by a legislative committee that elicits the participation of additional leaders in the California golf The California Alliance for Golf (CAG) has won community. the 2021 Excellence in Government Affairs Award from In the past decade, CAG GCSAA for its productive and ongoing efforts in advocat- collaborated with California’s De- Continued on Page 7
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Newsletter T itle
Around the Green by Jim Culley & Matt Graves This are always moving and changing even in these times. San Luis Obispo Country Club is under remodeling for the past several months. Bob Zoller who retired from Monterey Peninsula Country Club as been consulting with Superintendent Paul Barr on the project which is going well. Rancho San Marcos has shut down. According to an email from the club to greenskeeper.org web site. “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have decided to close Rancho San Marcos Golf Course indefinitely. This was an extraordinarily painful decision to make, but after exploring every option, the economic conditions make it impossible to sustain our current level of operations. We are very grateful to our loyal guests and hard-working employees over the years at this property." . On a brighter side, Andy Cordova has moved to Blacklake and Avila Beach Resort as the new superintendent. The Cypress Ridge G.C. position was filled by Dale Simpson, previously with Santa Maria C.C.. Santa Maria position was posted to our membership but the position has not been filled as of the writing. Tony Rudge has left La Purisima we haven't heard who will be filling this position. Tennessee McBroom is working on a large project of resodding Montecito C.C. fairways to Seashore Paspalum. This should take about two years to complete this project. In the Valley, Rob Lampson is now the new Superintendent at Stockdale Country Club in Bakersfield. He was previously the Asst. Superintendent at Rolling Hills Country Club in Southern California. Sunnyside Country Club is no longer being managed by Sierra Golf Management. They have hired Paul Cushing as a consultant and Jose Aquilar as the Superintendent. Jose has been working for the course for about three years. They are still looking for a superintendent at Eagle Springs C.C. Andy Heines moved from Rio Bravo C.C. to Kern River G.C. in Bakersfield. Chris Hansen is now at Rio Bravo C.C. Turlock Country Club has posted the superintendent position which is through Greenway Golf. San Joaquin C.C. is wrapping up their renovation and we are hopefully going to be able to hold the Al Glaze Scholarship & Research Tournament at this beautiful course in June. Happy Holidays to All!
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2021 GCSAA Excellence in Government Affairs Award Continued from page 5 partment of Water Resources to create a golf-separate chapter of the state’s Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance. Working with the state’s largest water provider, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, CAG developed a protocol to allow golf courses to maintain absolute control of their irrigation regimens during various stages of drought, and it retained a lobbying firm to give the golf community an ongoing presence in the capitol and quick access to legislators. CAG has helped reduce the industry’s water footprint and greatly contributed to a more positive perception of the game of golf. In the 2019-2020 session, CAG has developed a provision of substantial relief in the legislature’s codification of new law for independent contracting for PGA golf professionals who desire to continue working as independent contractors instead of employees. CAG also developed a comprehensive white paper regarding the impact of envisioned changes to the state’s property tax structure on four varieties of golf course property. The report provides accurate, unbiased information to help stakeholders make informed decisions. “The allied associations that make up the California Alliance for Golf have worked together for years to combine their separate interests and constituencies into a coherent whole, capable of representing the statewide golf industry with one voice, with one message and one mission, all focused on what’s best for the game, industry, and especially those like golf superintendents who labor in it,” says Jim Ferrin, CGCS, vice president of CAG. Ferrin is a 36-year GCSAA member and is the superintendent at Timber Creek Golf Course in Roseville, Calif. CAG played a significant role during the COVID-19 pandemic in restoring golf activities to California residents during the early stages of easing restrictions. The alliance worked statewide and with individual counties to make the case for golf to be the first outdoor activity reinstated and sustained. A unison effort between various counties and CAG resulted in the development of county-specific Back2Golf protocols capable of meeting political muster in their locales. CAG lobbied for updates and amendments to the original health orders that restored the game as circumstances changed and permitted. “GCSAA is fortunate to the California Alliance for Golf advocating at all levels of government for the game, which helps golf course managers use best practices,” says Rhett Evans, GCSAA CEO. “Their advocacy efforts advance the game and help bring golf to the front of legislative priorities. I thank them for their positive impact on the game and congratulate them on this well-deserved honor.” CAG will be formally recognized Feb. 2 at the 2021 virtual Golf Industry Show. The organization will also be
featured in an upcoming issue of GCSAA’s official monthly publication, Golf Course Management magazine. “Together, we have advanced the cause in what are probably the roughest political waters in the nation. We are honored by GCSAA’s recognition,” Ferrin says. Nominees for the Excellence in Government Affairs Award were judged by the GCSAA Government Affairs Committee based on how their efforts best serve the interests of the golf course superintendent profession and the golf course management industry. View the complete list of past GCSAA Excellence in Government Affairs Award winners.
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2020 Al Glaze Memorial Scholarship & Research Tournament Highlights Pictured at left is the team of Steve Showers, Andy Cordova, Mike Scott, and Mike Cline
It was a beautiful day to be able to hold the Al Glaze S & R Tournament. We “Thank� Madera Golf & C.C. for hosting the event and allowing us to sneak in this extremely important event before yet another shut down.
Above is the team of Kevin Friesen, Ted Barker, Tim Barker, and Ken Irwin. At left is the Visalia C.C. team including Pedro Hernandez, Michael Prouty, Robert Skipper, and James Templeton
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Highlights Continued Pictured at right is the team of Phil Brown, Scott Furtak, Mark Weitz, and Even Moffett
Below is Glenn Matthews, CGCS GCSAA President handing out awards to the winners
Mark Weitz and Scott Furtak For the first time in 10 months the association was able to hold a tournament. It was to be only golf and those that road together could ride together and those that didn’t were in masks and in carts of their own. We provided all the safety measures that were required and with that we were able to hold a successful event.
Thank You Sponsors
Farmload Distributors Michael Farmen
BoTerra Pete Bowman, CGCS Winner of the 2020 Al Glaze S&R Tournament from Visalia Country Club