by Brian Duthu
Pro Shops
We will be hosting a Beat-the-Pros event on December 10 at Riverview Golf Course, which will celebrate the renovation. Hosting the event in December provides the opportunity for our winter members and guests to participate and ties into our fundraising efforts for our chosen Winter Celebration Charity. This year the chosen charity is the Sun City Fire Department. The format will be a two person scramble. Prior to play, Golf Magazine’s “2013 Golf Entertainer of the Year” Brad Denton, will be putting on a Trick Shot Show. After the show Brad will head out to a par 3 and for a donation, Brad will hit a drive for your team, aiding in your attempt to Beat-the-Pros.
During our Patriot Day Golf Event, $1,273 was raised through 84 participants. Patriot Day Golf 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.
September 8 and 9 Willowcreek hosted the 6th Annual Kenny Schall Memorial Tournament. Kenny was raised in Peoria and attended Centennial High School and Glendale Community College. Following the events of 9/11 he felt a sense of duty to protect family and friends and joined the US Army. Kenny gave his life defending our country and was killed in Iraq on May 22, 2005. The event at Willowcreek is comprised of area high school students, who play to honor Kenny’s memory and to raise funds for a scholarship fund set up in his name.
Snack Shops
Year-to-date Snack Shop revenue remains well above budget. The decision was made to keep 1:00 p.m. as the closing time for Snack Shops into September based on expected demand. Shops are given the flexibility to remain open should demand be sufficient.
Courses
The normal monsoon weather is encouraging growth. This is the time of year maintenance crews struggle to keep up, often leading to clumping in the roughs. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
The Riverview renovation remains on schedule for the November 14 reopening. Greens are responding well to the fertilization and cultural practices. Areas around greens and tees that were not responding well have been sodded.
Over-seeding begins October 5, at North, Lakes West, Willowbrook and Quail Run. The remaining courses begin October 26th. The later start should provide better growing temperatures for the rye grass. In addition to the later start we will be over-seeding with a blend of annual and perennial rye grass this year, which has a better heat tolerance. The changes should provide better overall playing conditions than last year.
Grounds/Lawn Bowl
The renovation to the Lakeview lawn bowl greens are in the final stages. The greens continue to be fertilized top dressed on a regular basis. Barring any unforeseen circumstances the greens will be made available for use on October 12. The height of cut is gradually being lowered and is currently at .140″, the height will be kept slightly higher than normal going into dormancy, to protect the newly planted surface.
Greens were groomed regularly throughout the summer, rather than verticut. The regular grooming is a less aggressive method of removing thatch. The greens were also rolled frequently and kept to a slightly higher cut. The speed of greens this summer was satisfactory, based on comments from this season’s first Lawn Bowl meeting.
The softball field and Sun Bowl will be over-seeded following the completion of summer league play and completed in time for fall play. Areas around centers were sprayed with a pre-emergent to help control weeds throughout the winter.