by Brian Duthu
Pro Shops
We will be hosting a Beat-the-Pros Tournament on Thursday, December 8 at Willowcreek Golf Course. This event is held in conjunction with other RCSC events throughout the year that raise funds for our annual chosen charity. This year the chosen charity is the Sun City Foundation. The Sun City Foundation supports RCSC members who have outlived their resources through assistance with RCSC annual property assessments and transportation. Through the Foundation RCSC members are able to continue using the facilities and remain active and social. The format will be a two person scramble.
During our Patriot Golf Day Event, $1,270 was raised through 77 participants. Patriot Golf Day was organized with the help of PGA of America to raise funds for the Folds of Honor Foundation. The money raised is used to fund scholarships for spouses and children of military service men and women killed or disabled while serving our country.
Our first Get Golf Ready sessions for this season begin in November. We are now taking reservations for those sessions on a first-come, first-served basis. The five day session is $99 per person, which includes four 1-1/2 hour lessons and a round of golf with the pro on the 5th day. Each session is completed in two weeks. Please call Sue Presta or Chris Linam at 623-876-8419 to register for the classes.
As we enter the fall/winter season, the Rangers will be asking more players to see their handicap cards and receipts. They will be asking for handicap cards to ensure the allowances given to players that genuinely need access around the greens and tees are not being abused by those that do not. Receipts are requested to ensure all players on the course have properly checked in with the pro shop prior to play. We thank those that have volunteered to become a ranger and hope you do as well.
Snack Shops
Year-to-date Snack Shop revenue remains ahead of prior year and year-to-date budget. Beginning in October the closing time for snack shops will change to 3:00pm. Snack Shops are given the discretion of remaining open longer based on demand.
Golf Courses
An active monsoon season, along with our normal summer cultural practices, has helped to rectify the issues experienced this summer with transition. In an effort to encourage transition next year, we will be moving fairway dethatching into May. Dethatching will help to thin and weaken the rye grass allowing the summer bermuda to begin filling in. This does not eliminate transition, however it should help smooth out the transition process. Weather will still play a major factor in the harshness of transition. Each course will be closed for two days in May while this process takes place, the schedule will be presented to the Golf Advisory Committee in January for review and finalized in February. The closing will be staggered similar to greens aerification.
Over-seeding begins October 3rd at Riverview, Lakes East, Willowcreek and South. As has been previously announced the first wave of overseed will overlap with the second wave of overseed for a period of 5 days. The intentional overlap is an effort to create the best window for a successful overseed. Ideally the starting date for all courses would be mid-October, however this would result in the closure of all courses and is not a viable option.
In preparation for overseed, mowing heights for fairways and greens will be raised. Heights are lowered during overseed to scalp the bermuda, to open the grass canopies and allow the rye better soil contact when it is spread. Mowing heights of the rough have already been increased. The higher height of cut aids the bermuda grass to hold up to cart traffic through the winter as it becomes dormant. In the past we have encouraged carts to enter the fairway at a 90 degree angle to their ball. This season we will also encourage carts to remain on the cart path and enter the rough and fairway at a 90 degree angle to their ball. If we can reduce the amount of cart traffic in the rough, it will hold up longer through the winter and able to recover more quickly in the spring and summer.
Lawn Bowl & Grounds
The laser leveled top dress on the Bell greens did not yield the desired results. As a result additional top dressing has been applied on several rinks to help improve the draw. Only areas needing less than ¼” of sand were top dressed. The goal is to have the greens open for play on October 1. All other greens have finished the normal summer program of aerating, verticutting, top dressing and planing.
The softball field will be over seeded on September 30. The field will be open for play by the October 25. On Wednesday, November 23, APS will be sponsoring their 3rd annual instructional camp on our softball field. Ken Phelps and several other retired major league players will be on hand to share tips and insights on fundamentals.