Divot Digest BEYOND TONTO VERDE: OUR MEMBERS' SUMMER ESCAPES
AUGUST 12TH, 2025
in this ISSUE
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FROM THE CLUB PRESIDENT TODD HALL TODD HALL FROM THE DIRECTOR OF GOLF JEFF OSTLUND JEFF OSTLUND
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WELCOME OUR NEW EXECUTIVE CHEF VITO CREWS VITO CREWS
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MEMBERSHIP, MARKETING & COMMUNICATION COMMITTEE
GROUNDS COMMITTEE
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BEYOND TONTO VERDE: OUR MEMBERS' SUMMER ESCAPES OUR MEMBERS' SUMMER ESCAPES
HOLE IN ONE UPDATE
MGA
WGA & LADIES HAPPY HOUR
LNGA
FROM THE CLUB PRESIDENT TODD HALL
I got to spend the last week in Tonto Verde and play a little golf and I’m happy to report the Ranch course looks great; the Peaks is still shut down for maintenance, but it appears to be progressing nicely. The fairways and greens are in great shape, and this is an important condition for a successful over-seed. However, we could use a good monsoon rain…it’s dry here! As communicated previously, the Board decided to allow Travis and the agronomy team some flexibility on the over-seed schedule this year based upon what the weather and temperature forecast look like at the time of the planned over-seed. This change gives us the best chance to avoid extreme heat that inhibits winter grass seed germination. In addition, the decision was recently made, based upon Travis’ trip to and discussions with a major turf seed company in Washington state, to augment our typical fall over-seed mix with creeping fine fescue (Read more about this in Jay Kernan’s Grounds article). We are optimistic that this new seed mix, along with the flexible over-seed timing, and the Slit Seeder we purchased this past spring, provides the best opportunity for ideal winter turf conditions. I am also happy to share the Board, at our July 2025 meeting, unanimously approved a significant rework and improvement to our short game practice area and chipping green. This has been very high on the list of
needed improvements and our course architect, Mike Gogel, has provided the Grounds Committee and Board with multiple plans over the past couple years with his most recent plan addressing all the items requested. The expansion is scheduled for the summer of 2026 and includes several key improvements: Reorientation of the Green-Side Bunker : The bunker will be repositioned away from the parking lot to improve safety and functionality. It will be designed to be more representative of what we experience on the courses. Enlarged and Relocated Green : The putting green will be slightly expanded and shifted to the north and east, creating more usable space along with the ability to practice up to 50-yard pitch shots. New Fairway Practice Bunker : A fairway bunker will be added near the former teaching tee location, designed to both protect players practicing in the bunker and deter players from using it as a green-side practice bunker. I hope you view the above planned changes as the Board’s continued commitment to providing top-tier facilities for our members. Thank you for your continued support and passion for Tonto Verde Golf Club. Todd Hall
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FROM THE DIRECTOR OF GOLF JEFF OSTLUND
“NON-SOON” Another “non-soon” has continued to be the story around Tonto Verde as of late. That said, the humidity seems to be ticking up and we’ve at least got least a coin flip’s chance of some precipitation later this week. Locals will continue to do their best rain dances in hopes that the skies will open up and break up the monotony of the summer heat. SUMMER MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE The Summer Maintenance Schedule has us rotating back to the Peaks Course starting Monday 8/18. At the same time we’ll transition from the North to the South Range and from the chipping green back to the putting green. GUEST FEES Take advantage of our summer guest rates and reciprocal play opportunities while they last. Shoulder season guest fees will take effect starting September 26. Click Here to view the complete Member’s Guest Fee Schedule for the 2025-2026 season. Summer reciprocal arrangements will expire towards the end of September. th
RANDOM BUT NOTEWORTHY Trackman Saturdays are going to be put on a hiatus until mid-September due to a lull in demand. An update on the resumption of this offering will be communicated in the September Divot Digest. The Summer Road Game series will continue on September 9 at Blackstone Country Club and on September 23 at another venue TBD. Registration for the Blackstone outing is currently available on ForeTees. th rd The Big Cup Scramble is scheduled for Friday, October 3 (9 am Shotgun on Ranch). Registration for this event will open on ForeTees starting September 3 . rd rd Sign-ups for fall events (post-overseed) will become available on ForeTees starting October 1 at 7 am. st
Until next time, fairways and greens.
Director of Golf Jeff Ostlund
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COMMANDING THE KITCHEN. RESPECTING THE CRAFT. Chef Vito
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MEMBERSHIP, MARKETING & COMMUNICATION COMMITTEE
TONTO VERDE FAMILY PROGRAM At Tonto Verde Golf Club, we know that family and community are at the heart of what makes our Club so special. We are excited to introduce a wonderful new opportunity for your family to engage in the Tonto Verde experience: the Tonto Family Program! Many of our members have discovered Tonto Verde Golf Club through their family and friends. This connection is a key reason why Tonto Verde continues to foster a welcoming community while upholding the Club’s traditions. By allowing our royal members to extend opportunities to their children or grandchildren, we can preserve the Club’s legacy and create a vibrant environment by attracting younger memberships. This, in turn, will enhance the value of our current membership and serve as a powerful marketing tool for prospective members looking to invest in a family-oriented community. This program provides an opportunity for the children or grandchildren of our valued active Regular Members (with a minimum of two years of membership) to apply for their own Regular Membership at Tonto Verde Golf Club. Approved Family Applicants will pay 60% of the standard joining fee associated with their chosen membership type. 6
The Tonto Verde Family Program is limited to a select number of members each season. The Club believes that this initiative will play a vital role in preserving the traditions of Tonto Verde while cultivating a welcoming and engaging environment for all members, both current and future. Please contact our Membership and Marketing Director, Somin Beversdorf, at slee@tontogolf.com or 480-689-9697 for complete program details and application information.
We look forward to welcoming the next generation of Tonto Verde families!
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GROUNDS COMMITTEE
We’ve all heard that “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and hoping for a different result. The past couple of years have produced some spotty fairway overseed results on our courses, primarily due to heat spikes, untimely rain and other weather-related challenges, and rather than repeating the same old, same old, our Agronomy team, Grounds Committee and Board have continued to look at ways to improve our overseed results and provide the best possible playing conditions for the members. A few of the changes in our overseed protocol and equipment have been discussed in previous Divot Digests and Turf Talks and include the addition of some flexibility to the overseed schedule and the acquisition of a small area slit-seeding machine that will allow us to more effectively attack many of the smaller bare spots that we’ve all seen in past years. Another important change for this year’s overseed will include a new seed mix and a slightly heavier seed application rate. The new seed mix and heavier application rate are the result of a recent visit by Travis to a major grass seed company in Washington as well as his typically thorough follow-up research. Instead of a 100% ryegrass overseed this year, we’ll be 6
using a mix of 60% rye and 40% fine creeping fescue, applied at rate of 1000 lbs of seed per acre instead of the 750 lbs per acre rate used in the past several years. The addition of the fescue grass is important for the primary reason that, unlike rye, it is a “surface creeper” and spreads to cover open spots. This means that the creeping fescue should help to cover spots that would otherwise be left open by a 100% rye seed mix. The added fescue should also provide a more lush playing surface due to the size of its grass blades. In arriving at the decision to make the seed mix change for our fairways and green surrounds, several factors were considered, including: Drought and salt tolerance – fine creeping fescue is very drought and salt tolerant. Transition tolerance – fine creeping fescue should provide no special challenges for the transition back to Bermuda in the late Spring and Summer Durability – while not quite as tolerant of heavy cart traffic as rye, the rye/fescue mix and fescue’s regenerating characteristics have made this a non-issue where similar seed blends have been used.
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GROUNDS COMMITTEE
Proven track record – the TPC in Scottsdale has successfully used a rye/fescue overseed blend for several years, receiving very positive comments from the touring pros at the Waste Management Open. Verde River has also used a similar seed blend for the past 2 years, and Tonto members who have played that course have reported very high-quality fairway conditions. Our greens will continue to be overseeded with the same bentgrass/poa trivialis blend that has proven very successful in the past. The result of these timing, equipment and seed mix improvement should allow Tonto members to look forward to the best winter golf conditions we’ve seen.
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BEYOND TONTO Member Travel Adventures Tips Summer of 2025 Tonto Verde
As the Arizona sun beat down, our members and staff were on their summer escapes! Whether it’s reuniting with cherished Tonto friends in cooler spots or embarking on epic cruises that unveil stunning landscapes, this summer is all about connection, laughter, and creating unforgettable memories!
Family Beat the Heat with Epic Summer Adventures!
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Outside Services Gangs are together in Wisconsin Clint, Kyle, Jack, Jacob, John, and our Head Professional, Blake, competed in the Voyagers Village Shootout in Wisconsin. Our members, Todd and Lori Hall, and Claudia and Dave Pilots, also joined the team.
Tonto Verde Minnesota Open 73 Tonto Members gathered at Grandview Lodge in Minnesota for the Tonto Verde Minnesota Open, enjoying golf and cocktail parties in the woods.
Golfing in California Robin and Mike Cole visited Brenda Knott and Todd Miszner at their summer home. They played golf at Whitehawk Ranch GC, California.
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Double Trouble Lorri Cisler and Lynn Cabrera golfing at Green Bay Country Club, WI. They spent 10 days golfing, laughing, and making memories.
Golfing at Bandon Dunes Shellie Rosser, Matt McCarthy, Nancy McCarthy and Milton Slepkow took the challenge at Bandon Trails.
Salmon Fishing Trip at the Kenai River, Alaska Jeff, Clint, and Jacob embarked on an unforgettable trip to the Kenai River in Alaska for salmon fishing. Their excitement soared as they reeled in over 300 pounds of salmon!
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Baltic Sea Golf Cruise Adventure O’Neals, Birdsells, O’Haras, and Ingaldsons were on a 15 day Azamara/Perry Golf Cruise in the Baltic Sea, embarking from Copenhagen. They toured cities and played golf in Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, and Germany before disembarking in South Hampton.
Golfing in Bend, Oregon Shellie Rosser and Denise Madaline enjoyed the stunning blue sky at Tetherow Golf Resort,
Golf and Gourmet: A Day Out at Minnesota Valley Country Club Karla and Scott Lalim, and Patty and Chris Conroy enjoyed a fun day of golf, followed by a delightful dinner at the Minnesota Valley Country Club in Bloomington, MN.
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H LE ONE in
JULY in
Please submit your Hole-in-One photo to Somin at slee@tontogolf.com.
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MGA
UPCOMING EVENTS: Sign up opens on October 1 st
Jon Lynch, MGA Communication Jon Lynch Hope you are having a great, safe, healthy, and fun summer with family and friends. Remember it is never too early to start planning for our 2026 Premier Desert Classic 3-Day Invitational Event which will be on March 19 -21. Get your special guest lined up for yet another fantastic guest event. See the member website “golf event registration” for details. th- st Our current roster is posted on the member website. If you have any questions about the MGA please contact our membership/communication liaison at jjlynch4@cox.net.
MGA Opening Day is Wednesday November 12 starting with a buffet breakfast at 8 AM followed by a short informational meeting and shotgun golf at 9:30 AM. th One Day 6/6/6 Member/Member will be held on November 19. Line up your partner and register when it opens. Details for these and all MGA events can be found on the member website: tontoverde.org/golf club members/golf event registration. th
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WGA
REMINDER: The signups for the following WGA events begin October 1 . st 2025 WGA Opening Day and Dinner - Tuesday, November 11 . The format is a Step Aside Scramble on the Peaks course at 12 PM shotgun start. Dinner meeting follows golf. th WGA Member-Member Tournament - November 18 & November 20 . This two-person eclectic team format is a popular event. Trophy presentations and dinner follow after the second day. th th
It seems early for this reminder, but summer is winding down quickly. It’s been a hot summer for many areas in the country. Looking forward to the fall weather in Arizona! Viki Wilds, WGA Communication Viki Wilds
Ladies Happy Hour ALL LADIES ARE WELCOME
AUGUST 22 SEPTEMBER 4 MESQUITE GRILL 3:30 PM
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LNGA
UPCOMING EVENTS:
The NLIH group surely have been keeping their golf game “up to par” with making 45 pars and 4 birdies for the month of July.
August 13th - Toasted in Tonto with outside services August 26 - Academy class focusing on putting (more information will follow in an upcoming email). September 10 - Guest Day (invite spouse, friend, Niner, child, or grandchild) September 24th - Closing Day with 2:30 pm start with meal. Information on upcoming events will be available soon.
A few of the ladies in the NLIH group ventured to the pines of the north to participate in the Niners World Tour event at the Pinewood Country Club in Munds Park. These ladies know how to fly right!! And while those ladies, T. Drown, D. Barth, T. Leete, A. Hunt, (not pictured D. Blaha and C. Gorsline) were having fun in the cool air, other NLIH ladies were having fun with the Red/Ball-Fire/Ball day on July 16 th .
Carol Noonan, LNGA Communication Carol Noonan
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