FORE YOUR I N F O R MA T I O N N ovem b er / Decem b er 2020
Bing Maloney Golf Course
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P R E S I D E N T ’ S M E S S AG E The new year is upon us once again and we are usually switching from maintenance mode to project mode, but 2020 threw a curve ball in our direction. This is a curve ball we will be able to hit with no problem. We swing and connect because those of us who are used to the golf business can always take what is thrown at us. As we take off running and approach first base our seaScott McCullough son starts with many of us being closed for a month. As we continue running and avoiding obstacles along the way like wearing masks, cart rider restrictions, and building capacity restrictions we reach out and step on first base. As we continue to run and are reaching second base some of our restaurants reopen for patio dining and we’re gaining more and more speed. There is a slight chance of hope that we may be able to make up for the loss of revenue in our food and beverage departments. Continuing our run and after leaving second base, we reach more obstacles along the way. Restaurants close yet again, that slight chance of hope leaves us, but we stay focused and we continue to run as hard as we can. Now we’re between 3rd base and home and the crowd is going wild and that crowd to us is cheering for one of the few good things that COVID-19 has brought our way, and that is some of the best golf round numbers we have seen in years.
BY
SCOTT MCCULLOUGH
Finally, we step on home plate and for golf rounds this has been a home run season for all of us. Despite so many restrictions, many of the golf courses have seen a large increase in rounds and this has helped make up for some of the revenues in our food and beverage departments. It has been unfortunate that it was COVID-19 that brought back the urge to play more golf but unfortunately it has been the next best thing from Tiger Woods. Many outside events are now booking 1-2+ years out and the future of golf is looking strong. 2021 will also have some curve balls but we are all pros at dealing with this type of curve ball we will finish future seasons stronger than ever. With all the obstacles we have had for this past year we have some things to celebrate as well. We all look forward to golf continuing to do well and hope for restrictions to be reduced in time. I wish everyone a Happy New Year and I look forward to future Sierra Nevada GCSA events and friendships.
Visit us on line at SierraNevadaGCSA.com The SNGCSA is now on Facebook and Twitter.
2021 SNGCSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT Scott McCullough The Ridge Golf Course
VICE PRESIDENT John Farley Teal Bend Golf Course
Dave Bermudez Del Rio G. & C.C.
SECRETARY/TREASURER Tracy Shanahan Peach Tree Country Club
Jeremy Payne Cameron Park C.C. Ryan Nichols, NuFarm
PAST PRESIDENT Bill Hamilton, CGCS Lake Wildwood Association
DIRECTORS Muhammad Ali Keith Hill, CGCS Michael Cunniff Bing Maloney G.C. Hidden Valley C.C. Clear Creek GC Affiliate Representatives Mark Stutsman Simplot Partners Association Managers Irene Cline and Kimberly Milne
FORE YOUR INFORMATION Published by the Sierra Nevada Golf Course Superintendents Association EDITOR Jeremy Payne OFFICE SNGCSA 3273 Richert Ave., Clovis, CA 93619 559-298-6262 Fax# 559-298-6957 sngcsaa@aol.com
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M E E T I N G DATES
2021
August 2021
January 5, 2021
Tri Chapter Meeting Del Rio Golf & Country Club Hosted by David Bermudez
Turf Tech Workshop POSTPONED
September 2021
March/April 2021
President’s Cup Tournament Need Location
Need Location Call if interested in hosting an event
November 2021
May 2021
Annual Election Meeting & Tournament Volunteer to Host
Grass Roots Tournament & Annual Awards Need Location
December 2021
July 2021 Scholarship & Research Tournament North Ridge Country Club Hosted by Larry Johnson, CGCS
Annual Holiday Event Teal Bend Golf Course Hosted by John Farley
2022 January 2022 Turf Tech Workshop
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T h e I n c re d i b l e L i f e S t o ry O f M uh am m ad Al i , The Bing Maloney Superintendent Who Has Risen Up To Achieve Amazing Success In His Field By Marty James, Freelance Sports Writer
Muhammad Ali grew up on a farm in Pakistan, working alongside his father after school each day. There was a lot to do, tending to fruits and vegetables, growing different crops, and taking care of horses in the countryside area of Ghour Ghushti. “I did all kinds of farming, working in the fields and all that,” said Ali. The work ethic that he acquired at a very young age has carried over into his job today, as the golf course superintendent and a certified arborist at Bing Maloney Golf Course in Sacramento and Bartley Cavanaugh Golf Course in Sacramento. Ali is with Morton Golf, which manages and oversees operations at both facilities, along with those at Haggin Oaks Golf Complex in Sacramento and William Land Golf Course in Sacramento. Ali is up each day at 3:30 a.m., and then at work, in time to see the sunrise. He and his team start work on the golf course at 5 a.m. “My favorite thing to do is to show up to work every day,” said Ali. “It’s a dream job for me. There are very few people on the road at that time – no traffic, nothing. Even at the time when I go home, I don’t run into traffic. It’s perfect. “Golf courses are just beautiful places. Being on a golf course every day is a blessing.”
Ali has been working at golf courses since his arrival in the United States in 2007. He has been on the grounds staff at Haggin Oaks, which has two courses – Alister MacKenzie Golf Course and Arcade Creek Course. He has also been on the team at Timber Creek Golf Course in Roseville. Ali was recognized recently with one of the top awards in his field. He received the 2019 President’s GrassRoots Award from the Sierra Nevada Chapter of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America “for his outstanding individual career efforts and for his contributions to the association and the industry.” Ali is so very honored to receive the award. “I think the SNGCSA award was a great honor for me because, in our chapter, we have lots of hard working and very knowledgeable superintendents from high-end golf courses, but they still selected me for this award,” he said. “On the other hand, it’s really encouraging for me to get recognized for representing GCSAA and Morton Golf. However, I can’t achieve all this without the help of my family and hard-working crew.” In its mission statement, at www.sierranevadagcsa.com, the Sierra Nevada Golf Course Superintendents Association “is established to enhance the profession and promote the growth of golf through quality education and networking opportunities for members.” In its mission statement, at www.gcsaa.org, the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America “is dedicated to serving its members, advancing their profession and enhancing the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf.” Ali is a member of the Sierra Nevada Chapter of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and the GCSAA. “When I came here, it was challenging for me, getting used to the cultural change,” he said. “I didn’t speak English at the time. I went to school to learn English. I took some classes for my citizenship.” Ali hasn’t stopped working since coming to Sacramento. “I love my home country, where I grew up. For me, moving here and living here, this is a great country,” he said. “There are is a lot of opportunity for somebody who wants to work for it.” He worked two jobs, at Haggin Oaks as a seasonal groundskeeper starting in July of 2008, and at Timber Creek about a year later, putting in 16-hour days. “It was tough,” he recalled. “I did it for two years.” He enrolled at American Continued on Page 9
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California Alliance for Golf (CAG) wins the 2021 GCSAA Excellence in Government Affairs Award
The California Alliance for Golf (CAG) has won the 2021 Excellence in Government Affairs Award from GCSAA for its productive and ongoing efforts in advocating for the golf course management
by GCM staff
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 Continued on Page 8
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F RO M T HE F IE LD
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, vacJeff Jensen cines 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/rounds4-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 @ GCSAA_SW for industry updates. Happy Holidays!
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MEMBER HIGHLIGHT J.G O N Z A L E Z , E M P I R E R A N C H G . C .
First, we would like to congratulate Juan J. Gonzalez on his new position as the Superintendent at Empire Ranch Golf Club. Juan has been in the golf course maintenance industry since he got out of high school in 1997. A friend’s dad was working on a course for the City of Sacramento at Juan J. Gonzalez that time and told him of a position opening at Bing Maloney G.C. He was hired and started working for Sam Samuelson, CGCS, who was the Superintendent at that time. Juan also worked for Campbell Turner at Bartley Cavanaugh G.C. and once again for Sam Samuelson at Haggin Oaks G.C. After he left the City of Sacramento, he and his family opened up a family restaurant which he managed for a few years but his love for the golf
course just kept calling him back. Then in 2013 Juan decided to apply for the Assistant Superintendent position at Teal Bend G.C. and became John Farley's assistant for 5 years. He learned a lot from John and enjoyed every minute of it! He had a great teacher! When an opportunity came up for a Superintendent position at a small HOA 9 hole course called Swallow’s Nest C.C. he was ready for the challenge. The property was run by Brightview, which not only included the golf course, but also lake management and maintenance on the 252 homes. Needless to say he had his hands full! When the Superintendent position at Empire Ranch G.C. became available, he jumped at the opportunity to work closely with John Farley again, this time under Wilson Management. It has been a good move for Juan and he is happy to be working alongside some great people. He is impressed with the staff at Empire Ranch G.C. and looking forward to his new position. He is totally up for the challenge and is looking forward to finishing up on an irrigation control system project that the previous superintendent had started Juan has been happily married to his beautiful wife Priscilla for almost 20 years and they have three beautiful daughters which they are very proud of. Michelle is 19 and attending Sacramento State, Natalie is 17 and a senior at Kennedy High School. Celeste is 15 and a sophomore also at Kennedy. Juan is a soccer fanatic and has been playing since he was 5 yrs. old. Soccer has been a part of the Gonzalez family for many years and when they play, they are very competitive! They even rent out indoor soccer facilities for family events. Juan says “God is good!” and we are happy that this hard working individual is part of our association.
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California Alliance for Golf Continued from page 7 further supported by a legislative committee that elicits the participation of additional leaders in the California golf community. In the past decade, CAG collaborated with California’s Department of Water Resources to create a golfseparate 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 COVID19 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 countyspecific 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 have 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 welldeserved 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 on the GCSAA website.
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Mohammed Ali Continued from page 4 River College in Sacramento in 2010. He earned a degree and certifications in horticulture. He got his pesticide license. He became a U.S. citizen in 2010. He took on more duties at Haggin Oaks, working on the irrigation system on the Alister MacKenzie Golf Course, learning more and more about fertilizer programs and chemical applications, and becoming an assistant superintendent. He has also worked at William Land Golf Course. Ali moved to the Bing Maloney Golf Course in 2017. He recently started working at Bartley Cavanaugh Golf Course. He has had youths from the area out to the golf course in a program where he talks about the field of agronomy, going over the work he does as related to the golf course and, in particular, soils, plants, water and climate. Ali was recognized and celebrated in a recent report on the Haggin Oaks website, www.hagginoaks.com, on Sept. 24, as “one of the most accomplished superintendents in the Sacramento area.” The report said: “This award is no small feat and is only awarded to a select few superintendents. And for his incredible work last year, Muhammad Ali was honored with this award for his outstanding individual career efforts and for his contributions to the association and industry. “We are lucky to have this incredible gentleman as our superintendent at Bing Maloney Golf Course in Sacramento and want to congratulate him for this great accomplishment! “Thank you, Ali, for everything that you do to keep our golf course in amazing condition, coming up with creative solutions to unique problems, and helping our golfers have the best time possible while out on the course!” Additionally, Haggin Oaks reported on Nov. 18 on its website, www.hagginoaks.com, that Ali achieved Class A membership status with the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. In its report, Haggin Oaks said: “To achieve this designation, Muhammad engaged in competency-based continuing education and has demonstrated a strong commitment to environmental stewardship by meeting the GCSAA Integrated Pest Management Requirement. “In meeting this designation, Muhammad Ali has shown awesome dedication to developing his career, enhancing our course operations, and making golf even more enjoyable for our golfers. “Please join us in congratulating him on his accomplishment! “We appreciate you, Muhammad. Thank you for your awesome dedication to Bing Maloney Golf Course and all of the Morton Family Golf Courses!” Ali is a member of the board for the Sierra Nevada
Chapter of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. “I love the networking between superintendents. I talk to a bunch of people in this industry,” he said. “Sometimes we have some unique problems. And if I don’t know, I reach out to people. Sometimes if they need help, then they reach out to me. It’s a good group of people.” He takes great pride in the overall care and setup of the course each day – including mowing greens, fairways, tees, approach areas and rough, raking bunkers, putting in pins, watering and doing overall and general cleanup in advance of play. “Golf course work is something I wanted to do when I moved to the United States back in 2007,” he said. “I fell in love with it, with everything they asked me to do, when I started out as a groundskeeper. I just worked my way up, from mowing greens to fixing sprinklers. It makes your day when something gets done the way you want it, and you see other people are enjoying it. “Every day mowing greens and fairways, knowing that people are going to come and play their round that day.” He worked on a bunker renovation project at Haggin Oaks a few years ago. He has also worked on bunker renovations at Bing Maloney. “I really take pride in it, because once you do something, and you see improvement, it just makes you happy,” Ali said. Ali said he greatly appreciates the customer feedback that he and his staff receive from golfers on course setup and conditions and all of the work that goes into caring for a course throughout the year. “It makes me happy when I see people who are enjoying the golf and having a good time,” he said. “They come in and say positive things about the grounds crew. Golfers are the nicest people.” Marty James is a freelance writer who makes his home in Napa. He retired on June 4, 2019, after spending 40 years as a sports writer, sports editor and executive sports editor for the Napa Valley Register, a daily newspaper in Napa County. He is a 1979 graduate of Sacramento State and a member of the California Golf Writers & Broadcasters Association. He was inducted into the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame in 2016. Additional Permission granted by Ken Morton.
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HIGHLIGHTS 2020 SCHOLARSHIP & RESEARCH TOURNAMENT It was a beautiful day and we felt so lucky to be able to hold our S & R Tournament during this challenging year. We followed all guidelines handed down and pulled it off without any problems. Thank you to Superintendent Mike Stieler, CGCS and the staff at Spring Creek Country Club for helping us through. We couldn’t have done it without them.
Above: Dean Kinney and Sierra Pacific Turf provided a fun casino game on the course to help raise additional funds. At right: the team of Steve Byrne, Jeff Jensen, Rodney Muller, and Justin Becker demonstrate safe distancing Below: The 2020 Turf Scholarship Winner Tom White
Team Sunbelt from Spring Creek
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HIGHLIGHTS 2020 SCHOLARSHIP & RESEARCH TOURNAMENT
Rob Williams and Daniel Palin Host Michael Stieler, CGCS
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Welcome New Members Cole Childress Affiliate EZ Go Daniel Palin Class B The Club at ArrowCreek Gregory Ilacqu Class C The Club at ArrowCreek Chris Silva Class C Sun Ridge Golf Club
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