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FROM THE CLUB PRESIDENT DOC HOLLIDAY FROM THE DIRECTOR OF GOLF JEFF OSTLUND EDITOR’S CORNER SUSAN WARZECKA & NANCY SHEPPARD

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GROUNDS COMMITTEE

HANDICAP COMMITTEE

MGA

WGA

LNGA

FROM THE CLUB PRESIDENT DOC HOLLIDAY

This is the 4th in a series of updates on the summer projects at the club. There is a slide show video at the end of this summary. The South practice tee expansion is

We have gone through the 1,700 tons or 3,400,000 pounds of sand this summer. Most of this sand has been used to continue to build on the 4”-6” Fairway sand bases created several years ago with the Blec Sand Injection Project. This sand base allows the salt contained in our water (very heavy amounts) to be wicked away from the Bermuda root system, thus allowing it to be healthy and lush. The fairways on both courses have transitioned better than at any time previously, and the overseed process (barring severe weather) will be great. Ranch fairway and greenside bunkers have all been repaired, and the new sand has been installed. They are ready for play! The Ranch 18th hole fairway was redesigned with two new bunkers, and the entire area was resodded. The new grass has grown and looks like it has been there for a long time! The fairway appears to be VERY WIDE from the teeing areas but still offers a penalty for wayward tee shots (as it should be on a closing hole). All the Ranch greens have grown in and been cut to playing height. They continue to be fertilized weekly, micro- tined, and Verti-cut, and they should be somewhat “softer” when we open for play this fall.

complete. It will add the needed hitting stall spaces and a new Professional Teaching Tee facility. All the cart path roughs have been Shock-Waved and sanded, and the rough edges have all been repaired and resodded. The new range storage building and surrounding area are complete and look great as well. The Scoreboard Patio Expansion Project is well underway. This project was approved by the Board at the July Board of Directors meeting with a capped total cost amount. The direction included replacing the existing patio furniture with more comfortable and durable furniture. We have been able to secure very high-quality furniture at a highly discounted price (53%) that was designed to withstand the Arizona summers. Additional furniture was added to the order, which added approximately $8,000 to the cost. This furniture has better than “commercial” warranties and is currently used by many hotels in the area. The furniture has been ordered, and the inventory is being held by the company until we need it (anticipated to take possession in 3rd week in October). The expansion area has been cleared, leveled, retaining walls built (the slope was too

FROM THE CLUB PRESIDENT DOC HOLLIDAY

great to not completely level the area, so additional fill had to be brought in, and this required retaining walls and this added an unplanned $1,500 to the cost; we also had to add ground lights for the retaining walls which added an additional $1,600 cost). This portion of the project has been done in-house, which saved the club a significant amount of money versus doing this with an outside contractor, and Travis has done an outstanding job. The pergola company and product were chosen through a competitive bid process. Members of the board and committees have physically reviewed other pergola projects from the chosen company, and they appear to be excellent. The necessary building permit applications

installed (the product is already on site but was approximately $1,300 higher than originally quoted)) as soon as support columns/footings are in place. The TV team negotiated a cost reduction from the pergola company of over $20,000. We found cost reductions in several other areas, and the total project is running approximately $22,000 under the approved budget and is still on time. A final cost analysis will be announced at the end of the project, but it will be less than what was opening/welcome back celebration on November 15th (Friday) in conjunction with the large Demo Day event. Details will follow! approved for the project. We are planning a grand

have been submitted and are now anticipated to be received within the next 7-10 days. Once the permits have been issued, construction will begin immediately. The pavers will be New, custom-designed, 1st tee supply stations have been installed-they really add some class to the area. The Peaks station was done in green color, and the Ranch was done in brown. We are planning a grand opening/welcome back celebration on November 15th (Friday) in conjunction with the large Demo Day event-more details will follow! I look forward to seeing folks start to return to paradise and we will try to have everything ready for your enjoyment.

Doc Holliday, TVGC President Doc Holliday

FROM THE DIRECTOR OF GOLF JEFF OSTLUND

TVGC is currently hosting the Arizona Senior Women’s Amateur Championship on the Peaks Course (8:30 Shotguns Monday 9/9 – Wednesday 9/11). We continue to wish our participating members (Claudia Pilot, Edwina McKay, Robin Cole and Sandy Queen) the best of luck as they represent our Club in this state championship. CLICK HERE to view tournament results.

I am proud to announce that Blake Berry has been promoted to the position of Head Golf Professional. Since joining our team in the fall of 2020, Blake has put together an outstanding body of work and has demonstrated all of the leadership qualities that are necessary to be successful in this new role. In addition to earning his Master’s Degree in Business Administration, he will soon be elevated to “Class A” Professional status by the PGA of America. Congratulations Blake! We look forward to you helping lead our team for years to come.

Registration for the Big Cup Scramble member event on Friday, October 4th is now open on ForeTees. Teams of 4 can be comprised of any combination of men and women. We’ll do our best to pair up singles and/or couples to fill out the field of up to 120 players. A fresh deli buffet luncheon will follow play.

October 1st is an important date for those eager to play in our November/December events. Sign-ups for all of the following will be available that morning: WGA Opening Day, Member-Member, One-Day Guest Day MGA Opening Day, 6-6-6 Member-Member, Eclectic Member-Member LNGA Opening Day Couples Fall Into Fun Super Scramble, Season-Long Couples Match Play

FROM THE DIRECTOR OF GOLF JEFF OSTLUND

Historically, some of these events have filled quickly, so don’t hesitate to register for those you are interested in. Stay tuned for an email from Golf Genius at the end of September

asking you to confirm your tee selections for the upcoming season. Golf Staff Liaisons for each of our leagues this season are as follows: MGA – Blake Berry WGA – Matt McKovich LNGA – Matt Tolan & Donnielle Ostlund Couples – Evan Wright Lady Putters – Hunter McAloon Random but Noteworthy

Shoulder Season rates take effect on Friday, September 20th which means that Guest Fees will increase to $120 running through the end of December. CLICK HERE to view a complete schedule of Guest Fees for the 2024-2025 season. The first tee time of the day will shift back to 6:42am on September 15th and then to 7:00am on October 1st. As the sun starts to come up later we adjust to ensure the Agronomy Team has enough time to prepare the course for play. For more news and notes from the Golf Shop stay tuned to the golf homepage on TontoVerde.org. Until next time, fairways and greens!

Jeff Ostlund, Director of Golf Jeff Ostlund

FOR SALE USED PATIO FURNITURES

$1,500 EACH

$300 EACH

PACKAGE SET: 4 CHAIRS + 1 TABLE = $2,500 ($200 DISCOUNT)

TVGC WILL DELIVER TO YOUR FRONT DRIVEWAY, NOT TO YOUR BACKYARD. DELIVERY WILL TAKE PLACE IN EARLY OCTOBER ONCE OUR NEW FURNITURE ARRIVES. ITEMS ARE AVAILABLE ON A FIRST-COME BASIS. YOU CAN CLAIM YOUR SPECIFIC PIECES, AND WE WILL PUT YOUR NAME ON THEM.

FOR QUESTIONS, REACH OUT TO TONTO VERDE GOLF SHOP AT 480.471.2710

OCT 10-11 DURING COURSE CLOSURE

& FLAGSTAFF RANCH GC FLAGSTAFF

OAK CREEK CC SEDONA

The Greenbrier was a truly special place. It exuded old-world southern charm, with impressive grounds and a wide array of activities. The golf courses, The Meadows and Old White, were both beautiful and challenging. The Old Course, where the LIV event took place the week before, was a favorite among everyone. Its tight, tree-lined fairways, undulating greens, and strategically placed bunkers provided a real challenge for us. The Meadows, while shorter, had very challenging bunkers with flat, high walls reminiscent of those in Scotland. Some of us struggled to get our balls out of those bunkers, taking multiple swings. We played golf in the mornings, leaving our afternoons free for various activities. Some visited the local brewery, others relaxed in the outdoor pool, enjoyed afternoon tea, or simply relaxed in their cozy robes provided by the hotel. The breakfast at The Greenbrier's Main Dining Room was the epitome of resort dining. A highlight of our trip was the closing dinner at Prime 44 West, a restaurant named in honor of Jerry West, a WV native who played professional basketball (#44) for the LA Lakers. We were treated to a four-course meal at a private table with a view of the kitchen, allowing us to watch the chefs as they prepared their fare for all the patrons. A big thank you to Somin for planning this special trip. Susan Warzecka and Nancy Sheppard IMMERSING IN THE SOUTHERN CHARM AT THE GREENBRIER

GROUNDS COMMITTEE

Ranch in the left rough near the wash….it has not fared well. Zoysia may be a viable future option if new strains are developed, if we were to someday face significant water restrictions or if we decided not to overseed (a forbidden topic for most of us, who love the aesthetic and playability advantages of overseeded rye), but for now, it’s not a great option. So far, the only course in our area that has committed to a conversion to Zoysia is Fire Rock, in Fountain Hills. They’re going through the conversion right now, and they do not plan to do any overseeding with a green winter grass. Another local course, Desert Highlands, is experimenting with Zoysia, but word is that they are not convinced. When we re-do our irrigation systems several years into in the future, then- current grass technologies and water restrictions will be evaluated for possible re-grassing, but in the meantime, the basic summary is that our current grasses at Tonto are generally well-suited to our environment and year-round playability.

WHY DON’T WE TRY.....? Tonto members who recently tuned in to watch Scottie Sheffler’s big Tour Championship win at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta probably heard frequent mention of the wonderful playing surfaces provided by the “Zorro” Zoysia grass fairways, rough and green surrounds and the TifEagle Bermuda greens. After all the accolades heaped on East Lake, it’s inevitable that some will ask, “Why don’t we try that at Tonto?” The answer comes in two parts: First, when we re-open the Ranch course in late October, the base grass under all our overseeded greens (putting green, chipping green and both golf courses) will be the same TifEagle Bermuda that was praised so heavily at East Lake. It’s a tried and true turf grass that is very heat tolerant AND handles annual overseeding well. Second, according to our Director of Agronomy (Travis), our current consulting architect Mike Gogel and numerous articles on the topic, Zoysia for fairways, roughs and surrounds is a completely different animal. Briefly, it is not as drought tolerant as Bermuda grass, it goes dormant (and brown) in the winter, and (most importantly) it does not respond well to annual over-seeding. These conclusions have been borne out by a small experimental patch of Zoysia that was planted a few years ago on 13

HANDICAP COMMITTEE

As we gear up for the 2024 – 2025 season, we would like to remind all players of the Club's Handicap Posting and Compliance Policy, which outlines the responsibilities of both players and the Handicap Committee.

MGA

UPCOMING EVENTS Remember that sign-up for the three events listed below opens on October 1st. Details for these and all MGA events can be found on the member website: tontoverde.org/golf club members/golf event registration. Opening Day is Wednesday, November 6th, starting with a buffet breakfast at 8 AM followed by a short informational meeting and shotgun golf at 9:30. Sign-up opens on October 1st. One Day 6/6/6 Member/Member will be held on November 13th. Line up your partner and register when open. Fall Member/Member Eclectic is a fun 2-day event that will be held on the Peaks Course and begin on December 4th, with the concluding round on December 11th. The Eclectic Series has been very well attended and fun for all the past few years. Both days have a double shotgun scheduled, one at 8:30 AM and the other at 1 PM. There should be plenty of room for all participants wanting to play, and the pace of play should be good. An Eclectic tournament takes the best scores of a team (best ball of partners) made on each hole over multiple rounds, in this case, 2 rounds.

Remember, it is never too early to start planning for our 2025 Premier Desert Classic 3-Day Invitational Event, which will be on

Jon Lynch, MGA Communication Jon Lynch All current MGA members have been billed the MGA $50 annual dues. A current roster is posted on the member website under Leagues/MGA. If you are not on the list and would like to join and participate in our events, please contact our membership/communication liaison at jjlynch4@cox.net. Newsletter #1 2024-2025” by the end of September, please send an email to jjlynch4@cox.net. March 20th, 21st, and 22nd. Get your special guest lined up for yet another fantastic guest event. See the member website's “golf event registration” for details. All MGA members will receive a season-opening email with a couple of attachments sometime during the week of September 23rd. If, for some reason, you do not receive an email “MGA

WGA

WGA members are on the move and golfing throughout the U.S. & Canada. Send your golf photos to me at oneal.glenda@gmail.com , and I’ll share them in the next Divot Digest. WHERE ARE YOU GOLFING?

Connie Goerich and Kris Gabrielse (pictured with other members in the foursome) teed it up for Connie’s Olympic- themed member/ guest

Traveling east, Glenda O’Neal and Lori O’Hara endured Lake of the Ozarks’ high humidity to play Old Kinderhook in Camdenton, MO; Marianne Cooper, Barb Smith, Nancy Sheppard, Susan Warzecka, and

event at the North Shore Golf Club in Wisconsin, bringing home the Bronze.

Michele Glenn are pictured before their

These members managed to golf in cooler regions: Carolyn Reimer and Sue Paquette enjoyed playing The Club in Crested Butte, CO; Nancy McCarthy and Christie Gorsline are pictured at Salishan Golf Club on the Oregon coast.

round at The Greenbriar, located in the Allegheny

Mountains in West Virginia; and Vicki

Wolken (and husband Rob) golfed with Regina

McIntosh and Nicki Nichols in Boston.

Tonto members gathered at The Preserve at Grand View Lodge in Pequot Lake, Minnesota, to enjoy their 3rd

Glenda ONeal, WGA Communication Glenda O’neal If you’re planning to be in Tonto this month, be sure to come out and support our members competing in the Arizona Senior Women’s Amateur Championship, which will be played on the Peaks Course, September 9-11. Good luck, Ladies!

annual golfing get-together. WGA members and their spouses/guests included Lori McCormick, Jeanne Mooty, Claudia Pilot, Heidi Bye, Mary Streed, Nancy McEnroe, and Becky Peterson.

LNGA

A big welcome to the newest NLIH member, Linda Smiley Dietsche.

Even though the days are still long, hot, and humid, the NLIH ladies are out there braving the elements to play their game. On Wednesday, August 21st, the ladies participated in a football-themed scramble event. Everyone wore the colors and logos of their favorite college or professional football team.

A big shout out to Marty Swain for providing us with a picture of the Minnesota Lady Niner group’s reunion/luncheon.

There are only a few more weeks of NLIH golf before the season ends, but as a reminder, our 2nd game of September will be held on Thursday the 12th instead of Wednesday the 11th. On the 18th, we will be having another 3-club + putter best ball scramble. It was so much fun the first time we did it that we decided it needed an encore! Save the date of September 25th for the last NLIH event of this year, the 3rd Annual Toasted in Tonto Scramble. As in previous years, this scramble includes one outside services player joining each group, with a luncheon following the game.

Carol Noonan Communication Carol Noonan

September 2024 Monday Tuesday Friday Saturday Sunday Wednesday Thursday

1 Ranch Closed Maintenance

5 Ranch Closed Maintenance

Ranch Closed Maintenance

8 AM Board Meeting

Ranch Closed Maintenance AGA Senior Women’s Amateur Championship

Ranch Closed Maintenance

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Divot Digest - September