MayJune 2015 Fore Your Information

F ORE Y OUR I N F O R MA T I O N

M a y / Ju n e 2 0 1 5

2015 Scholarship & Research Tournament Valley Hi Country Club Hosted by Sean McPhedran

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 Summer is well and truly upon us now, with temperatures occasionally climbing to the three digit numbers. With water to our course at a premium, we need to keep an eye on the amounts we are applying to the course and landscapes. If you are not receiving regular updates from the State Water Resource Control Board, I would suggest you subscribe to stay on top of current and future restrictions.

One of the SNGCSA board's goals for this year is to try to involve our members that find it tough to travel to our meetings because of the distance and time involved. We decided to work towards hosting regional meetings where the area members could meet for education, networking and the chance to get answers to issues that may be hindering their efforts on the golf courses.

We held the first regional meeting at the Griz-

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ROB WILLIAMS

zly Ranch GC near Portola, and we thank Superintendent, Mike Baty for offering his course for the meeting.

Mike has the course in great condition. Forty people were in attendance for the talk given by Jeff Jensen, South West Field Staff for the GCSAA. A lot of conversation was generated from the talk with superintendents asking a variety of question that Jeff was able to give them information about. The topic of water restriction was one of the main topics. We look forward to the next regional meeting for that area. Welcome to our six new members who joined that day.

PUT IT ON YOUR CALENDAR. July 27, 2015 – Scholarship & Research Tournament Valley Hi C.C. This is always a popular event with the chance to get products for your course while saving a little on your budget at the auction. Keep an eye out for an email showing the opportunity to bid online if you are unable to attend the meeting. Funds for Research and Scholarships benefit us all in our industry. I would suggest you get your teams together and register as soon as you can to avoid missing out on playing at Sean McPhedran’s golf course - Valley Hi CC in Elk Grove.

If you are able to donate to the auction, please contact tournament chairs, Dave Bermudez and Kurtis Wolford to let them know.

Water restrictions can cause us a variety of issues. The media or public may call your cell phone or knock on your office doors at any time. If you need assistance in answering any questions related to water, or have other questions, please contact us and we will get the information you need.

Stay hydrated and remember to find time for yourselves and your families as the summer rolls on.

2014 BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT

DIRECTORS

Rob Williams

Dave Bermudez Del Rio Golf & Country Club 209-341-2413 William Hamilton Lake Wildwood Association 530-432-2187

Stockton Golf & C.C. 209-462-6734

VICE PRESIDENT Kurtis Wolford Cherry Island Golf Course 916-991-7659

SECRETARY/TREASURER Mike Scully Valley Crest/Modesto 209-578-9678

PAST PRESIDENT Jesse Seguin

Scott Dickson Micke Grove Golf Links 209-369-7037 Hulises Avila, Greenhorn Creek Resort 209-736-8164

Affiliate Representatives Jim Barbuto Ewing Irrigation 916-502-3287 Joe Kurung West Coast Sand & Gravel 916-386-8177

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M E E T I N G DA T E S

July 27, 2015

November 2015

Annual Scholarship & Research Tournament Valley Hi Country Club Hosted by Sean McPhedran

Annual Association Meeting & Election Location to be confirmed

December 2015 August 10, 2015 Annual Tri Chapter Meeting

Annual Holiday Event To be Confirmed

Coyote Creek in Morgan Hill

Hosted by NorCal GCSA

September 21, 2015 Annual President’s Cup Tournament Plumas Pines Golf Course Hosted by Mark Callahan

October 2015 Location to be Confirmed

FORE YOUR INFORMATION 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

2016 California Room USS MIDWAY February 10, 2016

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2015 SCHOLARSHIP & RESEARCH This years Scholarship and Research Tournament will be at Valley Hi Country Club on July 27th. We thank Sean McPhedran, our host superintendent for offering us his fine facility for this special event.

Once again Syngenta and Joe Ballmer were generous enough to help purchase the tee prizes. We would like to thank all the golf industry suppliers who will be supporting our event through equipment displays, items and products donated for the live and silent auctions, sponsored meals, and for those who sponsored tee signs and games on the course. Superintendents, we also want to thank you for attending, bringing guests and some great prizes for the raffle. This year’s donations have already exceeded what we have done in the past. Thank you!

The money raised from this tournament goes to Scholarships,

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Turfgrass Research, SNGCSA’s Personal and Professional Development Program, and our Benevolence Fund.

There is still time to submit applications for scholarships. Annually we award scholarships to a worthy student in the turf grass field and the Legacy Scholarships offers educational aid to the children of SNGCSA members.

Kurtis Wolford and I are co-chairing the event again this year and we are looking forward to another successful event for our chapter.

D AV E B E R M U D E Z

Valley Hi Country Club July 7, 2015

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S TA R T I N G

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A P I A RY

Since 2006 honeybees responsible for pollinating more than 100 crops—from apples to zucchini—have been dying by the millions. Though there have been news reports of this crisis, most people still aren’t aware of it. It’s a complex problem, and experts haven’t agreed on the primary reason for it: Colony Collapse Disorder, other diseases, and two kinds of mites are killing entire colonies, but they don’t understand exactly why.

Starting an apiary is relatively easy; however, there are some things you should consider: Pros There are many reasons why you would want to raise honeybees.

Honey is probably the obvious answer. Who wouldn’t love their own fresh batch of honey to use in recipes. A single bee can produce 1/12 teaspoon of honey in her lifetime

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M IC H AE L S C UL LY

(about 6 weeks), and with a colony consisting of thousands of bees, that can add up quickly.

Wax is another popular product of bees. Bees convert their food and make it into the wax comb. Wax is used in many ways, including candles and cosmetics. Many creams and lipsticks contain beeswax. You can learn how to make your own lipbalm with this guide.

Pollination is a key component of bee life. If you want healthy plants, bees can help. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, ―Bee pollination is responsible for $15 billion in added crop value, particularly for specialty crops such as almonds and other nuts, berries, fruits, and vegetables. About one mouthful in three in the diet directly or indirectly benefits from honeybee pollination.‖ Diligent workers. There’s a reason

we say ―busy as a bee.‖ Bees are constant workers. The nice thing is that it doesn’t take a lot of work on your part to raise bees. Once you get past the initial startup costs, you now have a free labor force that will produce honey and wax that you can later sell. Bees are independent, so there is not a lot of time commitment on your part. Plan for about a half hour each week and for honey collecting twice a year. As long as you are collecting when you should be, not over- or underdoing it, than you will have a happy relationship with your little honey-makers for years to come.

Cons There are some downsides to raising honeybees.

Stings can happen with honeybees. Check with your doctor first to determine if you are one of the (Continued on page 6)

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unlucky people who are allergic to bee stings. Even if you are not allergic, stings can still be slightly painful. Luckily, though, most beekeepers develop immunity to the poison over time.

Cost of supplies. The initial cost of beekeeping is relatively cheap. You will, however, need to invest in supplies such as a hive, proper clothing, a smoker, extracting equipment, and hive supplies. As of this writing, a single new hive may cost about $110, clothing and gear may cost about $160, and a package of new bees may run $75 to $100. Often you can find starter kits with bees, boxes, and gear for a better combined price.

The first year can be a tough one.

On top of learning the ins and outs of beekeeping, you may not get a large amount of honey. Learn to be patient with yourself and your bees.

Community Be sure to talk to local beekeepers and beekeeping organizations or communities. They often meet at public libraries. It’s always a good idea to go out with an expert a few times before raising your own bees.

There are plenty of beekeeping organizations available to those willing to look. These organizations are particularly useful for finding swarms (collections of bees) once you’ve become established with your apiary.

Please reach out to me directly if you would like to get any help with starting your own hive or with any help in general relating to beekeeping.

Welcome New Members Ken Stott - Sunridge G.C. GM/Asst. Superintendent Tracy Hawkins, Class C Cache Creek William Lawecki Class C, Tahoe Donner G.C. Walter Ghidossi, Nhoma Golf Resort Class C Bryce Paiva, Class C The Dragon Jeff Hegland Class A, Schaffer’s Mill Ron Barts, Class A, Rancho Murrietta C.C.

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F ROM T HE F IELD As many of you are aware, the membership of GCSAA voted to add an equipment manager classification to the membership at the annual meeting on Feb. 26 in San Antonio. This was a segment of our industry that the GCSAA board of directors felt was vastly underserved and provided opportunity for growth.

Part of the bigger picture of the equipment manager classification was to merge the International Golf Course Equipment Managers Association (IGCEMA) membership with GCSAA. On April 28, that goal was realized as IGCEMA voted to dissolve their association and move their roughly 370 members under the GCSAA umbrella. The addition of the IGCEMA members provides GCSAA with the opportunity to strengthen ties with equipment managers from around the country.

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JEFF JENSEN GCSAA FIELD STAFF

In an effort to introduce equipment managers to the association, GCSAA is offering a complimentary membership through 2015. In addition to the associated benefits of GCSAA membership, equipment managers will receive online education and resources that are vital to their professional development.

Equipment managers can register for their complimentary membership for the remainder of 2015 by visiting www.gcsaa.org.

Summer is now upon us and it looks like it will once again be a long, hot and difficult one for those of us in the golf industry. With the recent State Water Resources Control Board’s finalization of their emergency regulations, you can expect to continue to receive requests from media, policymakers and the public about the golf industries use of water. As a reminder, your affiliated GCSAA chapters, the California Alliance for Golf, California Golf Course Owners Association, Southern California Golf Associa-

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tion, Southern California PGA and the USGA can assist you in dealing with these requests.

Talking points, industry messaging and media training are just a few of the resources that our allied golf organizations offer. Additionally, if you are still not comfortable speaking with the above mentioned groups, we have put together a list of contacts throughout the state who serve as spokespersons for the industry. Some of the familiar names on this list include Jim Ferrin, Pat Gross, Mike Huck, Craig Kessler, Larry Stowell and Bruce Williams. If you have any questions or would like to obtain these documents, please email me at jjensen@gcsaa.org and I will take care of your request.

Thank you for all of your support and please make sure to follow me on Twitter @GCSAA_SW for all of the latest golf industry updates. I look forward to seeing you at an upcoming event.

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