TPC Valencia - California Golf Course Superintendents Association

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE HI-LO DESERT & GCSASC | VOLUME 8 | ISSUE 8 | AUGUST 2012 

TPC Valencia

2 

SO-CAL boar of directors & upcoming events 

GCSASC CHAPTER • NEWS | EVENTS | & MORE 

2012/2013 OFFICERS 

PRESIDENT 

David (DJ) Ahlstrand • Mile Square G.C. 

Email: djahlstrand@yahoo.com 

VICE-PRESIDENT 

Shane Roth • Aliso Viejo C. C. 

Email: Shane.roth@ourclub.com 

SECRETARY/TREASURER 

Brian Sullivan, MG, CGCS • Bel Air Country Club 

Email: belairccbrian@aol.com 

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT 

Juan Maldonado 

Glendora Country Club 

Email: flizz1994@yahoo.com 

2012/2013 DIRECTORS 

David Coote 

Wood Ranch Golf Club 

Email: super@woodranchgc.com 

Pat Gradoville, CGCS • Palos Verdes Golf Club 

Email: patgradpvgc@yahoo.com 

Brian Ramsey • Ojai Valley Inn & Spa 

Email: Brian_Ramsey@ojairesort.com 

Kurt Desiderio 

Saticoy Country Club 

Email: Kurt@saticoycountryclub.com 

Rich Liddle 

San Gabriel Country Club 

Email: rliddle@sangabrielcc.com 

Nate Radwick 

Malibu Golf Club 

Email: motonate2@hotmail.com 

AFFILIATE LIASONS 

Bill Culbertson • Well Tec/Golf Safety 

Email: bc823putt@sbcglobal.net 

Corbett Rankin • Ameriturf 

Email: corbettrankin@gmail.com 

ASST. SUPERINTENDENT LIASON 

Eric Ulrich 

Lakeside Golf Club 

Email: eric@lakesidegolfclub.com 

SO-CAL UPCOMING 

EVENTS 

October 14, 2012 

Family Picnic • Irvine Regional Park 

November TBD 

Meeting 

December 10, 2012 

21st Annual Duff Shaw Classic 

North Ranch Country Club 

SEA New Members 

August 

Jerod Duke 

Division Manager 

Imperial Western Products, Inc. 

CHAPTER OFFICE 

Cyndy Neal • Executive Director 

GCSASC/Hi-Lo Desert GCSA 

P.O. Box 19190 

Newbury Park, CA 91319 

Phone (310) 528-0723 

Fax (805) 435-1743 

Email • Cyndy@cmnsupt.com 

SO-CAL IN THIS ISSUE 

USGA Rule 3 

From the Field 4 

Super's Corner 5 

President's Message 6 

Tree Trimming 8 

Supt. Cup 9 

Leaderboard 11 

Tourney Recap 12 

Rich Wagner 14 

Hole of the Month 21 

SEA TO SAND • THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE HI-LO DESERT GCSA & GCSASC

NEWS | EVENTS | & MORE • GCSASC CHAPTER 

Something All Clubs Should Post for Players! 

It’s Worked Wonders. 

Suggested by Rich Liddle • San Gabriel Country Club 

Repair of Divots, Ball-Marks and Damage by Shoes are USGA Rules! 

"Players should carefully repair any divot holes made by them and any damage to the putting 

green made by the impact of a ball (whether or not made by the player himself). On completion 

of the hole by all players in the group, damage to the putting green caused by golf shoes should 

be repaired.”- USGA Rules 

An outline of what proper player etiquette is at any course: “Leave the course in better shape 

than you found it”. 

A key part of the game of golf is respect. Respect for the history of the game, respect for the 

rules, respect for your fellow players and respect for the course. To leave the course in better 

shape than you found it is key to insuring the viability and quality of the golf course for yourself 

and others in the future to continue to enjoy it. 

• Key to fulfilling this ambition are the following: 

• Avoid taking divots with practice swings. Take only one swing. 

• Replace divots or fill them with soil/seed mixture if provided. Repair not only yours but 

others that you may see nearby. 

• Smooth footprints or other marks in sand bunkers after playing from a bunker. 

• Repair ball marks on the green (yours and others). 

Repaired marks will heal in 2-3 days, versus 2-3 weeks for un-repaired marks. 

Be sure to insert your repair tool at the edges of the ball mark and bring the edges in toward 

the middle. Then tamp down the spot with your putter. Never lift the middle of the ball mark 

upward, which would leave a bald spot on the green. How do you know when it is fixed 

properly? When you would putt over the mark with your own ball. 

The game of golf is built on pride. Taking the time to care for the course will always be a major 

part of this wonderful game! 

SEA TO SAND • THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE HI-LO DESERT GCSA & GCSASC 

POST 

3 

SO-CAL USGA Rule

4 

SO-CAL jeff jensen • from the field 


From the Field 

By Jeff Jensen GCSAA Field Staff • Southwest Region 

I 

hope everyone had a great 4th of July and you are enjoying your summer and getting to spend some quality 

time with family and friends. 

As most of you are all too familiar with, we live in a frantic and fast-paced world that puts a lot of demands 

on our time. With that being said, GCSAA webcasts provide an efficient way to supplement the terrific educational 

opportunities that are offered monthly by our affiliate chapters. 

Brought to you in partnership with Syngenta, these webcasts allow you to learn from turfgrass and golf 

course industry leaders in the comfort of your own home or office. Best of all, the webcasts are free to GCSAA 

members! 

Each webcast is 90 minutes in length and uses Microsoft’s Live Meeting Software which can be downloaded 

at no cost before your session. Members can also actively participate in the webcast through a microphone or 

text chat feature. Webcasts are available live and On Demand and focus on a variety of topics including agronomy, 

business, communication, environment and leadership. 

Additionally, you can earn .2 education points for each 90 minute session by completing the evaluation survey 

following the webcast. 

Our members are finding these webcasts to be a great educational tool and member benefit. A matter of 

fact, as of YTD May 31, we have had 1,337 members participate in live webcasts and 2,655 participate in On 

Demand programming. 

Upcoming live events include “Why Care about Organic Matter?” on Sept. 13 and “Managing for Winter 

Injury of Cool-Season Turgrasses” on Sept. 20. To register for a webcast or to view the live and On Demand offerings, 

visit www.gcsaa.org/education/webcasts.aspx. 

In other news, I have officially set up my GCSAA Twitter account. I can be followed @GCSAA_SW and will 

provide weekly updates on meetings, events and other news relating to the world of golf. Also make sure to 

check the GCSAA Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/GCSAAFB) as I often post photos and updates 

from the various meetings throughout the Southwest. 

I look forward to seeing many of you at the upcoming events. Until then, if I can be of any assistance, please 

don’t hesitate to email me at jjensen@gcsaa.org.


GCSASC Assistant Superintendent’s Corner 

By Eric Ullrich • Lakeside Golf Club 

Education and networking are parts of our business that one can never have enough of and should be constantly improved 

and expanded. The golf industry is complex and diverse, and one is foolish to think you know it all or can 

do it all by yourself. A good leader is always learning, improving, and seeking out advice from peers or specialists 

when needed. 

It is important as an Assistant Superintendent to start networking and developing those relationships that will impact 

your future. I know it’s tough to attend meetings with stretched manpower and tight budgets, but make every attempt 

to utilize the free knowledge that is available to you. Talk to your superintendent to see if you can join them at 

a chapter meeting or two. If your course is not staffed where both of you can leave, ask if you can go instead once in a 

while. As the Assistant Superintendent Liaison, I am trying to schedule meetings that take place mid-day so that you can 

work at the course in the morning and still attend the meeting in the afternoon. If you are a member of the GCSAA, there 

are tons of articles, webinars and other free information. If you’re not already receiving any of the many subscriptions, 

sign up to receive them electronically or through the mail. They are also filled with tons of great information as well as 

experiences of other superintendents that you can draw knowledge from. 

Be on the lookout for another assistant superintendent meeting here in August or September. Superintendents, if 

your assistant isn’t a member of the association, encourage them to join, help fund even if only partially. Do your best to 

let them attend as many meetings and events as possible to help promote their careers. If nothing else, at least pass along 

information that you receive and articles that you come across worth reading. They will be appreciative, I know I have 

been. 

If anyone has any ideas of something they would like to see at an upcoming meeting. Please feel free to email me at 

eric@lakesidegolfclub.com or by phone at 818-984-0601 x242. 

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5 

SO-CAL eric ullrich

6 

SO-CAL president's message 


Greetings from the Sea 

Time to put together another article in the middle 

of July and it starts raining…….literally! Much of 

Los Angeles and its surroundings received spotty 

showers on the afternoon and night of July 12th with 

some areas receiving more than half an inch. I seem 

to remember a graphic from an article a few months 

ago showing the chances of July rain in or around Los 

Angeles to be basically nonexistent……..I guess we can’t 

really be surprised anymore can we? No one on our 

staff (some who’ve been here for 40 years) could recall 

a time in July when we received an ACTUAL precipitation. 

Thousands of heat records have been outdone 

across our nation throughout the first half of 2012. High 

humidity, ferocious storms, power outages, and temperatures 

well above 100 degrees have made for some very 

difficult, despairing times early on here in the United 

States. Then, you throw a federally declared natural 

disaster drought into the mix and things get real serious. 

Major crops have been hit really hard suffering 

from early frosts, early heat, lack of rain, all leading to 

unbearable plant stress’. Unfortunately, the “perfect 

storm,” so-to-speak has hit a huge portion of the United 

States. 

We’ve been lucky here in Southern California in 

that generally we don’t have the humidity that much 

of the country experiences throughout their warm seasons. 

After last night’s rain here in Fountain Valley, a 

humidity level of 85% has settled in and made things 

feel unfamiliar. Not for long however, as both the temperature 

and humidity are going to drop considerably 

in the next 48 hours……as it often does! This is the first 

time in my 10 years living and working in Southern 

California that I’ve REALLY felt that muggy, hot and 

sticky feeling that I was so used to when growing up in 

Illinois. 

Australia has been seeing these types of weather 

extremes in recent years before we have here in 

North America. I read an article in Rolling Stone 

(Oct. 2011) about how bad it’s been and where it’s heading. 

“Welcome to Australia, the petri dish of climate 

change” was a standout quote from that article. Due 

to how Australia is situated surrounded by seas and 

in the northern, warmer portion of the southern hemisphere, 

Australia is almost like a science experiment for 

our mother nature. All of the climate issues that we’ve 

seen here in the U.S. have been occurring down there 

in the past decade, but with even more extremes and 

catastrophic results. To put it in perspective, scientists 

David Ahlstrand • GCSASC President 


are projecting that if things continue as they are (global 

warming and human inaction); the Great Barrier Reef 

will be extinct within the next 40 years due to warmer 

and more acidic ocean water. Australia is relevant to 

California because we happen to share a lot of climatic, 

geographic, geologic, and human stupidity/laziness 

similarities with them. 

It’s important that we’re all aware of how serious 

this could be as an Association. As part of an industry 

that is based on science, the green industry, natural resources, 

plant health, and the environment, we are in 

a prime position to be some of the best educators and 

examples out there. There are so many of us that will 

read an idea like this, and forget about it an hour later. 

We need to start remembering and start explaining. An 

MIT study projects that without “rapid and massive action” 

to cut carbon pollution, the Earth’s temperature 

could soar by 9 degrees this century. 

So, the end of the world is near. Well maybe not, 

but certainly more difficult and drastic times are near! 

So, I had to laugh when I cruised through our clubhouse 

parking lot after writing this dreary article and found a 

truck with an “absurd yet fitting” sticker on it: 

Golf or Die. Let’s try to keep the larger picture 

in mind as it’s often easy to become overwhelmed with 

our careers day in and day out. 

Also, the LA Times did an article on Jessica Yu a 

few weeks back who directed a film about water waste, 

manipulation, and quality. The movie titled “Last Call 

at the Oasis” came out in May and is supposedly a very 

good documentary that may be worth checking out. 

Thanks everyone for your Association participation 

and support.

Advertiser Index 

AA Equipment 27 

Andersen Turf Supply 04 

Art Wilson 23 

Barkshire Laser Leveling 17 

Best Turf West 22 

Bio Clear 25 

Calorneva 19 

Crop Production Services 20 

Desert View Tree Service 04 

Diversified Waterscapes 07 

Dupont 04 

Eagle One Golf Products 19 

Eagle Pump Services 14 

Formost Construction 08 

Golf Ventures West 27 

Grasspoint USA 19 

Growth Products 17 

High Tech Irrigation 05 

John Deere Golf 17 

Mainstream Aquatics 18 

Naturetech Fertilizers 17 

O&J Construction 25 

Par West Turf 18 

Precision Labs 22 

PW Environmental 15 

Simplot Partners 27 

Southwest Growers 17 

Sports Vision 25 

Stover Seed 18 

Superior Tree Care 07 

Syngenta 15 

Target 08 

TLC Materials 08 

Turf Equipment Display 04 

Turf Time West 18 

Turf Star 14 

West Coast Sand & Gravel 16 

West Coast Turf 19 


7 

SO-CAL advertisers index

28 

SO-CAL seasonal tree trimming 


Seasonal Tree Trimming 

When to trim your trees so that your trees and birds are not harmed 

Wait before you trim that tree! 

Did you know tree trimming in spring and early summer 

can damage trees and devastate nesting birds? 

Keep trees healthy! 

Cutting, trimming, and pruning during spring and early summer 

can lead to diseased trees and intrusion of pests that harm trees. 

Fall is the best time to trim branches when trees are dormant. 

Keep nesting 

birds safe! 

Hawk nests are 

large and visible, 

but majority of songbird nests are small and camouflaged. 

Tree trimmers may not see nests until too late. Also, loud activity 

of tree trimming can disturb birds in surrounding trees. 

What does the law say? 

Birds and active nests are protected from harm or harassment 

by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. 

Actions to help trees and birds: 

• Trim and prune during the fall and winter when trees are dormant 

• Hire arborists, landscapers and tree trimmers who are concerned with 

the health of your trees and the birds that nest in them 

• Avoid contracting services that only trim trees because they have to work year around 

You can help protect trees and nesting birds 

The International Society of Arboriculture is a non-profit organization supporting tree care research 

around the world and is dedicated to the care and preservation of shade and ornamental trees. Their website 

covers the following areas: Tree buying and planting / What your tree needs and why / Proper tree 

care and planting / Pruning your trees / Tree hazards and treatments. http://www.treesaregood.com 

Information provided by a member of the Blue Bird Association 



1ST ANNUAL TRI-CHAPTER INVITATIONAL 

SUPERINTENDENT’S “SUPT CUP” 

What we have here is a written attempt to adequately 

describe the happenstances that 

have led up to the final decisions to stage 

the First Annual edition of the title golf tournament. 

At the risk of this whole thing starting to sound like 

a soap opera, you are respectively urged to hold back 

any tears, just because the conditions reported really 

do have some humor cleverly hidden somehow. 

First, for 8 years Affiliate Liaison Bill Culbertson 

was the Chairman of the San Diego Chapter’s “JFF” 

(Just For Fun) event that involved bus trips to Baja 

Mar Resort about an hour south of the Mexican border 

but, apparently, the bad guys that end up killing each 

other more than the general public over “dope wars” 

were generating enough turmoil in Mexico to induce 

those in charge to cancel that extremely enjoyable outing 

indefinitely. 

Second, for several years the Hi Lo Desert Chapter held forth at the Lake Arrowhead County Club 

in a positive move to escape the summer heat and enjoy getting into the mountain air for some “nines”. 

However, according to the reports of early outings, the attendance was not a satisfying total which, by 

displaying a logical move, the Southern California Chapter was invited to participate. And, in an effort 

to offer even more support, the San Diego Chapter followed the suggestion of Culbertson and agreed to 

participate. 

Now, hold on to your “crying towels” because lo and behold, in January of this year (2012) the Lake 

Arrowhead CC informed the Hi Lo Chapter that there would not be any repeat event at all. So………… 

Affiliate Liaison members Geoff Johansen, John Flaa and Culbertson combined their energies to conceive 

of a new Tri-Chapter event but, of course, the choice of an appropriate venue was the difficult hurdle that 

needed some expertise from other sources. 

Enter the strong influence of Bill Wrinker of Golf Course Solutions with concept of a Tri-Chapter 

Invitational consisting of 72 players, or 18 foursomes that would actually fill a sponsorship need for 

paying for three superintendents and the affiliate member, which was adopted and supported by the 

decision when Wrinker met with Ken Newcomb who, as most of you know, is the Director of Agronomy 

at the Coto De Caza Golf & Racquet Club, and the generosity to volunteer his property for the event on 

August 13th is most appreciated. 

Newcomb was born in Oxnard California and raised in Ventura, where he attended St Bonaventura 

High School, and following his football dreams as one of “big guys” at 6 foot 5 inches went on to Ventura 

College…………only to encounter a knee injury that convinced him of another vocation that resulted in 

a transfer to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and, subsequently, a Turf Degree. 

The Golf Business has taken Ken to American Golf’s Upland Hills Country Club for a brief stay before 

landing the Seacliff CC in Huntington Beach, followed by accepting the superintendency at Casta 

Del Sol. And, in another American Golf move Ken went from Mission Viejo to the Wood Ranch facility 

in Simi Valley, representing his last stop during the 5 year tenure with AG. 

Next stop found the Newcomb man doing the job at ClubCorp’s Braemar CC which preceded his 

appointment 4 years ago as Agronomy Director at Coto. 

The Newcomb family calls Oceanside home where wife Tereza and 5 year old son Alex make up the 

active roster. Ken, ever the athlete, plays in 3 slow pitch softball leagues, which is complimented by family 

time camping in their trailer, just so long as a place to dip a fishing line is fully accessible. That busy 

lifestyle limits the time playing golf to once a week but, to his credit, his efforts carry an 11 handicap 

while attending the GCSA meetings regularly and formerly serving as a Board of Director Member for 

the Southern California Chapter 


9 

SO-CAL • tri-chapter invitational


GCSASC Leaderboard • Through July 2012 

1st Place - 4200 Points 

Corbett Rankin 

2nd Place - 4100 Points 

Bill Wrinker 

3rd Place - 3900 Points 

Tom Schauwecker 

T4th Place - 3800 Points 

B. Culbertson, M. Sommer 

5th Place - 3600 Points 

Shane Roth 


Gren Draper, Jorge Morales 

7th Place - 3100 Points 

Froilan Arevalo 


Dj Ahlstrand, T. Byrne, G. Crocker, K. Desiderio 


Javier Avalos, Wayne Owens, Jesse Trejo 


John Marman, Matt Deuel 

T11 Place - 2700 Points 

Steve Sinclair, Dave Coote 

T12 Place - 2600 Points 

Rudy Cardenas, Jim Culley 

Just a reminder, we are on a point system this year and are not giving rewards to individual winners at each event. You receive 

points on how you place as well as points for your attendance to the meetings. Prizes will be given out to the top point 

earners in the beginning of next year. If you would like to know what your points are, email Cyndy in the office 


11 

SO-CAL • leaderboard

12 2 

SO-CAL • tournament recap 


GCSASC Heaven and Hell Tournament • Woodland Hills Country Club 

The members of the GCSASC were treated to a fun day at Woodland Hills 

Country Club playing in the Heaven and Hell Tournament. Many thanks to 

Steve Sinclair, CGCS, Host Superintendent and all of the staff at Woodland Hills 

Country Club for a great day of golf and camaraderie. 

Thank you to our guest speaker, Bill Culbertson of Golf Safety, who educated our 

members on the importance of complying with OSHA standards. Thanks to all 

who participated in this event and congratulations to the Golf Winners: 

GROSS DIVISION 

1st Place Team 

144 Points: Steve Sinclair, Gren Draper, Kurt Desiderio, Jim Nahigian 

2nd Place Team 

149 Points: Matt Deuel, Corbett Rankin, Dave Wolfsbauer, Ted Byrne 

3rd Place Team 

149 Points: Javier Avalos, Froilan Arevalo, Jorge Morales, Art Acevedo 

4th Place Team 

150 Points: Bill Wrinker, Nick Koning, Dave Geery 

NET DIVISION 

1st Place Team 

116 Points: Ben Koehler, John Marman, Bill Culbertson, Terry La Curan 

2nd Place Team 

119 Points: James Ward, James Culley, Tim McGuire, Tom Schauwecker 

3rd Place Team 

127 Points: Steve Mercuri, John Rodriguez, Shawn Dennin, Rafael Martinez 

4th Place Team 

42 Points: Dave Coote, Mark Cantrell, John Hardin, Michael Sommer 

Many thanks to our Appetizer Sponsors. 

Your support is very much appreciated! 

• Bayer 

• Grasspoint USA, Inc./Floratine 

• PW Gillibrand 

• TLC Materials 


Some Golf Wisdom 

• A two-foot putt counts the same as a two-foot drive. 

• Never wash your ball on the tee of a water hole. 

• There is no such thing as a friendly wager. 



• The stages of golf are Sudden Collapse, Radical 

Change, Complete Frustration, Slow Improvement, Brief 

Mastery, and Sudden Collapse. 

• The only sure way to get a 

par is to leave a four-foot birdie putt two inches short of the hole. 

• Don’t play with anyone who would question a 7. 

• It’s as easy to lower your handicap as it is to reduce your hat size. 

• If you really want to be better at golf, go back and take it up at a much earlier age. 

• If your driver is hot, your putter will be ice cold; if you can hit your irons, you will top 

your woods; if you are keeping your right elbow tucked in, your head will come up. 

• Progress in golf consists of two steps forward and ten miles backward. 

• One good shank deserves another. 

• It takes 17 holes to really get warmed up. 

• No golfer ever swung too slowly. 

• No golfer ever played too fast. 

• One birdie is a hot streak. 

• No matter how badly you are playing, it’s always possible to play worse. 

• Whatever you think you’re doing wrong is the one thing you’re doing right. 

• Any change works for three holes. 

• The odds of hitting a duffed shot increase by the square of the number of people watching. 

• Never teach golf to your wife. 

• Never play your son for money. 

• Never try to keep more than 300 separate thoughts in your mind during your swing. 

• The less skilled the player, the more likely he is to share his ideas about the golf swing. 

• It’s surprisingly easy to hole a 50-foot putt when you lie 10. 

13 

SO-CAL • just for fun

14 

SO-CAL rich wagner 

GGCASC CHAPTER • NEWS | EVENTS | & MORE 

Thank You from Rich Wagner, CGCS 

To all of my fellow Superintendents, former Assistant Superintendents and college in- 

terns, business Affiliates, golf course staff members, and members of our great golf 

community - I thank you. 

I started my career in Delaware at Henry Francis duPont’s Estate called Winterthur in 

1965. Moved to Southern California. Worked at Rancho Sante Fe Golf Club 1966 to 1974. Super 

at Mile Square GC 1974 to 1978. Super at Oakmont CC 1978 to 1988. Built Sherwood CC 1988 

to 1990. Super at Saticoy 1991 to 1998. Built Sterling Hills GC 1998 to 2000. And finally Super at 

North Ranch CC 2000 to 2012. 

I am a past President of our So. Cal. Supt. Assoc. Superintendent of the year in So. Cal. 

Private Club. Superintendent of the year for Jack Nicklaus. Member of the USGA Turf Advisory 

Staff for 10 years and Certified Superintendent for 10 years (one of the first in California). I’ve 

worked with Architects Billy Bell, Jr., Harry and David Rainville, Robert Muir Graves, Ted 

Robinson Sr and Jr. Arnold Palmer/Ed Seah, and Jack Nicklaus. 

I have had the pleasure of mentoring 27 interns and Assistants in the 38 years as a 

Superintendent. This year I celebrate my 43rd year as a member of the GCSAA. So what am I 

getting at? I have a lot of people to thank. Many blessings have been afforded me. On reflection, 

I am overwhelmed with gratitude. Thank you all for your fellowship and friendship. 

What’s next? I’ve accepted a position with Creative Eco Systems, International. This venture 

may be my greatest contribution to this wonderful business. 



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SO-CAL chapter

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19 

SO-CAL chapter

20 



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So-Cal Hole of the Month 

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21 

SO-CAL • hole of the month

22 

Hi-LO Desert Chapter 

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President 

Stu Rowland 

Rancho La Quinta Country Club 

Email: srowland@rancholaquinta.com 

Vice President 

Pat Truchan, CGCS 

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Email: ptruchan@championshipgolfservices.com 

Secretary/Treasurer 

Kevin Wallace 

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Past President 

Jonas Conlan 

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2012 Directors 

Will Carrick 

Andalusia Country Club 

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Ron Cressy 

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Nelson Dechant 

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Lee Horning 

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Geoff Johansen 

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Asst. Superintendent Liaison 

Luke Hall 

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Tim Nopp 

College of the Desert 

Email: timnoppgolfpro@gmail.com 

NEWS | EVENTS | & MORE • HI-LO DESERT CHAPTER 

HI-LO DESERT IN THIS ISSUE 

Assistant's Corner 24 

Will Carrick 25 

Etiquette 101 26 

UPCOMING EVENTS 

HI-LO DESERT CHAPTER 


September 6, 2012 

Scholarship/Research/Benevolent Tournament 

The Tradition Golf Club 

November 28, 2012 

Election Meeting • The IW Club 

December 16, 2012 

Family Holiday Event • The Living Desert 

23 

HI-LO Desert Chapter • board of directors • upcoming events

24 

Hi-LO Desert Chapter • assistant's corner 

HI-LO DESERT CHAPTER • NEWS | EVENTS | & MORE 

Assistant’s Corner 

Assistants Spread Their Wings at Eagle Falls 

By Luke Hall • Bermuda Dunes Country Club 

There were no Playboy Bunnies spotted, that I know of, but 

there were plenty of talented assistant superintendents in 

attendance at the Assistant Hi-Lo Outing at Eagle Falls 

Golf Course on July 12. Special thanks to the hospitality staff 

at Eagle Falls especially Willie Maples, Director of Golf, and 

Sergio Casas, Superintendent, for the friendly service and wonderful 

course conditions. Without the financial support from 

the following vendors, this Outing would not have taken place:, 

Eagle CSI, AA Equipment, Bio Clear Water Solutions, Simplot 

Partners and Well Tec. Not only did we have the support of 

Eagle Falls and the attending vendors, but also Mother Nature 

as we were treated to the first morning tee times and a welcoming 

breezy, overcast daybreak to cool off the hot golf scores. 

Thanks to Nelson Dechant’s random choosing of golf 

groups, I was able to make four new friends within the Hi-Lo 

and spend time with our cornerstone, John Flaa. What a special 

day for John, no he did not card a hole-in-one, but while playing 

he was notified by his only daughter that he was going to 

become a grandfather for the first time. Congratulations, John! 

Chris Lombard, son of Hi-Tech’s Bud Lombard, informed me of 

the issues he was having at his club, The Hideaway, as they are 

transitioning to a Union staff. Scot Haynes from the Nicklaus 

Tournament Course at PGA West, who has only been living in 

the desert for a little over a year, described how he grew up 

three miles from Lake Superior and how drastic the weather alters 

when the wind direction changes. Finally, Jose Melendez, 

Sunrise CC, explained some of the interesting experiences he 

has had during his 32 year of service at Sunrise. Can you believe 

that; 32 years?! What fun to expand your relations within 

the Hi-Lo; thanks Nelson. 

During lunch, I spoke about the different opportunities 

and learning experiences the Hi-Lo can provide, while the assistants 

filled out a questionnaire rating the different topics and 

speakers they would be interested for future meetings. Next, 

Stu Rowland, Hi-Lo President, spoke about the importance of 

the Assistant Program within the Hi-Lo and how he would like 

to see the Program progress and expand. Finally, each vendor 

spoke about their products and how it affects the desert golf 

course industry. 

In closing, attendees found out who has not been working 

that much this summer, as Shaun Mahaffey from Morningside 

proceeded to shoot a 69 with his own ball! Shaun is looking 

forward to collecting at future Hi-Lo outings. Better look out 

Scott Stevens; you may have to start sharing your winnings. 

Last but not least, the progression of the Assistant Program is 

not possible without the support of the superintendents, general 

managers, and owners who were thoughtful enough to send 

their own assistants to the Assistant Outing. Thanks again to 

all involved who made the Assistant Outing at Eagle Falls a 

success. 


Will Carrick 

Andalusia Country Club 

Every time it’s my turn to write an article for 

the Sea to Sand I have an awfully hard time 

figuring out what I could possibly say that 

others in the profession would find meaningful 

and interesting. So I scan my brain, reflect on my 

career and try to think what will fill up this page. 

So far………. Nothing. 

With nothing agronomically jumping out at me 

I think I’ll take this time to remind everyone how 

important it is to see your doctor regularly and to 

keep up with preventative health care. A simple trip 

to the doctor probably saved my life in February of 

2011 when to my surprise I was diagnosed with 

Prostate cancer. In my case the diagnosis was fairly 

early on and I was able to have surgery and eliminate 

the cancer from my body. While incredibly 

scary, my prognosis is excellent. I was very young 

to get prostate cancer but I also found out how common 

it can be and that 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed 

at some point in their lifetime. 

This fact now enters my mind when I’m at one 

of the Hi-Lo meetings or golf outings with 60-100 

fellow superintendents. In a group of 100 men, 

about 16 of those guys will develop prostate cancer 

in their lifetime. Consider also the facilities where 

you work. Add up all the men you work with including 

your crew, golf staff, kitchen staff and upper 

management. That’s another large group and 

statistically speaking, a few of them probably have 

some level of prostate cancer already. Most will occur 

at a much older age but as in my case not all. If 

you haven’t already done it recently, get to the doctor 

and get checked out. 

While you are there, set up another appointment 

with a dermatologist to get checked for skin 

cancer! With the amount of hours that we work in 

the sun we should all be nervous about it. These are 

some facts taken from the American Academy of 

Dermatologists: More than 3.5 million cases of skin 

cancer are diagnosed annually, current estimates 

are that 1 in 5 Americans will be diagnosed with 

skin cancer in their lifetime and the 5 year survival 

rate for people whose melanoma is detected and 

treated before it spreads to the lymph nodes is 98%. 

Again, early detection is extremely important!! 

Ok, so I know my subject matter wasn’t the best 

this time but I hope this at least makes you consider 

a trip do the doctor that you might have been putting 

off. I did and it saved my life. 


No Harm. No Fowl. 

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25 

HI-LO Desert Chapter • will carrick

26 

HI-LO Desert Chapter • etiquette 

HI-LO DESERT CHAPTER • NEWS | EVENTS | & MORE 

Etiquette 101 

I 

still remember my last term at Penn State (a.k.a. State Penn), having to 

take the dreaded Etiquette class. There was a lot of muttering and eye 

rolling when we were first introduced to Mrs. Franz and “our unparalleled 

journey into proper etiquette”. Although this was considered to be the 

GPA buster in this program, I look back at it as one of the most useful classes 

that I still use on a daily basis. The following is an etiquette guide regarding 

general social and dinner etiquette rules. 

Table manners play an important part in making favorable impression. 

They are visible signals of the state of our manners and therefore are essential 

to professional success. The point of etiquette rules is to make you feel 

comfortable – not uncomfortable. 

How to use napkins: 

In a restaurant: 

As soon as you are seated, remove the napkin from your place setting, unfold 

it, and put it in your lap. Do not shake it open. The napkin rests on the 

lap till the end of the meal. Don’t clean the cutlery or wipe your face with the 

napkin. NEVER use it to wipe your nose, Michigan Staters. 

If you excuse yourself from the table, loosely fold the napkin and place 

it to the left or right of your plate. Do not refold your napkin or wad it up on 

the table either. Never place your napkin on your chair. 

At the end of the meal, leave the napkin semi-folded at the left side of 

the place setting. It should not be crumpled or twisted; nor should it be 

folded. The napkin must also not be left on the chair. 

At a private dinner party: 

The meal begins when the host or hostess unfolds his or her napkin. This is 

your signal to do the same. Place your napkin on your lap, completely unfolded 

if it is a small luncheon napkin or in half, lengthwise, if it is a large 

dinner napkin. Do not shake it open. The napkin rests on the lap till the end 

of the meal. 

The host will signal the end of the meal by placing his or her napkin on 

the table. Once the meal is over, you too should place your napkin neatly on 

the table to the left of your dinner plate. 

When to start eating: 

In a restaurant: 

Wait until all are served at your table before beginning to eat. 

At a private dinner party: 

by Lee Horning • Simplot Partners 


When your host or hostess picks up their 

fork to eat, then you may eat. Do not start 

before this unless the host or hostess insists 

that you start eating. 

How to use your silverware and dinnerware: 

Here’s the silverware and dinnerware rule: 

Eat to your left, drink to your right. Any 

food dish to your left is yours, and any glass 

to the right is yours. 

Starting with the knife, fork, or spoon 

that is farthest from your plate, work your 

way in, using one utensil for each course. 

The salad fork is on your outermost left, 

followed by your dinner fork. Your soup 

spoon is on your outermost right, followed 

by your beverage spoon, salad knife and 

dinner knife. Your desert spoon and fork 

are above your plate or brought out with 

dessert. If you remember the rule to work 

from the outside in, you’ll be fine. 

Use one of two methods when using the 

fork and knife: 

American Style: Knife in right hand, fork 

in left hand holding food. After a few bitesized 

pieces of food are cut, place knife on 

the edge of plate with blade facing in. Eat 

food by switching fork to right hand (unless 

left handed). A left hand , arm or elbow on 

the table is bad manners. 

Continental/European Style: Knife in 

right hand, fork in left hand. Eat food with 

fork still in left hand. The difference is that 

you don’t switch hands – you eat with your 

fork in your left hand, with the prongs 

curving downward. Both utensils are kept 

in your hands with the tines pointed down 

throughout the entire eating process. If you 

take a drink, you do not just put your knife 

down, you put both utensil down into the 

resting position: cross the fork over the 

knife. 

Once used, your utensils (including the 

handles), must not touch the table again. 

Always rest forks, knives, and spoons on 

the side of your plate. 

For more formal dinners, from course 

to course, your tableware will be taken 

away and replaced as needed. To signal that 

you’re done with the course, rest your fork, 

tines up, and knife blade in, with the handles 

resting at five o’clock an tips pointing 

to ten o’clock on your plate. 

This is just scratching the surface regardingetiquette 

rules. Next month, I’ll 

discuss specific food type etiquette guide. 

Maybe.

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[Continued on page 30] 

27 

HI-LO Desert Chapter

P.O. Box 19190 

Newbury Park, CA 91319 

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE HI-LO DESERT & GCSASC | VOLUME 8 | ISSUE 8 | AUGUST 2012

TPC Valencia - California Golf Course Superintendents Association

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