March april 2016

FORE YOUR INFORMATION March/April 2016

May Meeting Greenhorn Creek Resort Hosted by Hulises Avila

Sierra Nevada GCSA An Affiliate Chapter of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

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P R E S I D E N T S M E S S AG E

Kurtis Wolford, SNGCSA President Superintendent Cherry Island Golf Course

Its spring here in a big way.

We‟re bailing hay (grass), with big temperature swings, and some rain, maybe. As much as we want to predict the weather, Mother Nature will always keep us guessing. I am sure we are all battling a lot of the same issues and running around like crazy people trying to stay ahead of what‟s

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KURTIS WOLFORD

on our plates. As I chat with other superintendents, industry friends, scroll through my Facebook, or Twitter feeds, I am reminded each time how, we as an industry share a lot of the same challenges. We are confronted with chaotic work schedules, challenging agronomic conditions, balancing family life, and other activities. Lately with staying connected and asking how people are doing and what they are doing on the course, I have learned a lot professionally and personally on how other guys get through everything that‟s thrown at us. I have learned just last week some great time management tactics , a trick on collecting aerification plugs, a cool tool someone made. I would like to encourage everyone to pick up the phone and call your neighboring super. Encourage them to come to a chapter meeting and to get involved in social networking. I think you might be surprised what you might learn.

Our Grassroots Meeting was hosted by Moody

Ayeb at Mather Field Golf Course.

The weekends rain (3 inches plus) left the course fairly wet. Thank you to Moody for stepping up to host the meeting, we all appreciated it. I would also like to congratulate all the award winners on their achievement. Mark McKinney Turfgrass Manager Of The Year, Joe Ballmer Affiliate Member Of The Year, Dave Bermudez Distinguished Member Of The Year, and Scott McCullough Grassroots Award.

Drought updates California is still experiencing severe drought in the southern part of the state despite the rains of March. On February 2, 2016 the State Water Board adopted an extended and revised emergency regulation to ensure that urban water conservation continues in 2016. The regulation extends restrictions on urban water use through October 2016 while providing urban water suppliers more flexibility in meeting their conservation requirements. It also directs staff to report back on additional flexibility once complete water supply information is known in April. When the final snow pack is tallied up everyone is expecting (Continued on page 3)

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May 12, 2016 Reno Aces Ball Field

September 26, 2016

M E E T I N G DA T E S

Regional Meeting

Annual President’s Cup Clear Creek Golf Course Hosted by Michael Cunniff

May 23, 2016

November 8, 2016

Greenhorn Creek Resort Guest Speaker Pat Jones Hosted by Hulises Avila

Annual Meeting and Elections The Reserve at Spanos Park Hosted by John Jorgenson

July 18, 2016

December 2016

Annual Scholarship & Research Tournament Sierra View Country Club Hosted by Kyle Dykstra, CGCS

Annual Holiday Event Location and Date to be confirmed

August 8, 2016 Tri Chapter Meeting Central California Hosting Location to be Confirmed

(Continued from page 2)

the SWRCB to lessen the restrictions for the year. With the situation we were in last year more eyes will be watching our water supplies than ever before.

Association Updates We have lots of things coming up in the association. April 27, 2016 will be the 15th Annual First Tee of Greater Sacramento, Sierra Nevada Superintendents Association, and Greens Industry sponsored and supported Field Day at William Land G. C. This day will help us raise the standards and provide a better experience for both

The SNGCSA is now on Facebook and Twitter. Check it out!

Check out the website: Sierranevadagcsa.com

customers and kids.

On May 23, 2016 Hulises Avila will be hosting an association meeting at Greenhorn Resort. Our speaker will be Pat Jones of Golf Course Industry. Mr. Jones wanted all members to know that they can easily sign up for a free subscription to Golf Course Industry magazine and their biweekly Fast & Firm e-newsletter. “We want all superintendents, assistants, mechanics and other technical staff to receive GCI so we’ve made it quick and easy to subscribe,” Just click here to subscribe to the print and/or digital edition of GCI: https:// www.golfcourseindustry.com/ form/1/gci/subscribe/ We are working on a re-

gional Meeting in for the Reno/ Tahoe area in June. Our annual Scholarship and Research Event will be hosted by Kyle Dykstra at Sierra View Country Club In Roseville. The rest of the year is booked up and we are looking for venues next year so if you would like to host. Give Irene or one of the Board of Directors a call or email Hope to see you all at an upcoming meeting.

Kurtis

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F ROM T HE F IELD

The California Department of Water Independent Technical Panel (ITP) on Demand Management MeasJeff Jensen ures met in San Diego on March 4 to discuss recommendations on landscape water use reduction and efficiency.

Craig Kessler, governmental affairs director for the SCGA and I represented the golf industry at the meeting and we both spoke to the panel providing recommendations and comments on areas of concern.

Following the meeting, we submitted written comments on behalf of the California GCSA and the California Alliance of Golf. In particular, we focused our comments in opposition to the lowering of the ETAF from 1.0 to .8 and the limiting of turf on slopes from the current 25 percent to 10 percent.

While many of our facilities in the state already irrigate at .8 or lower in some areas, keeping the ETAF at 1.0 gives our industry flexibility in dealing with budgets and potential water restrictions based on the Maximum Applied Water Allowance (MAWA).

Additionally, slopes of 25 percent on a golf course are very functional and serve as an integral part of the game of golf. With the advances in irrigation technology (particularly controllers) and the use of wetting agents, superintendents have the ability to effectively irrigate these slopes while eliminating runoff.

BY

JEFF JENSEN GCSAA FIELD STAFF

Other comments included increasing a potential tax credit cap (currently proposed at $10,000) on turf replacement and eliminating any potential landscape certification and continuing education requirements that could be placed on golf course superintendents by the DWR. The ITP will now take the comments from the various stakeholder groups and create a final report that will be submitted to Legislature.

In other news, the California Alliance for Golf (CAG) will be hold-

ing legislative visits with our elected officials at the California State Capitol on April 26. While further details were unavailable at the time of this article, rest assured that GCSAA and our California affiliated chapters will be well represented by Jim Ferrin, Steve Plummer, Bruce Williams, I and others in Sacramento.

Thank you again for your support and if you have any questions concerning our government relations activities in the state, please donâ€&#x;t hesitate to contact me at jjensen@gcsaa.org and make sure to follow me on Twitter @GCSAA_SW for daily industry updates.

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P ERSONAL & P ROFESSIONAL A RTICLE MELROSE GRANT

John Farley

Every so often we all need a kick in the butt to get us going on things. Mine recently came in the form of a scholarship from the Melrose Foundation. I applied for the scholarship offered to superintendents who have not attended the national trade show in over 5 years.

Well lo and behold, I was one of 16 superintendents chosen. Ken Melrose who was the former owner of the Toro Company started this program to help superintendents go to the trade show who normally might not be inclined to go. It was a great honor to be chosen and it prompted me into action. As soon as I was informed that I had been chosen I picked up the phone and called Irene Cline from the SNGCSA to inform her that I would like to host the upcoming election meeting for the SNGCSA in November. The association had recently come to me and asked if I could host the event as the normal host course had to bow out. I also signed up for the September meeting in Graeagle and the October meeting at Yolo fliers club in Woodland. I have also informed our association‟s president Kurtis Wolford that “I‟d like to make myself available for any board posi-

BY

JOHN FARLEY, SUPERINTENDENT TEAL BEND G.C.

tions that need to be filled in the future”. It‟s safe to say that winning the Melrose scholarship really fired me up.

The scholarship included; air fare, lodging, entry package for the trade show and four educational seminars plus $200.00 spending money. It was a very generous package and very well organized. I arrived in San Diego on Sunday and checked in to my room at the Embassy suites where a reception party was held that evening. I got a chance to meet the other 15 superintendents who also had been awarded the scholarship. It was a great group of guys who hailed from all parts of the country. There was even a superintendent from Canada. Most of the guys were from the Midwest region and back east. One superintendent was from Pendleton Oregon and I, coming from Sacramento I was the closest. Monday morning we all met for breakfast at the convention center where we got to know each other further. We then were addressed by several GCSAA staff members. Most notable were the current and future GCSAA presidents. At noon we broke for lunch and then headed out to attend educational seminars. The first was an excellent seminar titled “Don‟t just manage-get organized”. The second seminar was also very interesting. It was titled “Achieve success through Effective Resource and Waste Management”. Both were very useful and I came away with a lot of relevant information. On Tuesday we all started together again with a nice breakfast and a nice talk given by CEO Rhett Evans and several other GCSAA board members. After breakfast we all broke out into our individual seminars that we had signed up for. My chosen seminar

was “Preparing your way to certification” by CGCS Bill Maynard. It was a four hour seminar and quite an eye opener. The certification process is, as it should be, time consuming and involved. I have now started the trek towards certification and had it not been for the Melrose scholarship I don‟t think I would have begun the journey.

On Wednesday the trade show floor opened and I had a great time viewing all the latest and great turf management innovations. Of course you always seem to bump into old friends who you haven‟t seen in years. It‟s always good to get caught up on who‟s where and who‟s doing what. While on the trade show floor I found a great machine called Gopher X. It‟s basically a Briggs and Stratton engine on a dolly that is used to smoke out gophers. I was so impressed that I convinced my GM to get one Teal Bend and it arrived last week. Since then we have decimated the gopher population. Eat your heart out Carl Spackler! All in all it was wonderful and dare I say, a life changing experience. For any superintendent out there who has not attended the trade show in the past five years should definitely apply. You never know how something like this might change the course of your career.

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A N N UA L A W A R D W I N N E R S Dave Bermudez

Mark McKinney

2016 Distinguished Member of the Year

2016 Turf Grass Manager of the Year

This award is presented annually to a superintendent whom has made contributions for the betterment of the SNGCSA, its members, and the golf course superintendentâ€&#x;s profession.

This award is presented to a superintendent member who maintains his/ her facility to a standard that reflects consistent, high quality playing conditions, while displaying exceptional agronomic and management skills.

Scott McCullough 2016 Grass Roots Award Winner This award is granted to a member that has shown dedication to the industry and to the Chapter as well as the members. Scottâ€&#x;s work on establishing the Mechanic Seminar and now the Irrigation Seminars has more than qualified him as a true Grass Roots Superintendent and an asset to our Association

Joe Ballmer 2016 Affiliate Merit Award Winner This award is presented annually to the affiliate representative who has made contributions resulting in the betterment of the SNGCSA and its members.

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M AY M E E T I N G F E AT U R E S P AT J O N E S , G I E M E D I A

Pat Jones , GIE Media, Golf Course Industry Magazine For three decades, Pat Jones has been known for his insights into the golf and turf business and his candid, tell-it-like-itis approach.

As publisher and editorial director of GIE Media‟s Golf Course Industry magazine, Pat runs the leading independent publication in the business and contributes his award-winning “Parting Shots” column each month. He is a prolific writer,

blogger and social media commentator and a frequent presenter at regional, national and international turf conferences.

Pat began his career in the industry at GCSAA headquarters, where he oversaw communications, fundraising and lobbying in the „80s and „90s. He later created and launched Golfdom magazine before starting his own company, Flagstick LLC, to provide consulting services to golf/ turf companies and organizations.

He joined GIE Media full-time in 2010 and is a member of the company‟s executive team.

Pat serves on several corporate and non-profit boards, including the Musser Turfgrass Research Foundation. He was elected to the inaugural class of the Turf & Ornamental Communicators Association Hall of Fame in 2014. He lives and works in the Cleveland, Ohio, area.

Contact Information Pat Jones Publisher GIE Media 5811 Canal Rd. Valley View, OH 44125 Office: 216-393-0253 Mobile: 440-478-4763 pjones@gie.net @PatJonesTweets Mr. Jones wanted all members to know that they can easily sign up for a free subscription to Golf Course Industry magazine and their biweekly Fast & Firm enewsletter. “We want all superintendents, assistants, mechanics and other technical staff to receive GCI so we’ve made it quick and easy to subscribe,” Just click here to subscribe to the print and/or digital edition of GCI: https://www.golfcourseindustry.c om/form/1/gci/subscribe/

2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT Kurtis Wolford Cherry Island Golf Course 916-991-7659

DIRECTORS Dave Bermudez Del Rio Golf & Country Club 209-341-2413

VICE PRESIDENT Scott Dickson Valley Crest 209-369-7037

Hulises Avila, Greenhorn Creek Resort 209-736-8164

SECRETARY/TREASURER William Hamilton Lake Wildwood Association 530-432-2187 PAST PRESIDENT Rob Williams Stockton Golf & C.C. 209-462-6734

Affiliate Representatives Joe Kurung West Coast Sand & Gravel 916-386-8177 Tim McCoy, Turf Star 916-861-7924 FORE YOUR INFORMATION

Wes Hull, Nakoma Golf Resort 775-781-4494 John Jorgensen, The Reserve at Spanos Park 925-584-4592 Kyle Jones, Yocha De He Golf Club 530-796-5816

Published by the Sierra Nevada Golf Course Superintendents Association

EDITOR Bill Hamilton, CGCS OFFICE SNGCSA 5322 N. Leonard, Clovis, CA 93619 559-298-6262 Fax# 559-298-6957 sngcsaa@aol.com

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CHAPTER NEWS

BY JOE KURUNG & IRENE CLINE Some crazy weather in March brought some damage to the courses in the area. Bill Hamilton, CGCS had a tree down at at Lake Wildwood that crushed a bridge on the course.

On a little brighter note, Craig McDonald has accepted the position of superintendent for Bailey Creek G.C. Bailey Creek is set along the shores of Lake Almanor and in the shadow of Mount Lassen. He started on March 15th. Congratulations to Craig. By the way we may be looking

a holding a meeting up there next year. He is already trying to get us on the calendar.

Jessie Creencia, CGCS‟s luck continues to amaze us. He won the GoPro provided by Syngenta at the GIS. Way to go Jessie.

Our congratulations go out to Mike Scully for being named Valley Crest‟s Superintendent of the Year.

This is quite an honor and we are so very happy for Mike. Mike accepted the position at The Villages Golf &

C.C. in San Jose late last year. Keep up the good work and we look forward to seeing him again soon.

If you have chapter news please give the office a call or send a quick email. It is a great way to keep everyone in the “know”.

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GREENHORN CREEK RESORT HOSTED BY HULISES AVILA BY IRENE The May meeting at Greenhorn Creek Resort will be the first time our chapter has visited the course. Hulises Avila will be hosting the event and with the beautiful weather that we are anticipating you won‟t want to miss this opportunity to visit such a scenic area.

Greenhorn Creek is located in the beautiful Sierra foothills. The course was redesigned in 1999 by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. and is celebrating its 20 year anniversary in May. Mr. Jones will actually be at the celebration on May 9th to help with the event.

100-year old oak trees and you‟ll be above ancient underground diggings and artifacts of the Gold Rush era. Areas around the course are historical landmarks which have all been incorporated into the design of the golf course.

There are Miwok Indian sacred grounds where many artifacts have been identified.

We will be treated to 18 holes of championship golf with 5 sets of tees ranging from 4,887 to 6,800 yards that will make playing Greenhorn Creek Resort both challenging as well as enjoyable.

Hulises and his crew have the course in fantastic shape and are excited to have the opportuThe course offers excepnity to share it with us. tional views as it wanders through the rolling hills. You can spot Hulises has been at the course for 17 years. He started at the course during the redesign and then stayed on the maintenance crew after it was completed. He was then hired full time 800 MOSSDALE RD, LATHROP, CA. 209 234-1500 www.brownsandinc.com as the irrigation helper, PRODUCTSSERVICES AVAILABLEirrigation USGA Top Dressing Sand Deliveries by MAGNUM TRUCKING INC. Greens Top Dressing Sand Blend Materials to Customers Specifications helper meant Bunker Sand digging Profile / Sand Blends ditches, then 0-0-50 / Kiln Dried Sand blends Kiln Dried USGA Sand - 3000lbs Super Sacks moved to Dakota Peat Sand Blends spray tech.

Peat Inc Sand Blends Pea Gravel He continued Top Soil his education so that he FOR ALL YOUR MATERIAL NEEDS PLEASE CALL OUR OFFICE OR could get his REGGIE POMICPIC – Director of Sales and Market degree in turf Cell# 209 993-5211 E-mail: reggie@brownsandinc.com management

CLINE

Hulises Avila

and work towards becoming superintendent. During this time he become the assistant superintendent, a position he held for 7 years. He was then hired as the superintendent in 2010, replacing David Camdon after he left.

Hulises has lived in the area for most of his life. He met is wife Claudia during a vacation when she was visiting the area.

They married in 2003 and have three beautiful children, Deira age 12, Hulises Jr. age 11, and Nalleli age 5. They stay busy going to sporting events with the kids and Hulises coaches the soccer team as well.

Hulises reports he is in the final year of a 5 year plan at the course. This plan included rebuilding all the bunkers on the course and he just completed a construction project of two bocce ball courts at the resort. Everything they do is in house. They are in the process of remodeling his maintenance building now and hope to start this project soon.

We look forward to visiting the course. Be sure to get your reservations in.

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2 0 1 6 F I E L D D AY

AT W I LL I A M

BY BOB CLINE

April 27th will be the 2016 Field Day at William Land Park.

This will mark the 15th anniversary of this event. With that in mind we thought it important that we let everyone know why and how this became a very important day for our chapterâ€&#x;s outreach efforts.

The First Tee of Greater Sacramento (TFTGS), is a non profit 501c3 organization. In 1998, the Sacramento Area Youth Golf Association (SAY-Golf) entered into a 30 year contract with the City of Sacramento to operate the William Land Golf Course (WLGC) to promote youth golf programs and programs for the disabled. A few years later the BOD of SAY-Golf entered into an agreement with The First Tee to become one of the first three First Tee Chapters in America. At that time the Board of Directors of SAYGolf decided to change the name from SAY-Golf to The First Tee of Greater Sacramento.

Ken Morton Sr. founded SAY-Golf in 1983 and served as the President from 1983 until 2004. In 2004 the BOD created a rotating board and when the new Officers and BOD were fully in place Mr. Morton resigned from his position so it could become a stand alone organization operating on its own. Over the next six years, TFTGS fell into some rough times which ultimately left them owing $150k in loans and were

on COD terms with all of its vendors.

In 2009, the BOD of TFTGS reached the conclusion that they were not capable of managing and operating a golf course and its programs rightly believed their main function should be fund development. TFTGS met with Rod Metzler and Morton Golf Management to see if either of those management companies would be interested in managing the operations and programs for TFTGS. Both organizations were given free access to the financial books and records.

They were both free to ask any questions about the Williams Land operations. Both organizations submitted plans to operate the golf course and programs for TFTGS. The BOD chose the plan proposed by Morton Golf Management and today TFTGS is solvent thanks to that plan. Currently the loans have been paid, and credit of TFTGS is restored and TFTGS has adequate funds to keep it from falling into the red during the winter season.

TFTGS is now in the financial position to be able to augment youth golf, disabled golf and golf to the underserved programs. The CEO of Morton Golf Management, Ken Morton Sr., and his partners are all involved to make sure the quality of programs for juniors and the disabled continue to be some of the best of any First Tee Chapter anywhere. The BOD of TFTGS has full control of the agreement between them and the City of Sacramento has signed off on the relationship that TFTGS has with Morton Golf Management. As of now, Morton Golf Management oversees the management of Operations at the William Land Golf Course as well as the youth golf and disabled golf programs at WLCS.

LAND PARK WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Jonothan Clevenger Cordova G.C. Class B Moody Ayeb Mather Golf Course Class A Matt Graves Belkorp Class Affiliate

Without a management company like Morton Golf Management to operate the facility and without the help of the SNGCSA, TFTGS would not have the financial capability to support the many programs that it offers.

The losses it would have from WLGC would eat up any reserves to promote it programs.

On behalf of both myself and all here at TFTGS, I would like to express my deepest gratitude and respect to all SNGCSA members for their help and support over the years.

Without their help, we would not be able to continue improving our conditions for our customers and the kids of the First Tee Programs that come here for a chance at a life changing experiences.

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M AT H E R G O L F C O U R S E H I G H L I G H T S

Above is Moody Ayeb, host superintendent for the 2016 Grass Roots tournament.

It was a pretty rainy period leading up to our event but those brave enough to hit the field were glad they did. Below are our tournament winners and they “took home the trophy� Pictured are Mike Jones, Kurtis Wolford, and Greg Bliek.

At right the attendees enjoyed an opportunity to hear a talk on chain saw safety and techniques.

Above are our Annual Award Winners, Dave Bermudez, Scott McCullough, and Joe Ballmer

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