Divot Digest PLACE TO RETIRE IN THE US #1 RIO VERDE, AZ
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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US OPEN POOL
EDITOR ’ S CORNER PROUD TO CALL RIO VERDE HOME EDITOR’S CORNER PROUD TO CALL RIO VERDE HOME
HOLE IN ONE UPDATE
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MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
HANDICAP COMMITTEE
CONGRATS TO EVAN WRIGHT
MGA
WGA & LNGA
FROM THE CLUB PRESIDENT TODD HALL
This famous quote by The Hawk, a nickname he earned for his intense focus, precision, and sharp-eyed determination on the course, like a hawk hunting its prey, seemed a fitting lead in for this month’s message. One of the things I was most impressed with seven years ago when Lori and I first joined Tonto Verde Golf Club was the focus and determination by the Board to become a Premier Golf Club. This kind of aspiration takes vision and persistence, along with a focus on capital planning. It’s easy to say you want to be a Premier Golf Club, but without a plan and the money it’s just a dream. Our recent survey asked if you had read the Long-Range Plan (LRP) for TVGC. As you can see from the chart, more than half those completing the survey said they had not read it. Have you read the Long Range Plan for TVGC? “THE MOST IMPORTANT SHOT IN GOLF IS THE NEXT ONE.” BEN HOGAN
Financial Operations committee, Grounds committee and Board spend significant time preparing, reviewing and updating the LRP and then it’s shared with members at the annual town hall meeting and posted on the TVGC website for viewing. I encourage you to take a moment to review the LRP and share your thoughts with us; this planning document is vital to shaping the future of TVGC in a fiscally responsible manner. Many Clubs fail to adequately plan for their future repairs, replacements and improvements. They instead arrive at a point in time where large special assessments are required to replace 40- year-old irrigation systems, bunkers, and greens that only last so long. These special assessments drive up member resignations creating the daunting task of asking the remaining members for an even larger assessment or, worse yet, forcing a Club to finance these capital needs with huge amounts of debt. We must be thankful for the foresight and determination of the previous Leaders and Boards of TVGC; they planned for and assured monthly capital contributions were set at levels to provide for the future needs of our Club. As Ben Hogan always did on the course, they viewed the future as much more important than the past. Chipping in for the Club,
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0 50 100 150 200 250 300 Since it’s such an important plan for the future of Tonto Verde Golf Club I have provided the link to it here. Each year the 4
Todd Hall
FROM THE DIRECTOR OF GOLF JEFF OSTLUND
TRAI WRECK N FORWARD TEE JUNE 20 , 2025 TH 8:30 AM SHOTGUN RANCH COURSE FORWARD TEE TRAINWRECK 16 teams have signed up for the Forward Tee Trainwreck event (8:30 shotgun) on Friday, June 20. There’s room for more players and plenty of time to sign up before the ForeTees registration closes on Wednesday, June 18 . A team of 4 can be made up of any combination of men (gold tees) and women (silver tees). Included with this event is a Picnic Lunch Buffet following golf for $18++. th th
SUMMER ROAD GAMES New this summer our Professional Staff will be organizing a series of road games to various courses around the Valley. Our first “roadie” will take place on Tuesday, June 17 at We-Ko-Pa’s Saguaro Course. We have 4 tee times starting at 11am at a special rate of $65/player. This game will be open to the first 15 men and/or women that sign up on ForeTees. Details on future road games will be made available on ForeTees and promoted in the Divot Digest as our staff solidify dates, tee times, etc. th technology to learn more about the launch statistics on any club in your bag and/or your swing tendencies with club path, face angle and centeredness of contact. Contact Evan or anyone in the golf shop to sign-up for appointments. TRACKMAN FRIDAYS On a weekly basis starting Friday, June 13 Evan will be setting up the Trackman on the driving range from 7am-9am. Members can sign-up or walk-up for free sessions up to 15 minutes. This is an excellent opportunity to leverage th
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FROM THE DIRECTOR OF GOLF JEFF OSTLUND
RANDOM BUT NOTEWORTHY Low Season Guest Rates ($60 regular; $55 family) are now in effect through September 25 . th Click Here to view our Summer Reciprocal Club List . Reciprocal tee times must be booked through our Golf Shop (advanced booking window varies by club). TVGC is hosting a Ladies Summer Interclub (8:00 am shotgun on the Ranch Course) on Wednesday, June 11 . Afternoon tee times are available for members not playing in this event. th The driving range will continue to close on Wednesdays from 10am-1pm to allow for clean picking and mowing. This week the US Open will be played at Oakmont Country Club. Click Here if you’re interested in signing up for our third major championship pool of the season.
We have been asked to remind that membership that the enter/exit stakes continue to be deemed by the Club to be immovable obstructions. This means that golfers will qualify for free relief anytime the stakes interfere with their swing, stance or swing path…but not for line of play. Click Here to view the complete copy of TVGC’s Local Rules. A friendly reminder that golf shop credits earned this season do not expire until January 1 , 2026. st
Until next time, fairways and greens!
Jeff Ostlund, Director of Golf Jeff Ostlund
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TONTO VERDE'S 2025 US OPEN POOL
COST: $20 Per Entry (Cash or Member Charge) HOW IT WORKS: All players in the US Open field have been categorized into 10 groups. Everyone picks a team of 11 golfers (2 from the “Favorites” group). Add your best 6 of 11 golfers scores, each day, to form your team score. The best team score wins the pool. Cut golfers (and anyone who doesn’t finish 4 rounds) get 80 for any rounds not completed. Playoff holes do not count. There will be a $50 daily bonus paid out to the team that has the best performance for each day of the tournament. In the event of a tie for a daily best team score, winning teams will split shares. All payouts will be in golf shop credit. The balance of the purse will be paid out to the top 10 entries according to the following scale: 1 =27%, 2 =19%, 3 =13%, 4 =10%, 5 =8%, st nd rd th th 6 =7%, 7 =6%, 8 =4%, 9 &10 = 3% each th th th th th You will also be prompted to predict the winning golfer’s score as a tiebreaker.
HOW TO JOIN THE POOL: Pick your team of golfers here: http://www.easyofficepools.com/join/?p=415697&e=jtdp LIVE LEADERBOARD: Follow the action live http://www.easyofficepools.com/leaderboard/?p=415697
IMPORTANT : We will not be running any money through easyofficepools.com. Instead all entrants will be charged $20 on their June statement unless cash is received in the Golf Shop by the end of day on Wednesday. Non-members are allowed to participate but must clearly indicate which member they’re affiliated with on their entry. Feel free to contact the Golf Shop with any questions about the pool.
EDITOR’S CORNER
PROUD TO CALL RIO VERDE HOME unbeatable location, surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty and an excellent climate for outdoor activities, promotes a healthy and active lifestyle. These may be some of the reasons why so many retirees choose to make Rio Verde their home.
I am excited to share some wonderful news that highlights our amazing community, GoBankingRates have recognized Rio Verde, Arizona, as the most popular retirement spot in the US. I believe that this represents more than just the numbers detailed in the articles. It reflects the lifestyle we've built together. Tonto Verde Golf Club has cultivated a strong sense of community, with many friendly faces at the first tee, laughter shared at the 19th hole, and genuine connections that create a welcoming atmosphere. Also, our
Share with all your family and friends how we are truly blessed to be part of this incredible golf community, and how they can also enjoy the best retirement spot in the country! Because at Tonto Verde Golf Club, you are more than just a member, you are part of a family.
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Please submit your Hole-in-One photo to Somin at slee@tontogolf.com.
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MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
We are excited to announce that the waitlist has been cleared. This means Golf memberships are now available to new members immediately. With this good news, we want to remind you of an important policy for our current members. When the Club had a lengthy waitlist in place, we did not require a 6- month surrender notice period, allowing new members to join right away. Now that the Club no longer has a waitlist, our Bylaws If you are playing in the Summer Train Wreck, your round is postable. To keep the round moving, the Pro Shop will ask you to pick up if you can’t help your team. This is how you handle recording a score for that hole: When a player starts a hole but does not hole out for a valid reason, the player must record their MOST LIKELY SCORE or NET DOUBLE BOGEY, whichever is lower. MOST LIKELY SCORES should be determined on any hole in accordance with the following guidelines:
(Section 4.07, Surrender of Regular Memberships and Pass-Through Sales) stipulate that we require a 6-month notice period for any membership to be surrendered. Thank you for your understanding. It’s our goal to keep all our members informed and ensure that Tonto Verde Golf Club remains a vibrant community for all our members going forward in changing times.
HANDICAP COMMITTEE
If the ball lies between 5 feet and 20 yards from the hole: Add 2 or 3 additional strokes, depending on the position of the ball, the difficulty of the green and the ability of the player If the ball lies more than 20 yards from the hole: Add 3 or 4 additional strokes, depending on the position of the ball, the difficulty of the green and the ability of the player.
NET DOUBLE BOGEY = PAR + YOUR STROKES + 2
If the ball lies on the putting green and is no more than 5 feet from the hole: Add one additional stroke.
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CONGRATS TO OUR PLAYER PERFORMANCE DIRECTOR, EVAN WRIGHT, ON TYING THE KNOT WITH ANNETTE AMBROSE IN BEAUTIFUL POSITANO, ITALY ON MAY 24, 2025
MGA
Our 31 MGA season is right around the corner. Your MGA President Ralph Robinson, along with the 2025-2026 MGA Board and Blake Berry, our MGA Liaison and Head Golf Professional, are working hard to make the upcoming MGA season. Check out the Golf Events, current roster, and 2025-2026 MGA Cup XV details now posted on our member website www.tontoverde.org. under Golf Club Members/Leagues/MGA. st 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 on the Peaks Course. th, All MGA members and new members of MGA will be billed $50 in annual dues for MGA on your July 2025 TVGC statement. Please welcome our new MGA members in the past couple of months: Chris Beck, Mark Giangreco, Dave Haney, Lou Panos, Ian Tarlie, Steve Weberman, Chad Yurko, Mark Aspelund, Pat McGuigan, John DeSalvo, and Bob Russo. If you have any questions about the MGA or would like to join the 400+ men of Tonto Verde and participate in our events, please contact JJ Lynch, our membership/communication liaison, at jjlynch4@cox.net.
On behalf of the MGA Board, I’d like to wish everyone a great summer, and a special welcome to our new members. The Board, along with the professional staff, looks forward to a full and fun slate of events for the coming year
MGA Board of Directors Ralph Robinson, President Doug Benschoter, Vice President
Bill Goerich, Treasurer Dave Kettell, Secretary Bill Reimer, Director Barry Alexa, Director
Jon Lynch, MGA Communication Jon Lynch Jim McEneany, Director Jim Wallace, Director Ron O’Neal, Past President Andy Cox, TVGC Representative Jon Jay Lynch, Membership & Communications Liaison jjlynch4@cox.net
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WGA
Karen Wilhelm, captain of the Spring Interclub, reports that 12 Northeast Scottsdale clubs have come together for a fun, non-competitive league. This year’s golf has taken place at Gainey Ranch, Desert Mountain, and Verde River, culminating in play at Terravita and Tonto Verde. Tonto Verde will host about 60 ladies on June 11th to close out the season.
Viki Wilds, WGA Communication Viki Wilds If any WGA member has a summer event or news, please send an email as well as any pictures to victoriawilds6@gmail.com The picture was taken at the Verde River on May 29th. (From left, Barb Whittake, Kathi Chawla, Barb Smith, Susan Warzecka, Debbie Barth and Karen Wilhelm). Tonto Verde ladies made us proud by winning 3 out of 4 Closest to the Pin at Terravita on June 5th. Ann Crane won one prize, and Elaine Betsch won two. Congratulations to both!
LNGA
The first day of the Niners Like It Hot event took place on May 21st, where 21 players braved the heat to enjoy a morning of scramble golf. Congratulations to Terry Uffelman, Donna Christenberry, and Laurie DeCook for the lowest score of 31. Notable birdies were made on #6 by Carol Noonan and on #7 by Terry Uffelman and Christie Gorsline. If you would like to join the fun with these ladies, please contact the group leader at 2025ninerslikeithot@gmail.com.
Carol Noonan, LNGA Communication Carol Noonan
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