Crew Tourney Back to a Shotgun

Back by popular demand, the WWGCSA’s annual Crew Tournament will have a shotgun start on Tuesday, June 25 at Walter Hall Golf Course in Everett.

The day will begin with lunch starting at 11:30 a.m., and the shotgun start going at 1 p.m. After the golf, enjoy appetizers and camaraderie with fellow crew members as the scores are being totaled and posted.

The cost for a four-person scramble team is again $300. That will include carts, lunch and plenty of prizes for the best teams, both gross and net, as well as long drives and closest to the pin.

Click here to register online.

And is the continuing tradition, the top two teams in the gross standings will face off against the top two teams from Oregon, with Western Washington being the host this year for the 11th annual Pacific Northwest Crew Championship. Last year, North Shore and Tacoma Country and Golf Club represented the WWGCSA.

If you would like more information, please contact Paul Ramsdell, the WWGCSA Executive Director, at mpsparks90@aol.com or 253-219-8360.

For a downloadable registration form, click here.

Promoting the WWGCSA

Be sure to check out the May edition of Pacific Northwest Golfer magazine. The WWGCSA placed a half-page advertisement, which can be seen on Page 4 of the Golf Washington section, to promote the association and the dedication of its members.

The ad was part of an Outreach Grant program conducted by the GCSAA. Another ad is scheduled to appear in the June issue of Cascade Golfer.

Field Day at Puyallup on July 9

The R.L. Goss Research Farm in Puyallup will be the site of the WSU/OSU Turf Field on Tuesday, July 9.

Registration starts at 8 a.m. and the program runs for 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. with lunch to follow.

Among the speakers will be Dr. Alec Kowaleski of Oregon State, Dr. Gwen Stahnke of WSU-Puyallup and Dr. Bill Johnston of WSU-Pullman.

The cost is $30 and the registration form will be completed shortly.

First Green Sets Field Day Workshop

Superintendents are invited to learn more about the First Green’s efforts in the area at a Field Day workshop being put on Tuesday, May 21 at Chambers Bay Golf Course.

The First Green Foundation and the Washington State Golf Association are working together to get more club representatives knowledgeable and involved in the program. Superintendents then become a major piece of the puzzle, with the ultimate goal being to expose schoolchildren to the science that happens every day on the golf course and to the game itself.

A free lunch is included, and more information is available by clicking here.

WSDA Seeks Superintendents’ Input

The Washington State Department of Agriculture wants to get a better understanding of pesticide use on golf courses from superintendents in the region.

Kelly McLain, an agency scientist studying pesticides, land use and water quality for the WSDA, would like to sit down with about a half-dozen area superintendents and discuss the use of pesticides.

Kelly can be reached at Kelly.mclain@agr.wa.gov or 360-902-2067 for more information.

Olympia G&CG Captures Fivesome

By a half-stroke margin, Olympia Country & Golf Club, led by superintendent Jerry Thompson, captured top honors Thursday at the WWGCSA’s annual Fivesome Tournament/Auction on a picture-perfect day at Meridian Valley Country Club.

Olympia, at 53.7 in the scramble tournament, edged Seattle Golf Club, which came in at 54.2. Everett Golf & Country Club took third (54.8) and Fircrest Golf Club (54.9) took fourth.

Click here for complete results.

Joining Thompson on the Olympia team were Joe Alongi, Keith Simmons, pro Mike Campbell and club manager Tyler Jones, who won one of the three closest-to-the-pin contests.

In the Industry Team competition, Industry Team No. 3, with Shane Riley, Dave McNeil, Jeff Horan, Justin Horlacher and Bob Engle, were the winners with a 54.6

The other KPs went to Carol Brogan of Rainier G&CC and Al Morris of Fircrest Golf Club.

The WWGCSA wants to thank everyone at Meridian Valley Country Club – host superintendent Craig Benson along with Greg Manley, Jordan Pitre, Mike Campbell and everyone on the staff – for making it a great event.

Next year, we’re set for Overlake Golf & Country Club on May 8, 2014, so make your plans now.

Syngenta Applications Available

Syngenta has set up an online application process for candidates interested in applying for the Syngenta Business Institute. The Institute, in its fifth year, is a professional business development program specifically designed for the golf course industry in partnership with the Wake Forest Schools of Business.

Those interested in applying can go online to greencastonline.com/SBI and apply by Aug. 20.

The four-day program focuses on financial and human resource management, delegation skills, effective communication and negotiation skills as well as managing general differences. The session will be held Dec 9-12 in Winston-Salem, NC.

American Lake Looking for a Sprayer

The American Lake Veterans Golf Course is looking for a used 200- to 300-gallon self-propelled sprayer, with attachments.

If anybody is in the process of replacing their sprayer, and either wants to donate it to the American Lake Veterans course, or sell it for a good price, please contact Jim Jackson, special projects manager at the course, at wegolf2@comcast.net.

Job Posting Page Now Open

The job posting area on the Western Washington Golf Course Superintendents Association web site is no longer password protected, so everyone can see positions posted on the WWGCSA site.

Click here to be taken to the job posting area.

If you want to post a job opening, send a job description and contact information to Paul Ramsdell, the WWGCSA executive director, at mpsparks90@aol.com.

NTA Awards Nearly $48,000 in Grants

The Board of Directors of the Northwest Turfgrass Association is proud to announce it will be distributing $47,984.00 in research and education grants to six different entities in 2013.

This is up considerably from the $26,072.24 distributed in 2012 and higher than the normal range of $30,000 a year in grants. Major reasons for the increased amount in 2013 included the great attendance and success of the 2012 NTA Conference at Bandon Dunes as well as numerous and generous contributions from clubs and individuals throughout the Northwest.

With that in mind, the NTA Board is encouraging everyone to continue their support of the NTA by attending its annual conference, Oct. 7-9, 2013, in the Tri-Cities of Washington.

For 2013, after extensive consideration and recommendations from the NTA Research Committee, the Board of Directors awarded the following research and education grants:

Fungicide Alternative Management Practices for Mircodochium Patch

Oregon State University—$15,000

Identification of Pythium Species in the Pacific Northwest

Washington State University - Puyallup—$12,684

Benefits of Ion Exchange Technologies Leading to Sustainable Practices

Walla Walla Community College— $7,800

First Green Links as Labs

First Green Foundation—$5,000

Reseeding timing following methiozolin (PoaCure) application

Washington State University - Pullman—$4,000

Outdoor Turf Lab

Walla Walla Community College—$3,500

Report from Chapter Delegates Meeting

Jim Myers, president of the Western Washington Golf Course Superintendents Association, recently attended the GCSAA’s Chapter Delegates meeting in Kansas City, Mo.

Click HERE to read his report from the meeting, in which a dues increase, the GCSAA field staff program and membership standards were key topics of discussion.

Myers Re-elected President of WWGCSA

Jim Myers, the superintendent at The Plateau Club in Sammamish, was re-elected to a second one-year term as president of the Western Washington Golf Course Superintendents Association.

During the annual meeting at Fairwood Golf & Country Club, Myers was re-elected while Jacob Close of Sudden Valley Golf & Country Club in Bellingham and Steve Kealy, of Glendale Country Club in Bellevue, were elected to three-year terms on the Board of Directors.

Ryan Hammer, from Trophy Lake in Port Orchard, was elected to the one-year assistant’s position and Carl Taylor of Western Equipment was re-elected to the one-year affiliate’s position on the Board.

GHIN Handicap Club Back in Business

The Western Washington Golf Course Superintendents Association and the Washington State Golf Association are ready to offer handicaps to superintendents and members of their crews at reduced rates.

The rate for a GHIN handicap for a superintendent will be $18 and for members of their crew it will be $15.

Just e-mail a list of names of people who want to establish a handicap, or move their current handicaps to the WWGCSA Golf Club to Paul Ramsdell at mpsparks90@aol.com, or contact him at 253-219-8360 for more information.