Thursday, December 27, 2012

Jack Nicklaus Learning Leagues, powered by SNAG, to be introduced in U.S. Park and Recreation programs

I must commend Mr. Nicklaus for helping to create some outside of the box thinking or some thinking that should have happened at golf courses around the country long ago.  And kudos to the National Recreation and Parks Association to help make this financially available to the masses.
The game of golf has provided Nicklaus many opportunities during his career and Jack has given back in many ways throughout the years, not to mention the type of embassador that he is for the game of golf.
Without much information at this point it is hard to know what these programs will look like in the form of cost, activities, promotion, and cost.  Whoops! did I mention cost more than once?  Hopefully, these programs will remain affordable without the grants that the NRPA is seeking.  I manage three County operated golf courses as part of our San Luis Obispo County Parks and Rec program and I know I am interested in implementing this initiative at our courses!  Any way we can continue to attempt to attract new generations of golfers to the game is good in my opinion.  Stay tuned as this program rolls out and information becomes available.

Please read the link below to find information regarding these programs.

Jack Nicklaus Learning Leagues, powered by SNAG, to be introduced in U.S. Park and Recreation programs

"Golf is a simple game made difficult by man."
~ Tom Haliburton, British golf instructor

Saturday, December 22, 2012

SLO Golf Card 2013 for $99

The 2013 SLO Golf Card makes a great stocking stuffer for the golfer on your list!  There simply is no better golf value on the Central Coast.  The card offers up to 40% off of our already reasonable green fees 365 days per year with no time limitations and special promotions throughout the year.  The membership includes play at three distinctly different courses:  Morro Bay has ocean views from every hole, Chalk Mountain is a traditional American style course carved through the hills of a Coastal Oak forest, and Dairy Creek is a links style course with rocky arroyos and breathtaking vistas of the nine sister ancient volcanic peaks.

Your membership affords you 6 guest passes so that you can bring your friends to pay the low rate of $29 anytime.  If purchased by December 31, you will get 3 free rounds of golf up front, so the card virtually pays for itself the minute you buy it and then you receive your discounts every time you play!  When you buy a SLO Golf Card your spouse can get their card for only $50 and you can also get up to two FREE Jr. cards and your child's green fees are always $6 each time they play.  As stated before this truly is the best golf value on the Central Coast and perhaps all of California.  Don't take my word for it, get your SLO Golf Card(s) today!

Friday, December 21, 2012

Unbelievable putt(s)? Non-anchored even.

I got this video from the National Golf Foundation website and I have never seen anything like it before.  I am not sure how many takes they tried before they made it happen, but either way the childlike excitement of these gentlemen is something that is great to see.  We need more celebrations like this on every course.  What a great example of what golf should be...fun and social!  Can you and your friends make 7?  Enjoy this video.




"It is almost impossible to remember how tragic a place this world is when playing golf."
   ~ Robert Lynd, British essayist       

Friday, December 7, 2012

The man, the myth, the legend...Moe Norman!

I was recently introduced to the late Moe Norman during my trip North Carolina and the Pinehurst area.  As a golf enthusiast I had never come across the name before or perhaps I had and did not register it into my brain for safe keeping.  You could say what kind of a golf enthusiast am I if I have not heard of this man?  Well it turns out that many golfers have never heard of this "Rainman of Golf."  Moe was an idiot savant so to speak for golf.  Considered the best ball striker ever by many tour players including Tiger and Jack!  Who is Moe Norman, many may ask?  Well please view the following video for a glimpse into the life of a cast off golf genious that never did make it to the top of the game and arguably was never given the chance.

"Golf is not a game, it is a way of life, and we pass along its tortuous and humorous path, alas, but once."
~Malcolm Campbell, British humorist
 

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Rules of Golf change - anchored putting strokes

THE R&A AND USGA ANNOUNCE PROPOSED RULES CHANGE TO PROHIBIT ANCHORED STROKES

By USGA and The R&A
November 28, 2012


Rule would take effect on January 1, 2016, allowing for transitional period; 
Belly-length and long putters would remain as conforming clubs

To see this graphic click here


The R&A and the United States Golf Association (USGA), golf’s governing bodies, today announced proposed changes to the Rules of Golf that would prohibit anchoring the club in making a stroke.

The proposed Rule 14-1b, which follows an extensive review by The R&A and the USGA, would prohibit strokes made with the club or a hand gripping the club held directly against the player’s body, or with a forearm held against the body to establish an anchor point that indirectly anchors the club.

The proposed new Rule would not alter current equipment rules and would allow the continued use of all conforming golf clubs, including belly-length and long putters, provided such clubs are not anchored during a stroke. The proposed Rule narrowly targets only a few types of strokes, while preserving a golfer’s ability to play a wide variety of strokes in his or her individual style.

Prior to taking a final decision on the proposed Rule, The R&A and the USGA will consider any further comments and suggestions from throughout the golf community.

“We believe we have considered this issue from every angle but given the wide ranging interest in this subject we would like to give stakeholders in the game the opportunity to put forward any new matters for consideration,” said Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of The R&A.

Proposed Changes to Rule 14-1
The proposed change would relabel current Rule 14-1 as Rule 14-1a, and establish Rule 14-1b as described below:

14-1b Anchoring the Club
In making a stroke, the player must not anchor the club, either “directly” or by use of an “anchor point.” 
Note 1:  The club is anchored “directly” when the player intentionally holds the club or a gripping hand in contact with any part of his body, except that the player may hold the club or a gripping hand against a hand or forearm.
Note 2:  An “anchor point” exists when the player intentionally holds a forearm in contact with any part of his body to establish a gripping hand as a stable point around which the other hand may swing the club. 

The proposed Rule change would take effect on January 1, 2016, in accordance with the regular four-year cycle for changes to the Rules of Golf. This timetable would also provide an extended period in which golfers may, if necessary, adapt their method of stroke to the requirements of the Rule.

For more information about the newly proposed Rule, as well as additional information including videos and images of strokes that would be allowed or prohibited by the proposed changes to Rule 14-1, visitRandA.Org/Anchoring or USGA.Org/Anchoring.

New Rule Would Define and Preserve the Nature of the Stroke
In proposing the new Rule, The R&A and the USGA concluded that the long-term interests of the game would be served by confirming a stroke as the swinging of the entire club at the ball.

“Throughout the 600-year history of golf, the essence of playing the game has been to grip the club with the hands and swing it freely at the ball,” said USGA Executive Director Mike Davis. “The player’s challenge is to control the movement of the entire club in striking the ball, and anchoring the club alters the nature of that challenge. Our conclusion is that the Rules of Golf should be amended to preserve the traditional character of the golf swing by eliminating the growing practice of anchoring the club.”

New Rule Would Address Recent Developments in the Game
This proposal reflects The R&A’s and USGA’s responsibility to define how the game is to be played. Aspects of how a player must make a stroke have been addressed in past Rules changes, such as the century-old Rule codifying that the ball must be fairly struck and not be pushed, scraped or spooned and the 1968 prohibition on the “croquet” style of putting.

“As governing bodies, we monitor and evaluate playing practices and developments in golf, with our primary mandate being to ensure that the Rules of Golf continue to preserve the fundamental characteristics of the game,” added Davis.

Although anchoring the club is not new, until recently it was uncommon and typically seen as a method of last resort by a small number of players. In the last two years, however, more and more players have adopted the anchored stroke. Golf’s governing bodies have observed this upsurge at all levels of the game and noted that more coaches and players are advocating this method. The decision to act now is based on a strong desire to reverse this trend and to preserve the traditional golf stroke.

“Anchored strokes have become the preferred option for a growing number of players and this has caused us to review these strokes and their impact on the game,” said Dawson. “Our concern is that anchored strokes threaten to supplant traditional putting strokes which are integral to the longstanding character of the sport.”

Review Process and Timetable
Earlier this year, The R&A and the USGA announced that they were reviewing the subject of anchoring. There has been widespread discussion of the issue throughout the international golf community which has been noted by the governing bodies. 

Each organization is expected to take a final decision on the proposed Rule change in spring 2013. Anyone wishing to provide written comments to the appropriate governing body is encouraged to do so by February 28, 2013 as directed on the respective websites: RandA.Org/Anchoring orUSGA.Org/Anchoring

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Frost delays benefit your golf game...it's true!

It is fall again and in many areas of the county and world, golf course turf is beginning its season of sleep. These turf types have earned this rest after providing us with hours of enjoyment this past season! The recent two past seasons in the midwest and East have been extremely difficult for turf health given the drought and high temperatures that have been experienced in many areas or flooding and humidity in other areas. Regardless of whether you have warm season (Bermuda) or cool season (fescue, bluegrass, and bentgrass) turf, this is the time of year the grass plant is trying to store energy for their winter dormancy period. You can think of this dormancy like a bear's hibernation. Well, actually that is not true as bear's do not truly hibernate...how about the hibernation of a turtle. At this time turf managers are feeding their turf with fertilizer formulations that are readily taken up by the plants for carbohydrate storage in their root structures. This storage is actually how the plants survive throughout the winter months as photosynthesis and respiration are considerably slowed down or nearly stopped depending upon your climate and turf type. Without this carbohydrate storage the plant may die during the winter and not green up in the spring. Carbohydrates are the energy source for the plants just like in our own bodies.
 
The phenomenon of frost also occurs at this same time period. Frost and foot or cart traffic can actually be a killer of turf during the fall months. When the temperatures are dropping and day lengths continue to shorten the plants ability to create and store energy is significantly decreased as well. Plants need the sun to photosynthesize (make food). The shortened day length also means the soil is cooling down but often times is warmer than the outside air temperature. This leads to FROST or ice crystals on the outside of plants. When the frost is really heavy the actual internal cells of the plant can also become frozen. Frost is a naturally ocurring phenomenon and does not hurt the turf on its own, but when combined with foot or cart traffic, it can have dire consequences on the turf survival. When a tire or foot applies pressure to the frosted leaf the crystals of the ice and frozen plant cells can rupture or burst.
 
 Plants use a structure inside of the cells called mitochondria to produce photosynthesized sugars into a usable energy form of ATP or ADP much like our human digestive system. When the plant cell is ruptured the cell dies and the mitochondria is no longer able to produce energy to the plants' roots. If the majority of the cells are ruptured then the plant looses its ability to produce energy regardless of how much fertilizer you apply as leaves are what photosynthesize not the roots. However, if your turf is healthy and has an ample supply of stored carbohydrates the plant may survive the winter depending upon conditions.
 
Now how can a frost delay benefit your golf game?  Let me explain or even show you....
 
By delaying play until the frost has melted your golf course can continue to survive and thrive as nature intended. These frost delays actually help your golf game by maintaining the consistent course conditions that your golf facility and superintendents wish to provide to you on a daily basis. Frost in the fall is exceptionally dangerous as the plant must survive all winter on its reserves without a replenishable energy source (photosynthesis). Frost during the spring, although just as detrimental to the plants cell structure, is not as dangerous as the day lengths are getting longer and the plants will be able to possibly recover as they are awakening from dormancy rather that preparing for dormancy. Take a look at the picture below:


This photo above photo was taked at the first tee at Dairy Creek in the fall of 2010.  The brown areas showed up in the afternoon after a golfer walked across the tee while waiting for the OK to play during a frost delay.  Patience is a virtue.  These footprints were reseeded and looked fine in a couple of months.  Now, please have a look at the next picture. 

 
The above photo represents the foot traffic from a typical foursome of golfers on a putting green.  This photo was taken during a morning of heavy dew and the paper footprints are used to drive the point home.  Look at the area around the hole.  Now, imagie this picture with brown (dead) footprints just like the first photo above and multiply it by 2, 3, or maybe 10 foursomes!  Is this a green you would like to putt on?  Now perhaps you don't care because there are other courses in the area to play while this one recovers, but suppose this is your club or your favorite course...wouldn't you be upset that someone couldn't wait to play for a small delay so that YOU could enjoy a true putting surface and better ball roll?  Don't true putting surfaces and better ball roll benefit your golf game?  There you have it... frost delays benefit your golf game!
 
Please respect your fellow golfers enjoyment of the game and the golf course itself by following the various signs or rules associated with your next round of golf.  As operators we are not trying to add unneccessary regulations to the game, but rather we are trying to protect the assets that we as golfers value for the enjoyment of everyone.  Golf course superintendent's can fix nearly every turf problem or situation.  It just costs money and as golfer I prefer to keep the cost of golf down without having to perform unnecessary repairs that can be averted with a short delay or courtesy.  Please contact me if you have questions or if I can provide any further information.
 
Golf is a game of honor, tradition, and passion.  It is also a source of social interaction and recreation. Have fun when you play your next round and enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings while you recreate and socialize with those in your group!  Keep swining.
 
 
" The greens were so fast I had to hold my putter over the ball and hit it with the shadow."
 
~ Sam Snead

Friday, November 2, 2012

Affordable Golf in Pinehurst?

I recently returned from a golf symposium that turned out to be one of the best golf industry conferences in my career.  I have to admit that I was worried when I prepared my suitcase for my flight right into hurricane Sandy as the feelings in my gut were not good. It turned out that the golf Gods were on my side as I got one of the last flights out of DC Dulles airport heading anywhere before the entire place was shut down all together.  Luckily my flight left on time and we headed to Raleigh where the storm had already passed and not a drop of rain fell on me during my trip to the Southeast.

The symposiums' mastermind was Rich Mandell, president of Richard Mandell Golf Architecture.  Rich has attended many conferences in his past and felt unfulfilled by the results, so he decided to create the Symposium on Affordable Golf. 2012 was the third year it has been attended and the participation continues to grow.

Representatives from all facets of the golf industry were present.  Architects, superintendents from the GCSAA and Europe, pros from the PGA and LPGA, owners and operators, consultants, contractors, the USGA, players, writers, etc.  Essentially if you can think of anyone that has an interest in the golf industry they were there.  The topics lead to open, honest discussions that sought to determine what golf was, is, should be, and could be in an effort to create a more sustainable industry.  Now, sustainability means different things to many individuals.  The overall message had to do with people, planet, and profit.  Meaning that golf must serve its customers (people) while being mindful of the environment (planet) in an effort to remain in business (profit).

We discussed the slogan "Brown as the new green"  that was flown a couple of years ago and overall was not well accepted by either players or superintendents.  Really this effort was to promote firm and fast not necessarily brown turf.  The entire room understood that water is a precious resource and we must all do our part to increase water conserving efforts and that means that golfers are going to have to change their desires from less of an emerald green to more of an apple green in the effort toward sustainable golf courses.  Fewer inputs such as water, fertilizer, and pesticides are where the industry is heading and we all need to do a better job of educating golfers that the dark green hues are not in the best interest of our sport.

Topics ranged from how less of an artificial influence by golf architects can actually add more to the game regarding strategy vs. penalty to actual sustainable practices at golf courses.  I was flabbergasted that the Symposium would ask me to come speak at the event and bring our model of Zero Waste to the discussion.  It turned out to be a perfect fit for many of the discussion as we are doing what much of the symposium was geared toward.  We are attempting to reduce or eliminate our waste to landfills and educating the general public how our practices can influence or translate to their daily lives, introducing new people to the game of golf, and moving to a more organic means of maintaining turf.

We further discussed the generation gap of golf.  This involved 6 golfers and their views of the game.  Great discussions developed about traditions like why are blue jeans unacceptable, why do people pick up the game, and does the game really need to grow or is it OK as is?  We also learned about how a 27 hole executive course is doing its part to provide quick golf at affordable rates for all.  That is plenty to think about over night as day one came to an end.

Day two opened with a discussion about the survey that Rich put together to try to determine what golfers value as important.  This topic lasted nearly an hour and a half, but never lost relevancy or the audiences attention.  We then moved to a project in which an architect used sustainable means to build a golf course for one individual for $3 million.  I loved the fact that the project did not include the construction of tee boxes and that the winner of the previous hole picks the tee location for the next hole.  The entire course is maintained with a $300K budget that includes only two cutting heights...fairways and greens.  There is no rough and very little soil was moved for this project.  Truly sustainable!

The final discussion was about finding the romance in golf and spend less time selling the business.  Dana Rader is the president of the LPGA and she stated that there are no new golf tips.  The golf swing has changed little since the time of Old Tom Morris (I hope you know this name) and golf pros have no business charging such high prices for golf lessons.

I made a number of contacts and friendships that I hope will last for a long time.  The trip will definitely be on my radar in the future, mark your calendars for Oct. 28th and 29th, 2013.  Oh, did I say where...10 miles from PINEHURST!

My take aways were many but here are a few.  1) Golf is steep in tradition, but we need to make the game fun again and remove barriers that may inhibit people from taking up the game.  2) The sustainability of golf needs a remodel that coincides with golfer education.  Finally, 3) we need more people that have PASSION for the game and what it means.  The meaning is not always easy to describe, but I can tell you that my passion was rekindled with just the trip alone.  If you are not sure where your passion has gone, take a trip to Pinehurst and find it around every corner and on the face of nearly everyone you meet.  Join me next year for the Symposium on Affordable Golf and find out what golf can mean to you.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Golf and Environmentalism

Golf courses frequently receive a bad reputation from the media and general public due to our chemical and water useage.  I am biased and believe that golf course superintendents are good stewards of the environment and our natural resources.  Look at all of the golf blogs out in the world and read the posts regarding habitat restoration, innovative idease to reduce or eliminate water, fuel, and fertilizers.  There are plenty of them all you have to do is search and read (or better yet call up your area golf course superintendent and ask)!

Many of you that read our blog, know that Dairy Creek is currently working towards Zero Waste status and things are going well and systems are working.  All that is left is the fine tuning.  Golfers are doing their part by separating their waste and through our tours and presentations about Zero Waste we are getting the message out to the public about how they can perform these simple tasks or create these systems at home.  Collectively together we can all make a difference.  And imagine a wasteful golf course professing and following such a clean initiative!


Our newest accomplishment, I say ours, but really it is the accomplishment of our local Integrated Waste Management Authority (www.iwma.com) has received a $100,000 grant to provide all of the golf courses in our County with waste receptacles to help make recycling and sorting easier.  I cannot confirm that the implementation of our Zero Waste Park at Dairy Creek helped spur this idea or proof that such a grant had merit, but I like to think in some small way we are making a difference.

One of our displays at the clubhouse that help explain our program and how people can help.
(Click on the image to get a better view)
If you are local come by the Zero Waste Park within El Chorro Regional Park and take the self guided tour or call me and I will make myself available to give you a tour.  Let's all make our communities a better place to call home and come learn about how a golf course model can help keep our environment clean for all to enjoy!
 
"Golf is life simplified and improved."
              ~ David Owen, writer             


Friday, October 12, 2012

Magic on a golf course

As golfers we all know the magical things that happen on a golf course.  For instance, how the dew glistens across the course just as the sun peaks over the horizon, how you manage to pick just the right line of a triple breaking putt of 90 feet (I don't know what that is like but I have heard about it), or how your playing partner Sal's ball made such a wicked turn in the air to end up in the worst possible jailed position, and finally how Sal was able not only to get the ball out of jail, but onto the green, make par and win the double down press on the last hole!

Take a look at this advertisement for the European Tour and enjoy yourself as you watch the magical shots and ... well ... the MAGIC.  Enjoy!

 
"The charm of a good hole is that it keeps us thinking that we have always got to decide between, on the one hand, a highly dangerous but highly profitable course and, on the other hand a comparatively safe, easy course that ought not to lose us much but may just lose us somthing intensely important."
 
 
~ Bernard Darwin, golf columnist and grandson of Charles Darwin

Saturday, September 29, 2012

SLO County Parks and Golf at Savor the Central Coast

We teamed up again with SLO County Parks to represent all that we have to offer again this year at the Savor the Central Coast event at Santa Margarita Ranch in Santa Margarita, CA.  This event is a great exhibition of all the Central Coast of California has to offer.  Most of the cities and communities were represented with booths and displays.  Wineries were on full display and there are hundreds of them.  Our booth was located right next to the International Wine Competition Gold Award winners.  Many of our Central Coast wines were featured and it is nice to know that we have such a great group of vintners in our area to capture prestigious international awards.  If you get the chance watch the movie "Bottle Shock" and see how wine got its start in California, you will not be disappointed as it is a great piece of history and quite entertaining too!

Well, our booth included our golf simulator, portable putting green, homemade potato chips from Dairy Creek's kitchen (DELICIOUS!!)  Lay's watch out.  Our goal was to give away free golf and perhaps some golfers to come back to the Central Coast and take advantage of the great golf, not just our courses, in this gorgeous area.  We set up a closest to the pin contest and gave 2 free rounds and cart away to the top 10 closest shots.  20 rounds total!!  We had a blast and had nearly 200 visitors try their luck on the simulator.  The winner was Scott Morales of San Jose.  Congratulations Scott and we hope to see you back here soon!  We will get a good nights sleep and do it all again tomorrow.  My thanks go out to my partners this weekend, Kent Lauble, pro from Dairy Creek and Morro Bay Michael Samaniego and Levi Garcia both pros at Chalk Mountain Golf Course.  These guys did a fantastic job of providing instruction to all of the participants.

Photos will follow after tomorrow's final day of the event. 


Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Sustainable Golf Demonstration Park

This morning I presented our Zero Waste Park at Dairy Creek to a group of Rotarians, the SLO Daybreak Chapter specifically.  I have given this presentation probably 30 times since we began promoting Zero Waste at Dairy Creek.  The response has been tremendous and people are surprised an effort like this is happening at a golf course!  I have a blast each time as it is fun to promote golf and talk to people about what we do behind the scenes. 

I usually start the presentation by asking how many golfers are in the room.  This percentage ranges from 15-50% of the group.  I then follow up with a questions for the non-golfers, "What comes to mind when I mention the term golf course?"  I get responses like Tiger Woods (he is definitely still relevant), money, country clubs, etc.  There are also a number of responses like, water polluters, pesticide contamination, and water wasters.  I promise them that I will try to change their minds before the presentation is finished.  This morning I had nearly 10 people come up after the presentation who provided some of the negative comments about golf courses and express gratitude for what we are doing and that they are joyful to know the strides that golf courses take to protect our resources and communities.

There definitely needs to be more information shared with the world about what we do as golf course superintendents as stewards of the environment!  On a daily basis we are monitoring our water usage, fertility programs, pesticide applications, fuel usage, habitat availability, etc.  Many would argue that this is for business purposes and that is true that we must always be conscious of the bottom line and our budgets, but Integrated Pest Management, personal interests, and "its the right thing to do" are also drivers of our actions.  Get out, profess what YOU and our industry are doing for our communities and get active in different programs and organizations.  I have not even mentioned the charitable activities that happen on golf courses, the economic impact our small businesses have within out communities, and how about the recreational and social benefits of this great sport.  All of those are for another post.  Bye for now.

" The site of a golf course should be there, not brought there...Many an acre of magnificent land has been utterly destroyed by steam shovel biting out traps and bunkers, transposing landmarks that are contemporaries of Genesis. "
~ Perry Maxwell, golf architect

Friday, September 21, 2012

Another example of why golf is such an incredible game!

The First Tee is program that helps get kids into the game of golf.  It origiinally started as a way to instill values and morals within kids that grew up in less than ideal situations.  The life lessons and values are still the cornerstone of The First Tee as the program has grown and gained quite a following.

Please read below as this is an excellent example of why those of us in the golf industry continue to do what we do each and everyday.

THE MISSION OF THE FIRST TEE
To impact the lives of young people by providing
educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values
and promote healthy choices through the game of golf.
 
Billy Gibbs is a PGA teaching professional that I have had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with on Golf Talk Radio show on ESPN Radio 1280 here on the Central Coast.  Billy Co-Hosts the show with Mike Brabenec every Saturday at 8:05 am.  Billy is a First Tee Coach and National Trainer and also serves as the Program Director the First Tee of the Central Coast.  This past year he was honored with the award of 2012 Southern California PGA Junior Golf Leader of the Year.  The following email depicts why Billy was selected for this distinction as well as how golf and the First Tee can help young (and old) find their way through life!
 
Billy,

Now that the next season of First Tee is rolling around again I have
had a chance to think back on what a positive experience this program
has been for Audrey. Through the past two seasons of First Tee you
have made a special connection with Audrey and have been able to
bring out special qualities in her that she rarely exhibits. One of
these qualities is self-confidence. In groups Audrey is usually
withdrawn and unfocused. However, during First Tee she was very
confident, spoke her mind, and participated with her peers in the
activities. The skills and environment that First Tee provided
enable Audrey to achieve success which built her self-confidence. We
will be forever grateful that you took the time to get to know Audrey
for the person that she is. We look forward to the upcoming season
to watch Audrey grow as a golfer and as a person overcoming Autism.

Best Regards,
Bernadette Corona
 
 
 
" Golf has probably kept more people sane that psychiatrists have. "
 
~Harvey Penick, golf instructor

Monday, July 30, 2012

August SLO Golf Card promotional offer

SLOGolfCard
August Promotion
Featuring

Dairy Creek Golf Course

Exclusively for
SLOGolfCard Members Only !!
We will be serving Complimentary
Food and Wine Every Wednesday
in August
beginning August 8th

(From 1:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.)
~ We will not be serving on August 1st ~
If you are not able to come out and play golf on any of these days, please feel free to still come out and enjoy some great food and drink


Menu's
Wednesday, August 8th
Top Sirloin French Dip sandwich with Swiss cheese & horseradish cream
Served on an Onion roll with Red Bee Potato salad.
Wednesday, August 15th
Vietnamese baked Bahn Mi Meatball sandwich with
Asian slaw and sriracha dressing With Peanut noodle salad
Wednesday, August 22nd
Southwestern marinated Pork Loin Torta with Spicy garden veggies
and chipotle mayo served with Chile-vegetable Pasta salad
Wednesday, August 29th
Chicago Italian Beef sandwich with hot mix giardiniera,
served with Orzo macaroni and vegetable salad
 
 


Thursday, June 21, 2012

The First Staff Cup

 All three of our courses are assisted by the help of concession operators to some degree.  Chalk Mountain is fully operated by Golden State Golf and I am the only County staff member that has any duties or responsibility to the property.  Morro Bay and Dairy Creek Pro Shops and Restaurants operations are managed by Fairway.

I have been working with the management of Fairway to find a way that we could integrate our staffs together as a teambuilding activity.  The solution was quite easy.  Since we manage golf courses why not hold a tournament?  We have held many outings in the past for staff, but not with the intent to team build or event to have one course play another course.  
This time however there were to be bragging rights and an trophy associated with the event not to mention some great cullinary delights afterward.
Peter's classic follow through that has an uncanny resemblance to the Morro Bay logo.
The competition involved 3 teams of 4 individuals per course and each team combined staff from County, Fairway, and our volunteer staffs.  The winner was determined by combining the 9-hole scramble scores from all three teams into a team total.  Wouldn't you know there would be a tie at 6 under!  So, onto the putting green. 
John trying to solidify par at the 9th.
Each course randomly drew names from a hat to determine their 3 putters that would each putt a stroke toward a designated hole and the team with the lowest combined miss distance would take the cup.  The trick was that no golfer was allowed to watch any other golfers putt so that they all had an equally challenging time with the shot. 

Alan rolling in a crucial putt for birdie on the 9th hole.
Ryan serving up some delicious Tres Leches cake.
Randy and Ryan after everyone has been served.  Thanks for the great eats!
After the first four played their shots it was pretty even with two putts not staying on the green and the other two missed by about 12 feet. The final player for each team then gave it a try and Mo Brockman's missed putt of 14" clinched the title for Morro Bay. We plan to continue this event twice per year and the next event will be held sometime around November/December.

Morgan's winning putt is on its way

And the winner is...Morro Bay.  The line has been drawn in the sand!
Congratulations everyone!  Two things are certain...we are blessed to live on the Central Coast and have great team members that deliver consistent quality and service on beautiful golf courses!

"When I get out there on that green carpet called a fairway, and poke the ball right down the middle, everything looks like heaven on earth." 
~ Jimmy Demaret, former PGA Tour player

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

The Environmental Institute For Golf (EIFG) visits our Zero Waste Park at Dairy Creek!

Greg at the pro shop under our mission and vision demonstration
Richard (from EPA Inc.) and I could not have been more excited to host Greg Lyman from the Environmental Institute For Golf to our Zero Waste Park!  What a thrill and honor it was to have him call and let us know he would be in the area this month. 

Richard is explaining the intricacies of our composters
Richard, Jason Lewis (Cal Poly turf professor), and I spent about three hours picking Greg's brain regarding research and the relevancy of Zero Waste within the golf and turf industry.  From my perspective this meeting only solidified my already biased opinion that YES, it most definitely can. 


Greg is enthralled by the worm bins just as so many younger visitors have been while experiencing our Zero Waste Park
Discussing compost tea on our brewer platform overlooking our irrigation ponds and 8th hole at Dairy Creek Golf Course
We still have an enormous amount of work ahead of us to prove to the nay sayers that organic compost without a doubt can have a beneficial effect on water savings, pesticide usage, and fertility needs.  Rome was not built within a day, so all we have is time.  In the meantime we will continue to profess the good golf is doing being proactive about environmental efforts and how these efforts can be used at home, school, businesses, etc. 


Join us in our goal of Zero Waste golf and visit our Zero Waste Park or let me know if you have any questions.  Zero Waste benefits us all!

Friday, June 15, 2012

The Central Coast Oyster Festival is ready to begin!

At noon on Saturday June 16th the First Central Coast Oyster Festival will be held at our very own Morro Bay Golf Course in Morro Bay State Park.  The event will feature a 10 chef oyster competition, multiple local food and wine vendors, Tap It Brewery, and the Morro Bay Oyster Company.  In the true spirit of the Central Coast the event will be a Zero Waste event so that all wastes are sorted and the landfill impacts are minimized or eliminated.  All of the proceeds go to Options Family Services which is a local non-profit here in San Luis Obispo County is a private, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation founded in 1991 to provide quality mental health, family preservation, life skills and domestic violence interventions to at-risk rural, urban and homeless children, adolescents, individuals and families

All of this held on the Morro Bay Golf Course near the beach of the beautiful Estero Bay of the Central Coast featuring the Morro Rock.  The event starts at noon and will roll on until 8 pm so get your tickets or buy them at the gate and come see Walk Off the Earth (click on the right to see and hear their cover of Gotye's Somebody that I Used to Know).


Below are some photos of the site being set up.  Enjoy!

The Pagoda that will become the Bar
View from behind the 13th green overlooking the event site.
The early stages of the stage that will feature four great performing acts!










The Event site next to the 13th hole.  The course will remain open and the 14th hole will play as a par 3 rather than it's traditional par 5 design.  This will allow golfers a preview of the sights and sounds of the event that are available to them after their round.  Come out and join us!




Wednesday, June 13, 2012

2012 San Luis Obispo County Amateur Golf Championship

This years' tournament was a two day event that began at Chalk Mountain Golf Course and was finished at Dairy Creek.  The weather could not have been better and we had a large field with close to 90 players.  Below you will find the results of the top finishers in each division.  If you did not get the chance to participate keep your eyes open for the event announcement next year.

I hope everyone enjoys the US Open this weekend at the Olympic Club!

Championship Flight

2 Day Total
Competitor
135
Justin Warthen
136
Austin Kaiser
142
Brandon Vail
142
Levi Garcia
142
Dereck Strain
143
Dan Miller
144
Troy Larkin
145
Trevor Cassidy
145
Mitch Martin
146
Jason Errecart
148
Randy Armas
148
Jim Long
148
David Aarons

1st Flight
2 Day Total
Competitor
131
Russ Thompson
135
Armando Chavez
139
Jeff Blanchard
141
Dave Rodgers
142
Troy Van Middendorp
2nd Flight
135
Bill Miller
138
Mike Howe
139
George Dodge
143
Julian Dacanay
143
Mark Ferris

"I'm not doing any fitness.  You won't see me in the gym.  They don't let me smoke in there."
~John Daly