Spring News 2017
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TALKING PO BOX 10823 FARGO ND 58106 701-552-1940 [email protected] www.nctga.net Rene’ A. Smith Executive Director Volume 47, No. 1 Spring 2017 The President’s Victor Heitkamp Perspective Osgood Golf Course Fargo Park Dsitrict NCTGA President Greeting NCTGA members, I would I would also like to thank all the board like to first take this opportunity to members who have served in the past, thank the board of directors and you, and a special thanks to the four the members, for giving me the directors who went off this past year, privilege to serve as your president. Vice President Craig Vigen and It is with great honor I accept the Directors Dave Bietz, Kyle Fick and chance to keep working with you and Aaron Johnson. Your time and continue the momentum we have seen commitment to the NCTGA is over the last few years. appreciated and you will be missed. I would like to extend a special thank Our 2017 conference and trade show you to our former president, Aaron was held this past Feb/March and on Motl. Your rein as president is behalf of the board I say thank you to appreciated by us all, and you are all the speakers, vendors, and leaving some big shoes for me to fill. members who made this a great week. Inside this issue: It’s a good thing for me that you have As a board we work hard to bring you one year left of your current term. I the best of the best and with your President’s 1 & 2 would also like to give a mention and continued support we will continue to Message thank you to our returning board work and make future conferences just members, Vice President Gordy as great. The board does recognize Golf Inc. Names 4 Flesberg and Directors Melissa that Norby this year’s conference had a few Wins Grafenauer and Cammi Campbell, and newly elected board members, hiccups, and we are working with the George Toma 6 Treasury/Secretary Dave Wood and Ramada to find a way to make things Directors Kevin Gruber, Alex Orr, and right. We are also exploring different Slow And Steady 8 Garrett Schultz. We are all excited to venues to see if there is something else have the chance to serve as your board out there that may fit our needs. Our of directors. conference and trade show is an important part of our success and growth, not only as an organization, Board Of 9 but as individuals Directors Information Continued on pg2 President’s message continued Talking Turf It’s a tool to connect with peers in our For me it’s Mother Nature’s way to industry and learn what’s what in the world reenergize the rebirth of new growth. It of turf. Please contact Executive Director won’t be long and we will be in the full Rene Smith or a board member if you have swing of summer. In closing my ending any thoughts, concerns or ideas as we start message for you is to remember to take the process of planning the 2018 conference some time and appreciate the little things. and trade show. We are still working on finalizing the details for the 2017 golf tournament and will post the information on the web site when things are confirmed with the golf course. Stay tuned… With that I will end with one final thought, spring has sprung, and schedules are getting crazy for many of us. Spring is my favorite time of year, from watching the flowers pop from the ground, trees starting to bud, the singing of birds, or the smell of nature starting to refresh itself from the death and decay of fall and winter with the timing of spring rains and the greening up of grass. The use of long-range plans frequently helps Planning the work, and steer course changes along a path that takes working the plan into consideration the costs and how the work can best be funded over time. Incorporating financial planning into a It’s a new year, and now is the time for planning. Whether you’re creating plans long-range plan ensures that the focus will from scratch or reviewing existing ones, the remain on the original objectives throughout beginning of the year is a perfect time to be the plan’s life. A critical component of the thinking about long- and short-term plans success of long range projections for course and modifications is selecting a capable golf goals. We’re all familiar with long-range course architect who is willing to commit the plans for golf courses that entail scheduled time and effort to fully understand the architectural changes or updates to the complicated world of member politics and property. These usually serve as a road map ideas. The membership must be united in its for changes over a period of five to 20 years. desire for the future of the course to ensure a Long-range plans can also be five- to 10-year consistent product as the plan moves capital plans that encompass equipment forward. When long-range plans fail or purchases, infrastructure improvements (such never reach completion, it’s usually because as maintenance facilities), and rebuilding this or another critical component has bunkers, greens or tees. Short-term plans collapsed. Long-range capital equipment typically cover activities to be accomplished plans are often five to 10 years in length, but in, say, one to two years. These projects are more effective if they are set up as generally require less advance work to secure rotating long-range plans. Rotating contractors, permits and approvals, and can long-range plans remove the current year often be done in-house. from the mix and add another year at the end of the plan. Planning the work, and working the plan Continued When these short-term projects begin to impact the character and playability of the course, it may This creates a dynamic, flexible plan that is be time to incorporate the concepts into a constantly evolving. Each current year then long-range plan to ensure the integrity of the becomes a short-term plan with equipment, course is maintained, or, in some cases, to budgeting and timeline elements. Short-term demonstrate the need for more extensive planning is a great way to prepare for the renovations or updates. Often, superintendents coming season — to list what needs to be done brainstorm with their staff, green committee or and how you plan to do it. These types of plans managers about projects, ideas, concepts and include agronomic plans, staffing plans, schedules. By converting this brainstorming into application plans, project plans and just about a plan, you’ll be better equipped later on to anything else you can think of that you want to communicate the goals you want to achieve on tackle in the coming year. Such plans can be both a short- and long-term basis. You can share expressed as a simple calendar or as a detailed the objectives and how you foresee reaching them agronomic plan that specifies a timeline, with staff, members, committees or other resources needed and budget information. You individuals as necessary. You’ll also have a can employ short-term planning for course document to refer to during the year or during changes if the modifications are intended to work on a project that can keep you on track and improve agronomic success or playing quality, help you easily incorporate adjustments along the such as small irrigation tweaks or upgrades, way. drainage projects, or bunker rebuilding. Roger Stewart, CGCS, is the director of golf course maintenance operations at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minn. Page 4 Talking Turf GOLF INC. NAMES NORBY'S In September 2013, Mother Nature changed the COAL CREEK City's plans when torrential rains flooded RUNNER-UP BEST Boulder County and the City of Louisville. The REDEVELOPMENT OF 2016 resulting devastation left sixteen of Coal Creek's eighteen holes submerged with damage Coal Creek Golf Course in Louisville, to cart paths, bridges, greens, tee, bunkers and Colorado has been named runner-up Best the irrigation system. Redevelopment of 2016 by Golf Inc. magazine. The competition included golf With the golf course unplayable, the City made course projects worldwide including Trump the decision to rebuild and, at the same time, Turnberry in Scotland which nudged out Coal implement many of the long-range master plan Creek for the top spot. These are not just course recommendations. The City hired Norby and improvements, these are existing golf course Nebraska-based certified golf course contractor developments that have been transformed by Landscapes Unlimited to reconstruct Coal reconfiguring an existing course, rebranding or Creek from top to bottom. Improvements adding new elements such as housing. included rebuilding all the greens, tees and bunkers as well as re-grassing the fairways and Coal Creek Golf Course is an established daily installing a new irrigation system. The design/ fee course situated between Boulder and build team also capitalized on this opportunity Denver in Louisville, Colorado. Owned and to add forward tees, increase the overall course operated by the City of Louisville, this yardage and address safety issues on the driving Eighteen hole public course was formerly home range and hole number four. to numerous small claims coal mines prospected by area settlers in the late 1800s and Norby stated that his goal was to "make the early 1900s. The golf course emerged as part of course more playable and more enjoyable for a residential housing development in 1990.