Underwood Golf Newsletter Fall 2017

October– December2017 2017 July – September

FALL

**New times (below) will start Nov. 4**

HOURS OF OPERATION 6:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Weekdays

6 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Weekends/Holidays

THE GOLDEN TEE 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.* Weekdays

6:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.* Weekends/Holidays

*Breakfast ends at 11 a.m. * Lunch ends at 3 p.m.

ADMINISTRATION OFFICE 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Weekdays

**Hours subject to change**

NEED TO CONTACT US? Administration Office 915-568-9891 The Golden Tee 915-568-1116 Pro Shop 915-568-1059 Underwood Golf Complex Newsletter

MANAGER’S CORNER We have experienced an issue with clams in our irrigation lakes Hi! I would on the Sunrise Course for more like to welcome than a year now. This winter we you to the will be addressing the issue by Underwood adding filters to the motors in Golf Complex the pump house to eliminate the Dallas Cooke here at Fort problem. This has to be done Bliss. We pride ourselves in during the non-watering season. being very golfer friendly. I would These issues have been a like to update you on some of concern by all, but I would our upcoming activities. like to thank everyone for your As many of you may know our understanding and support Sunset well has been down for during these tough times. We a while now. I finally have great will rebound going into next year news! The well has now been contracted out and construction with a fully operational irrigation system. will begin in the next 45 days!

Lastly, I would like to Along with the construction congratulate Jesse Vasquez of our new well, we will be on passing the DoD Pesticide installing a new control panel Certification Training in San inside the Sunset pump house to help control the timing of our Antonio, Texas this past September. This was an intense watering.

Another project in the works is three week course that require repairing the irrigation heads on training, studying and testing. the Sunrise course. Many have The certification will be good for asked regarding the problem.

3 years. Well done!

By Dallas Cooke, General Manager

UPCOMING HOLIDAY CLOSING

The golf club will be closed for the following holidays: Thursday, Nov. 23 (Thanksgiving Day); Monday, Dec. 25 (Christmas Day); Monday, Jan. 1, 2018 (New Years Day).

The golf club will close at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 24, for all staff members to enjoy the holiday with family and friends. All carts, pull carts and walking customers must complete their round by 4 p.m. page 1

HANDICAP CART POLICY

The Underwood Golf Complex does have a Handicap Cart Policy.

In order to obtain enhanced cart access due to physical limitations, one must submit the required documentation to the Director’s office which is then reviewed.

Carts will then be entered into Handicap Mode at the time of play.

Patrons are reminded that carts must be kept at least 30 feet from the putting surfaces. Also, carts are not permitted between the green and bunkers. We appreciate your cooperation.

LESSON TEE

checklist below, you are sure to see your game It’s that time of year start to come back. again, Fall is in the air Grip and Club Championships Make sure your grip is beckon. This is also the where it should be. Your time of year that you may palms should always face start to get into a rut. If each other, whether you you were playing some have a strong, weak, or great golf this summer, neutral grip. If you start to and now find yourself get strong with your right struggling a bit, you may hand, but get weaker with need to focus on going the left, your hands will back to basics. fight each other leading to Most amateur golfers inconsistent contact. do not practice or play enough to have a Stance consistent and repeatable Your stance should be swing, and find their nearly shoulder width troubles begin when the apart, and fairly parallel to basic fundamentals start your target line. Feet, hips, to become inconsistent and shoulders should as well. If you follow the all be aligned together.

By Kenny Meador, PGA

CART SHARING RULES Proper sharing of golf carts is required at the Underwood Golf Complex at all times.

It is a club policy for management or marshals to correct as it relates to players sharing carts with others in their group.

Individuals insisting on riding in a cart by themselves when a seat in another cart in their group is available, will be required to pay $25 for the cart.

Basic guidelines that will be enforced by the staff are as follows: Four Playing Customers Two Carts Three Playing Customers Two Carts Two Playing Customers One Cart One Playing Customer One Cart page 2

RULES CORNER

By Kenny Meador, PGA

The rules of golf can be complicated. Any golfer who has ever played a competitive round of golf, whether it was a Nassau against a friend, or in the US Open, we’ve all encountered a situation where we may not have been exactly sure what to do.

I am going to discuss a ruling I came across in a tournament not too long ago.

A competitor hit their tee shot into the trees left of the fairway. As we looked for his ball, and the five minute time limit was approaching, he shook a tree, and sure enough his ball fell out and rolled into the

If your stance is open to the target line, and your shoulders closed, your swing plane will change drastically.

Ball position Check your ball position to make sure it has not creped to far forward or back in your stance. If the ball is too far forward, you may hit pulls and pull slices. If the ball is too far back, you may hit blocks or low hooks.

If you go back to the basics and keep it simple, you are sure to get your game tuned up before that Club Championship rolls around.

hazard. Able to play the shot, he hit his ball back into the fairway and proceeded to make a great par. Did he proceed correctly?

Answer: Since the player did not announce his intent to take an unplayable lie if his ball were in the tree, he unfortunately was assessed a 1 stroke penalty for making his ball at rest move under Rule 18-2. Under that rule, he should have replaced his ball, and if that was not feasible, he would then need to take an additional penalty stroke under rule 28 for an unplayable ball.

Since he had holed out, and did not fix this mistake, he was disqualified.

Underwood Golf Complex Newsletter

you like to secure a date for your gathering.

One thing we haven’t seen often enough is our weekday regulars.

We know we have some timeliness issues and some with the course condition; but I assure you we work diligently at improving these things, and many others, as best we can.

We want you to be happy at the Golden Tee and on the courses.

I am open to every suggestion, request and proposed solution.

The golf course has a drop box in the lobby, “Help Us Improve the Course,” you can always write the Golden Tee a note there too.

Want to be more direct? My card is always available at the bar for you to take at any time. Please call Greetings from the Staff of the worked very hard to find menu me directly at 915-568-1566.

Golden Tee. Over the course of options that taste great and help The Golden Tee staff and all the next few months, we will be you live a healthier lifestyle. of us here at the Underwood working toward another menu We have a very busy few months Golf Complex appreciate your overhaul. The goal is to keep our ahead of us; there are tournaments, continued support. Thanks to offerings interesting and tasty. The functions, various club meetings, you and your patronage, we can Army has many initiatives that we and conferences scheduled. continue supporting the Soldiers, participate in; starting very soon, However, December is still pretty their Families, Retirees, and all 25% of our menu will have healthier open and available for your holiday the Civilians who contribute to the options. Now, don’t let that scare parties, but it will fill up before mission at Fort Bliss. you, healthy doesn’t have to be you know it. Come in, shoot us We Are The Army’s Home! boring or taste bad. We have an email, or contact us any way — Devin M. Rice

THE GOLDEN TEE RESTAURANT

UPCOMING EVENTS

Golf Complex? Come take part in a Great Tradition Golf Tournament that is played across the country Saturday, Nov. 11. Play 18 holes of great golf,.There will be food and prizes. Format: 6 holes Best Ball, 6 holes Scramble and 6 holes Alternate Shot. This will be $5 KIDS GREEN FEE an 9 a.m. shotgun start. Cost is $25 for all members and One of the problems for parents is finding a babysitter, or $35 for all non-members. Deadline to sign up is Thursday, having to pay regular junior rates for their kids. By offering Nov. 9. Sign up at the Pro Shop or call 915-568-1059. an affordable rate it introduces kids to the game, and lets parents bring them out. The cost is $5 for children 12 FALL NIGHT GOLF SCRAMBLE Join us for one of the coolest events of the year! The and younger. They must be accompanied by a paying adult. It’s held Monday through Friday all day, Saturday annual night golf scramble Friday, Nov. 10. Play 9 holes of Night Golf with glow in the dark golf products. Dinner and Sunday after 10 a.m. will be at 5:30 p.m. and shotgun starts at 7 p.m. Cost is 2017 FALL TRI-FECTA TOURNAMENT $40 per player maximum four players per team. Sign up Who has the best two man team at the Underwood at the Pro Shop at 915-568-1059.

2017 GOLF TOURNAMENTS Interested in hosting a golf tournament with us? It’s a great way to raise money for your charities or an awesome way to have a team building fun day. Dates are filling up quickly for the Fall and Winter months. Visit the Pro Shop or call 915-568-1059 for more information.

page 3 Underwood Golf Complex Newsletter

page 3 Underwood Golf Complex Newsletter

DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE FAIRWAY One other cultural control I wanted to mention that goes along Aeration with the principal of verticutting This is the backbone of any is a deeper thatch removal on the cultural control program on a greens once a year. A dethatcher golf course. The question is not that can go deep. We use a whether or not to aerify, but how verticutter on our greens once a much (turf) and how often. year and slice to a depth of 5/8 We all know the basics: Aeration inch in two directions. The amount relieves soil compaction, improves of material that is removed by oxygen availability in the root this and similar machines can be zone, increases the ability of rain staggering. and irrigation water to reach the Dethatching should not be roots, improves fertilizer uptake limited to just the greens. If you and reduces disease pressure. An have the resources and ability, a added benefit to aeration that just tee and fairway program should be might be my favorite reason to implemented as well. punch holes is the increased turf Water Management density that results. More plants With just a little thoughtful per square foot equals a better planning, the management of stand of turfgrass. water on the golf course can Aerification shouldn’t be limited certainly be considered a cultural to spring and fall, nor should it control. be limited to only greens and For example, watering less tees. Fairways need to be hit frequently and more deeply twice a year, and primary rough encourages root growth deeper and surrounds at least once. into the soil, rather than near the On the greens, a midsummer surface where those sad little application with some smaller tines – even if you’re not pulling a roots help form thatch. Deeper core – has become common in the roots allow plants to withstand maintenance of high-quality cool- dry conditions better. In the same respect, overwatering results in season greens. shallow roots, which increases the Topdressing potential for soilborne diseases Topdressing greens is another to crop up and encourages control we are doing, and not just waterlogging. in conjunction with our aerification Excessive watering also program. Light topdressing of stimulates weeds in the taller greens is done on most highheights of cut, like the fairways quality cool-season greens, either and rough. In this age of everweekly or every other week. increasing watering regulations Beyond the most obvious benefit and water shortages, there of smoothing the playing surface is no excusable reason to is the ability of topdressing to overwater your rough. If you need dilute organic matter as it is clarification on this, please note produced. this year’s U.S. Open at Pinehurst and the watering “philosophies” Verticutting they have adopted.

The two main functions of Syringing greens during stressful verticutting greens are reducing periods in the heat of summer thatch and increasing density. is another control method used Every other week throughout successfully in the industry. the growing season is the norm. Marrying your bimonthly Increasing Heights of Cut verticutting program with our Seems simple enough, but this bimonthly topdressing program little trick can do more to combat makes all the sense in the world. diseases and other stresses than

By Dallas Cooke, General Manager

page 4

almost anything else you can do.

Localized dry spots, thatch diseases, moss and algae outbreaks, cleanup pass wear.

One of the first things you might want to try for any of these common golf course ailments is to raise the height of cut. Is this not the epitome of a cultural control?

Raising the height of cut doesn’t just pertain to your greens. We will not cut rough too low if we don’t have to. A higher height of cut has been proven to increase the vigor of both leaf and root growth. In addition, we will remove one-third of the leaf blade each time you mow. Moderate trimming is the key. Moderate trimming, although it sounds good, isn’t always possible.

In addition to the Big Five, there are a few other cultural controls that should be noted for achieving a quality golf course management program. One of these is planting stress-tolerant cultivars in the first place. Or, if we have to, replanting so we have the right plants in place.

Having species that are ultimately going to allow us to have more of a chance to combat the stresses for our area and our climate is a huge factor. Another thing that could be considered a cultural control is the monitoring to do for plant health and pest populations.

One final control method I wanted to mention – follow me on this one – is actually the alteration of your current cultural controls.

Simply changing things up can be a form of control in and of itself.

Just as we juggle modes of action within our fungicide programs, cultural controls can be even more successful if rotated and played with. Of course, we do this without even thinking about it. But try consciously choosing a different control method than you had planned on or that you have relied on time after time in the past.

Underwood Golf Complex Newsletter