THRU THE GREEN The Golf Course Superintendents Association of Northern California Northern California Chapter August / September 2017 GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA Join us for the 2017 GCSANC Institute at Sonoma Golf Club OFFICERS & DIRECTORS 2016 PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT SEAN TULLY STACY WALLACE Meadow Club Stonetree Golf Club [email protected] [email protected] Join us for the 2017 GCSANC Institute at Sonoma Golf Club SECRETARY TREASURER PAST PRESIDENT BRIAN BOYER FERNANDO VILLAGRAN Cinnabar Hills Golf Club Santa Rosa Golf & Country Club [email protected] [email protected] INSIDE DIRECTOR PETER BACHMAN NORCALENDAR . 3 Pebble Beach Company [email protected] BOARD OF DIRECTORS MESSAGE . 3 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT by Marc Connerly . 4 DIRECTOR Phil Brown LETTER FROM THE ASSISTANT EDITOR . 4 Ewing Irrigation [email protected] 2017 GCSANC WAGE AND SALARY SURVEY . 5 FROM THE FIELD DIRECTOR by Jeff Jensen . 6 GAVIN DICKSON Tehama Golf Club VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: 2017 SAFEWAY OPEN by Patrick “PJ” Ringenberger . 8 [email protected] ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT PROFILE by Bubba Wright . 10 DIRECTOR PETE GALEA, CGCS BLAST FROM THE PAST . 11 Farmload Distributors [email protected] OSPREY ON 18 by Micheal Pagano . 12 DIRECTOR MYRTLE WAGONER, THE FIRST LADY JOSH LEWIS OF GCSANC Almaden Golf & Country Club by Gary K. Carls . 14 [email protected] NAUMANS NORCAL NEWS by Don Naumann . 16 DIRECTOR PATRICK RINGENBERGER SILVERADO RESORT & SPA . 17 Silverado Resort & Spa, [email protected] DIRECTOR Thru The Green published bimonthly by the Golf Course BUBBA WRIGHT Poplar Creek Golf Course Superintendents Association of Northern California. [email protected] EDITOR PUBLICATION MANAGER Sean Tully Marc Connerly (415) 462-1010 (916) 454-1320 [email protected] [email protected] 2 THRU THE GREEN – A UGUST / S EPTEMBER 2017 NORCALENDAR BOARD OF DIRECTORS MESSAGE November 6 GCSANC Institute GCSANC President Sean Tully, Executive Director Marc Connerly, and others Sonoma Golf Club from GCSANC had the pleasure of attending the Tri-Chapter meeting at Del Paso Sonoma Country Club in Sacramento last month. In addition to gaining a great deal of excellent information, the Tri-Chapter is always an excellent opportunity to network with other December 8 Superintendents, nd out about their issues and challenges in other parts of the state, GCSANC Holiday Meeting and build the sense of collaboration and unity among those within our profession. Much like a large fraternity, the Superintendent profession really is a brotherhood. Monterey We all face similar challenges, endure similar stress, have often traveled similar career Date TBD paths, and all too frequently share the same long hours. It is a rewarding profession, 2018 GCSANC and I don’t know many who would give it up for anything, despite the hurdles, but it Annual Meeting is denitely not a job for the faint of heart. Meadow Club at is true both professionally, as well as on a personal level, which was the Fairfax inspiration for our 2017 Institute, titled “Plant, Soil and Personal Health.” e event, for the rst time to our knowledge, will feature a presentation aimed at reminding March 5, 2018 Superintendents to take care of themselves mentally and physically, which is an GCSANC/USGA important message, and one from which many in our profession can benet. Regional Conference In addition to presentations by representatives of Simplot and Dr. Jim Baird, we Silverado Resort & Spa will have on hand Joe LeFevre, a licensed therapist, who counsels the San Jose State Napa golf team. Joe will present “Stressed For Success,” which will take a hard look at the eects of stress on the brain and body, oer stress management tips, and delve into the In response to member requests, costs of attending to our mental health needs, as well as the costs of not attending to we are now pleased to offer full- them. is gures to be a presentation not to be missed, and one that many of us will color, printed copies of Thru remember for a long time to come. The Green for $40 per issue. One of the great things about our profession and this association is the willingness To order a copy, to be shipped to you via mail, submit your to oer help, provide tips and advice, and to share resources. Let’s not forget that those name, address and payment attributes can apply on a personal level as well. Let’s be there for each other, be on the information to mconnerly@ lookout for other Superintendents, maintenance crew members, co-workers, friends connerlyandassociates.com. and family who need our support or just a sympathetic ear, and reach out to them To pay by check, send payment to remind them that we’ve “got their back.” Sometimes just knowing that someone and contact information to else hears you and cares can be incredibly valuable, and you’ll nd that it’s also very GCSANC, 2215 21st Street, rewarding to be that person who takes a moment to lift another’s spirits or help them Sacramento, CA 95818. move forward through dicult challenges. GCSANC Board of Directors THE GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA 3 Executive Director’s Report By MARC CONNERLY, GCSANC Executive Director Maybe it’s a sign of age, but I have become increasingly association’s priorities and focus over the next few years. aware of the passage of time. In the blink of an eye, or so it Second, under the leadership of Brian Boyer and Pete seems, we go from Monday to Friday, then those weeks quickly Bachman, the Board will soon be considering Standard turn to months, and before you know it football season is here, Operating Procedures (SOP) for investing a portion of the there is a chill in the air, and the holiday season and end of the association’s reserves so that our money can start to work more year festivities are in sight. eectively for us. As I write this, we are putting the nishing touches on the ird, we recently reached out to the ve other GCSA 2017 Institute, which will be the last major educational event chapters in the state, and asked that they join us in applying of the year, and we have a call planned in the next few days for funding through GCSAA’s Chapter Cooperative Research to begin planning for the 2017 Holiday Meeting. It’s hard to Grant program. Because GCSAA will match the nancial believe that we are closer to the end of another year than to the commitments of chapters (up to $10,000 per year for two beginning of this year. years), combining the resources of several GCSA chapters in It has been a successful year in many regards, as we completed the state will greatly increase the potential grant funding and a new wage and salary survey, awarded scholarships to seven the amount available for research purposes. e study for worthy recipients, raised more than $17,000 at this year’s S which we intend to apply for grant funding is “Improvement & R tournament, more than doubled our income from the of Bermudagrass, Zoysiagrass, and Kikuyugrass for Winter Rounds 4 Research auction, and unveiled a new website design. Color Retention and Drought Tolerance.” It has also been a year full of forward planning and creative If the grant is received, we will have up to $40,000 to dedicate thinking that should pay dividends (both literally and to the study over the next two years. guratively) in the years ahead. Enjoy the fall months, and we hope to see you at the Institute First, the Board completed a very successful Strategic at Sonoma Golf Club on Monday, November 6, and at the Planning meeting in April that created the blueprint for the Annual Holiday Meeting in Monterey on Friday, December 8. Letter From e Assistant Editor is issue of ru e Green carries a subtle theme of health, supportiveness and collaboration. From the request from PJ Ringenberger for volunteer help at the upcoming Safeway Open to the theme and presentation of our upcoming Institute to the message in the tribute to Myrtle Wagoner by Gary Carls, and even the collaboration between the statewide GCSA chapters mentioned in the Executive Director’s Report, you are very likely to walk away from reading this edition with a strong sense of community. With the weather tragedies impacting so many in the southeastern states, and the recent controversies that have divided our country, maybe that sense of community, collaboration and support is exactly what we need, and comes at precisely the right time. I hope you enjoy this issue, and nd some valuable information and insights in the information presented. Marc Connerly 4 THRU THE GREEN – A UGUST / S EPTEMBER 2017 Updated Data 2017 GCSANC Wage and Salary Survey e 2017 GCSANC Wage and Salary Survey was completed earlier this year (based on 2015 data), and the results may be found online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-27HNKMXB/. In addition to providing the raw data, we analyzed the results and derived the following average salaries based on region, course type and job title: Superintendent East Bay SF/ North Bay South Bay Monterey Sacramento Municipal 94,500 88,600 85,000 84,666 Private 119,428 122,857 159,000 100,000 Public 88,333 95,000 93,666 70,000 Resort/Semi-private 122,428 All Assistants 54,588 All Mechanics 51,639 All 2nd Assistants 46,281 Thank you to all who contributed to this year’s wage and salary survey. TO THINK, FOR SOME IT’S ONLY A GAME. Others might see your course as a place to relax, enjoy some friendly competition.