MayJune 2016

FORE YOUR INFORMATION M a y / Ju n e 2 0 1 6

2016 Scholarship & Research Tournament Sierra View Country Club July 18, 2016

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

It’s June and summer is officially underway. What does that mean‌ Crunch time, go time, buckle your seat belts, long hours, late afternoon calls from the pro shop we can all list 20 more. This time of the year always presents challenges. Some are due to Mother Nature, new labor laws, equipment

BY

KURTIS WOLFORD

& water issues, etc. With all the things that are associated with being a superintendent we lose perspective of what an incredible profession this is.

There are not many jobs that are like ours. Being out on the course at sunrise, watching the wildlife, and being able to see the fruits of your labor are just a few of the positives. It is, however, important that we slow down and just take it all in when we are out on the course.

Personally, it helps give me a little perspective on things. It allows me to focus and gives me motivation when I see the natural settings that are on the course. We all get in this business for different reasons, usually centered on the game of golf, I hope. We all have a lot in common.

This is what helps us come together as an association. Being a superintendent is like being in a fraternity or brotherhood. Being in that brotherhood comes with certain responsibilities and codes of conduct.

Some of these guidelines are:

Members should always contact a fellow superintendent prior to visiting his/her course, regardless of the reason for the visit.

Members should always conduct themselves in the highest professional manner at all golfrelated events and other public events where the member is representing the golf course superintendent profession.

Members should not render negative opinions or comments about fellow members.

Members should only accept an interview for a job currently held by a fellow superintendent if the applicant has contacted the current superintendent to verify the position is open, or if the applicant has learned about the opening in a job posting announcement.

Members should always adhere to the complimentary golf policies of other golf courses and always give as much advance notice as possible when seeking playing privileges at a fellow superintendent's golf facility.

It is our responsibility to follow these professional ethics. It is also our job to teach them to our assistants and crew members. These codes of conduct are important! It is also important to be there for each other. You should reach out to other (Continued on page 3)

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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

2017

M E E T I N G DA T E S

August 8, 2016 Tri Chapter Meeting Central California Hosting Ridgemark Golf & Country Club Hollister, CA

September 26, 2016

January 10, 2017 Mehanic Seminar The Ridge Golf Course

January 11, 2017 Irrigation Seminar The Ridge Golf Course

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

November 8, 2016 Annual Meeting and Elections The Reserve at Spanos Park Hosted by John Jorgenson

(Continued from page 2)

members if you need help with something. It will hopefully make your job a little easier.

Coming up on our calendar of events we have a lot going on in the association. The 2016 Scholarship & Research Tournament will be hosted by Superintendent Kyle Dykstra, CGCS at Sierra View C.C. on July 18, 2016. It is shaping up to be a great event. Thank you to all the companies who have donated products and have offered sponsorship for the tournament.

The only way this tournament is successful is because of the support from our members. So sign up to play and come out and bid on some great products in the auction.

The Tri Chapter event will

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

Check out the website: Sierranevadagcsa.com

be on August 8th at Ridgemark Golf & Country Club in Hollister. Please come out and represent the SNGCSA. In September the Presidents Cup will be at Clear Creek Golf Club in Southlake Tahoe.

Then our Election meeting will be held at The Reserve at Spanos Park in November.

If you are interested in hosting an event, talk to one of the Board of Directors. We would love to hear from you. Communication is critical. For the BOD to serve the members we need to hear from you. Either positive or negative, let us know what you think.

We have some great events scheduled I hope to see you all there. Stay cool this summer

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Corbett Schnatmeyer BASF Class Affiliate

John Gilbertson Trinity Alps G.C. Class B Joel Brinkman SePRO Class Affiliate

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F ROM T HE F IELD BY

JEFF JENSEN GCSAA FIELD STAFF

The California Alliance for Golf (CAG), the unified voice for the golf industry in California, visited the California State Capitol in Sacramento on April 27. The Jeff Jensen delegation was made up of representatives from the California GCSA, Englander Knabe & Allen (EKA), GCSAA, Moore Minister Communications, Northern California PGA and the Southern California Golf Association (SCGA).

The California GCSA and GCSAA were represented by Jim Ferrin, CGCS at Sun City Roseville and CAG secretary; former GCSAA President and CAG board member Bruce Williams of Bruce Williams Golf Consulting, Kurtis Wolford, Sierra Nevada GCSA President and Class A Superintendent at Cherry Island Golf Course and I. Also in attendance was SCGA

director of government affairs Craig Kessler who works tirelessly on behalf of the superintendent profession.

The group met with Keali’i Bright, Deputy Secretary to Natural Resources Agency; John Casey, Communications Director to Speaker Anthony Rendon; Kip Lipper, Office of Pro Tempore; Assemblyman Patrick O’Donnell, Assemblyman Phil Ting, Josh White, Legislative Director for Minority Leader Chad Mayes and key staff members of Governor Jerry Brown.

Topics included a current overview of Governor Brown’s emergency drought declarations as well as the possible easing of those restrictions in the coming weeks due to ample snowfall in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the State Water Resources Control Board’s continuing changes to the state’s Model Water Efficiency Landscape Ordinance (MWELO), growth of the game and youth initiatives in the state with a particular focus on the SCGA’s Youth on Course Program, golf’s efficient use of water in the state

(less than one percent of the total fresh water) and the industries outreach efforts with local government agencies and municipalities.

Additionally, the delegation held in depth discussion on the economic impact of the game. The state’s nearly 900 courses have a total impact of more than $13 billion, employ 128,000 creating $4.1 billion in wages and contribute nearly $365 million to charitable causes.

The event marked the first of two yearly visits by CAG to the State Capitol. For more information on the organization and its efforts, visit www.cagolf.org.

Thank you for the opportunity to represent the game in the Sierra Nevada Region and please follow me on Twitter @GCSAA_SW for daily industry updates. I look forward to seeing all of you at upcoming chapter events.

2016 SNGCSA 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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20 16 S CHOLARSHIP & RESEARCH SIERRA VIEW C.C. D B BY

The Research and Scholarship Tournament is almost here. The tournament is on July 18th at Sierra View Country Club. We thank Kyle Dykstra, our host superintendent for offering us his fine facility for this special event.

For this year’s event Syngenta and Joe Ballmer have sponsored the tee prizes. Many of our golf industry suppliers have already donated items for both the live and silent auctions that will be taking place the day of our event. You should be receiving weekly updates so you can prepare for the opportunity to bid on these fantastic items.

There will be equipment manufactures proudly showing off the latest in turf equipment. Then during the event on the course we have closest

AVID

ERMUDEZ

to the pins on all par 3’s, most accurate drive hosted by Harrell’s and Cornerstone Enviromental Group, a Casino hole sponsored by Sierra Pacific Turf, a sponsored beverage cart sponsorsored by Holganix, and a food station hosted by Ewing Irrigation.

After the tournament you will return to the clubhouse for beverages, hors d’oeuvres, the auctions, and raffle prizes. You will also have the opportunity to meet the scholarship recipients, and we will announce the tournament winners and give them their prizes.

To make this tournament successful we need everybody to come out to the event and bring guests. The day will be full of enjoyment.

The money raised from this tournament goes to Scholarships, Turfgrass Research, Personal and SNGCSA’s Professional Development Program, and our Benevolence Fund.

Over the last four

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Kyle Dykstra, CGCS

years the money raised from this event has exceeded $135,000. We could not have done this without everyone participating.

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CHAPTER NEWS We have two new superintendents in the Sacramento Area to report. Tommy Hopkins is the superintendent at Bartley Cavanaugh. Tommy was previously the Asst. Superintendent at Haggin Oaks for two years and previous to that worked at Plumas Lakes. We are happy to report that Tommy has joined our association. In addition Morton Golf has hired Marshal Cullen as the superintendent at Bing Maloney Golf Course.

We are happy to announce the Scott McCullough will be hosting the Mechanic Seminar and Irrigation Seminar again next year. These events have become increasingly

popular for our membership and we appreciate Scott’s continued support. Scott has been the force behind this important facet of our association and has worked hard putting it together every year. 2017 events will be on January 10 and 11 at The Ridge Golf Course in Auburn.

We like reporting association news and look to our members to help keeping us in the loop. If you have news you want to share just send it to Irene & Kim at the association office and we will be sure to get it in our publications.

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GREENHORN CREEK HIGHLIGHTS

Above are Scott Dickson and our guest speaker Pat Jones.

Above is Kyle Dykstra, CGCS, Steven McVey, CGCS, and Dave Bermudez

Above is our host superintendent Hulises Avila, with President Kurtis Wolford.

Below Tim McCoy teams up with Hulises for a day of golf on the beautiful course

Above are Rodney Mueller and Kurtis Wolford get ready to hit the course. Below John Jorgensen and Steve Byrne.

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