in this ISSUE
FROM THE CLUB PRESIDENT DOC HOLLIDAY
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HOLE IN ONE UPDATE
FROM THE HEAD GOLF PROFESSIONAL BLAKE BERRY
10 12 13 14 16 18 19
EDITOR’S CORNER MEET OUR STAFF
GROUNDS COMMITTEE
HANDICAP COMMITTEE
MGA
LNGA
WGA
LADY PUTTERS & MENS PUTTER
O NEW pATIO party
GOLF GAMES GUESSYOUR DRIVE
FOOD + DESSERT TRUCKS
PUTTING CONTEST
SIGN UP OPENS ON OCT 15TH LIMITED TO 200 GOLF MEMBERS
FROM THE CLUB PRESIDENT DOC HOLLIDAY
Just a quick update on the projects:
to the wash and eventually ended up in the wash on Sandstone. We had crews reacting and finally got EPCOR to shut down the pumps that feed these lakes. I just want to make sure that how this part of the watering system works is understood. TVA owns the lakes and is part of the community's overall water system. TVGC pumps the irrigation water from the clubhouse lakes for the Ranch course. The Peaks irrigation water is pumped from the lakes on Peaks hole #5. These lakes are supplied from the clubhouse lakes. EPCOR controls all the incoming water (well and effluent). There is an EPCOR telemetry system that monitors the water level and is supposed to shut down the feed when certain levels are reached. In case of overfilling the clubhouse lakes, an overflow area feeds onto Peaks #18 and then into the community wash system. It has been difficult at times to reach EPCOR, and again, this was the case Sunday. We did get them to shut down the pumps and repair the telemetry problem. Our crew cleaned up the area (they were here in force because of the over-seeding process). This is more information than you care to have, but since I receive all the calls, I felt it would be worth sharing. Doc Holliday, TVGC President Doc Holliday
Everything grass-related is complete. The Ranch has been over-seeded and is turning very green! The Peaks closed 10/7/24 and have been mowed down to a very low height, sprayed with growth retardant (for the Bermuda), and the winter grass seeding process will commence this week. The scoreboard patio has been completely leveled, retaining walls have been built, steps on the north end have been built, and planter walls have been built. Maricopa County has been slow in releasing the permits (expect them this week), so we are waiting to build the pergola support column footings. That will take no time, and then the concrete will be poured. Once that is in place, the pavers will be installed (the contractor is ready and will need three days). Pergola construction will take less than a week, so the target date of 10/23/24 will be achievable. Furniture is being held by the firm and will be delivered when we need it. There is still a couple of firepit tables and some chairs available should anyone want to purchase them. On Sunday, 10/6/24, multiple people alerted me that the clubhouse lakes were overflowing, and we needed to fix it. The overflow water went down Peaks #18 hole 6
H LE ONE in SEPTEMBER in
Dianne Ruegg Peaks 7 98 Yards PW September 17th
If you wish to be featured, please submit your Hole-in-One photo to Somin at slee@tontogolf.com.
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FROM THE HEAD GOLF PROFESSIONAL BLAKE BERRY
Fall in Tonto Verde is always a splendid time as we get to witness the transformation of our golf courses, the restoration of friendships and the return of the unmatched Arizona weather that we all love. While both courses will be closed from 10/7-10/20 the driving range will be open every day during that time period. The South range will remain open through Wednesday 10/9. On Thursday 10/10 we'll shift to the North range. The chipping green will also close on 10/10. Both the practice putting green and the putting course are scheduled to re-open starting Monday 10/14. When the Ranch Course re- opens on 10/21 it will have a Cart Path Only restriction (no exceptions) as we allow the new rye grass roots to become fully established. Listed below is a breakdown of our anticipated CPO restrictions which are critical to ensuring that we maintain high-quality playing surfaces throughout the season.
Carts with Medical Flags
Regular Carts
Ranch Course (Opens 10/21) CPO from 10/21 – 11/3 CPO from 10/21 – 11/10
Peaks Course (Opens 10/30) CPO from 10/30 – 11/12 CPO from 10/30 – 11/19
These dates are subject to change based on turf and weather conditions.
Each season we update the Group Play Directory to help connect interested members with Group Leaders who can add them to their weekly invite list for their game. Click Here to view a printable version of the 2024-2025 Group Play Directory. Please reach out to our Professional Staff if you have any questions about Group Play and/or how to get involved. Random but Noteworthy The weekly tee time booking window has been adjusted back to 7am (from 6am during the summer months). We will be operating double tee starts on the Peaks Course on Saturdays to keep up with the demand for morning tee times. The crossover model will also be applied to Thursdays starting January 1st with the expectation of one Thursday crossover on October 24th. This process ensures additional access during our busiest days. A reminder that starting November 1st (through April) that fivesomes are restricted to afternoon tee times. During the same time frame guest play is not permitted on Saturday mornings (except if space is available, a guest may be added to the tee sheet by the Golf Shop the day prior to play).
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FROM THE HEAD GOLF PROFESSIONAL BLAKE BERRY
Our first multi-vendor demo day is fast approaching and will be hosted on Friday, November 15th from 10am – 3pm. The vendors in attendance will be Callaway, Cleveland/Srixon, PING and Taylormade. Contact the Golf Shop if you’d like to sign- up for a focused fitting appointment with any of the aforementioned vendors. There is still space available in the following upcoming events: LNGA, WGA & MGA Opening Days MGA 6/6/6 Member-Member (1:00pm shotgun only) Fall into Fun Super Scramble (8:30am shotgun only) WGA Member-Member (2-day event on 11/19 & 11/21) MGA Fall Eclectic Member-Member (2-day event on 12/4 & 12/11) For the 2-day events listed above you do not sign up for a specific shotgun time. Participants must be available to play in the morning or afternoon on both dates. Substitutes are not permitted for these events. Individuals who have applied for and been issued permanent medical flags do not need to apply for renewal. Applications for any new medical flags are available on the Club’s website and can be accessed by clicking here.
For additional news and notes from the Golf Shop stay tuned to the golf homepage on Tontoverde.org. Please reach out with any questions or concerns.
Blake Berry, Head Golf Professional Blake Berry
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EDITOR’S CORNER - MEET OUR STAFF
AUSTIN SHOEMAKER Meet Austin Shoemaker, our newest outside service staff member. He was born and raised in Quad City, Illinois, where he honed his golf skills for four years in high school and continued for two years at Black Hawk Community College. He then transferred to Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri, to play two years of Division II golf while earning his degree in Business Administration. A major highlight of his golf career was winning the PGA Works Collegiate Championship at TPC Sawgrass while representing Lincoln University. This amazing achievement even made it to the Golf Channel! Apart from golf, Austin enjoys spending time in the gym and loves outdoor activities.
Welcome, Austin! We are excited to have you at Tonto Verde!
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GROUNDS COMMITTEE
RANCH RE-OPENS ON OCTOBER 21 WHAT TO LOOK FOR
After a summer of hard work by our Agronomy team, the Ranch course re-opens on Monday, October 21.Here are just a few of the things to look for as you get in your first few rounds:
18th hole fairway bunkers – The new bunkers (designed by Mike Gogel of Gogel Golf Design) are all ready for play. The new left and right fairway bunkers take the place of the old center bunker and should prove to be both challenging and playable for all our golfers.For several weeks after we re- open, we’ll have yardage placards on each tee showing the yardage into and over both new bunkers. Re-surfaced and enlarged greens – Although the new Bermuda grass base turf will have been overseeded with our winter bent grass/Poa Trivialis blend, the enlargement of the greens back to their original dimensions will be immediately evident.Many new pin positions and some interesting new green edge contours will provide some new challenges and interesting roll- outs... New bunker sand – Every bunker on the ranch has been re-filled with the same sand that we installed on the Peaks last year. Once it settles in a bit, we’ll have quality, consistent bunker surfaces on both courses for the first time in a long time.
New entry/exit gates – The new entry/exit gate posts will be slimmer and less clunky that the old ones. They’ll have white tips for easy identification, they should be easier for players to move and replace and they shouldn’t tip over as often. Enhanced sight lines – Over time, trees and bushes on the edges of the desert on both courses had grown and obscured sight lines from some tees. Many of these have been trimmed back to improve playability by improving views of various hazards and by allowing players to see whether slightly errant shots might be safe or in the desert. The most significant trimming project occurred on the left side of 18 Ranch just short of the wash. It’s a noticeable improvement. 17th hole walking path – Walkers who play their drives to the right of the fairway bunker of 17 Ranch will find a new walking path and bridge across the wash to the second fairway. Unless you’re counting your steps, it should be a welcome shortcut.
WELCOME BACK TO THE RANCH!
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HANDICAP COMMITTEE
This article is directed towards players planning to play in Club, LNGA, MGA and WGA competitions. In our last article, we presented our Club’s “Handicap Posting and Compliance Policy”. In carrying out our responsibility, one of the things we look at is a player’s posting percentage. We get this information by accessing their Peer Review in ForeTees. We understand that there are reasons for a player to miss a posting here or there. As a result, we only get concerned when a player’s percentage is under 80%. All players have the ability to access their Peer Review and we encourage them to do so on a weekly basis. That way there won’t be many discrepancies to correct making less work for the player and for our professional staff.
Below are instructions for accessing a Peer Review and an example of a posting record we wish everyone would have and one that needs work.
PEER REVIEW INSTRUCTION ON THE PHONE
PEER REVIEW INSTRUCTION ON THE WEBSITE
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MGA
UPCOMING EVENTS You can use either FORETEES or our member website to sign up for all MGA events. On Tuesday (Oct 1) online sign up was disrupted due to Foretees not being accessible. Anyone that for whatever reason didn’t get registered for the available events last Tuesday should now have full access to do so. The eventsare not full at this time so please try again or reach out to the golf shop for help if needed.
Opening Day - Wednesday, November 6th starting with a buffet breakfast at 8AM followed by a short informational meeting and shotgun golf at 9:30. Sign up now. As usual
A MGA Game Day event is scheduled of Wednesday November 20th with sign up opening on October 20th. Check the member website for information. The Fall Member/Member Eclectic on the Peaks Course will be held on Wednesday December 4th and December 11th. Both days have a double shotgun scheduled, one at 8:30AM and the other at 1PM. 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. Our regular monthly dinner will follow the 1PM shotgun on December 11th. Registration is open now. will be automatically included. If you wish to opt out of the dinner call or email Cindi Reuvers in the TVA office within 72 hours of the event. To attend the dinner only register online under Lifestyle/Event Registration/“Food Only MGA…..” button or call or email Cindi Reuvers.
all those registered to play are automatically included in the
breakfast. If you wish to opt out of the breakfast call or email Cindi Reuvers within 72 hours of the event. If you cannot play in the event and wish to join us for the breakfast and meeting only, you can register on our member website under Lifestyle/Event Registration/“Food Only MGA…..” button. If you would prefer, you can call or email Cindi Reuvers instead. The annual One Day Member/Member (6/6/6) event has been scheduled for Wednesday November 13th. Event details are on the member website and sign up is open. Sign up with your partner or, if you do not have a partner sign up as a single and the Golf Shop will do its best to find you with a partner. There will be dinner served after the 1PM shotgun and you
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MGA
Remember it is never too early to start planning for our 2025 Premier Desert Classic 3- Day Invitational Event which will be on March 20th, 21st and 22nd. Get your special guest lined up for yet another fantastic guest event. See the member website “golf event registration” for details. We now have 20 new MGA members. Since our last Divot Digest, we are happy to welcome new members Scott O’Farrell, Brad Wilson, John Haines, Blake Stedronsky and Chris Nelson. Please welcome them when you have the opportunity hopefully at our opening day on November 6h. If you are not yet a member of the MGA and would like to join and participate in our events, please let me know. In late September, all members of the MGA should have received a separate season opening Newsletter #1 via email. If for some reason you did not receive one please let me know. See you in November.
Jon Lynch, MGA Communication Jon Lynch
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LNGA
Reminder: Opening Day, Tuesday, November 5, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. All Lady Niners are invited to attend the Welcome Back Wine and Cheese get together at President Cindi Wetherbee’s residence, November 4th. Sign up is now available on Foretees. Kudos to Tracy Drown and Cheryl Smith for providing another great NLIH season. A variety of different themed games throughout the summer made play more interesting. Even though the temperatures were hotter than normal, the ladies endured the elements and had a great time.
The last couple of events are featured below. The NLIH ladies engaged in another 3 club, plus putter event. It was very challenging but a great time is always upfront and present. Here are some of ladies that participated.
The Toasted in Tonto golf finale was a great success, as we had the largest turnout yet for the NLIH group. We appreciate the enthusiasm, good nature and of course the help that the outside service guys and proshop personnel provide to us during the “off season.” The NLIH ladies were very happy that the guys and Somin were able to participate in our last fun game of the season and join us for lunch afterward.
Toasted in Tonto Teams:
Carol Noonan Communication Carol Noonan
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WGA
SIGN UP IS OPEN FOR WGA EVENTS Join us for WGA OPENING DAY, a noon shotgun on the Ranch Course, November 5. Arrive early to greet your fellow golfers in the kick-off event for the 2024-2025 season. A general meeting of the membership and dinner will follow. Invite a fellow golfer and sign up for the WGA MEMBER-MEMBER. There will be 8:30am and 1:00pm shotgun starts on Tuesday, November 19 and Thursday, November 21. The format is a 1 of 2 Best Ball Eclectic.
Planning for the WGA’s premier event, the Hohokam, started before the end of last season when Mickey Shield,
2024 Chairperson (pictured center in the photo above) passed the torch to the 2025 Co-Chairpersons Lori McCormick (left) and Jeanne Mooty. The Hohokam, a guest event, is scheduled for March 4, 5, and 6 and boosts a girl-power theme, “Barbie: I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar.”
Round up a friend and invite them to WGA ONE-DAY GUEST EVENT on Tuesday, December 10. The event will
WHERE ARE YOU GOLFING?
Karla Lalim and Elaine Betsch are veteran volunteers for the Solheim Cupvat the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia. Lori O’Hara and Glenda O’Neal kicked off a golf cruise in Spain and Portugal by completing a round on the Amendoeira Faldo Course just outside of Portimao, Portugal.
consist of an afternoon of golf, lots of fun, and conclude with a beachy good dinner. The theme is “ Life’s a Beach ” so confirm now with your guest and sign up before the field is filled. It’s also time and is important to select your tees for the upcoming WGA season. Contact the Golf Shop if you have not already completed the tee selection survey.
Glenda ONeal, WGA Communication Glenda O’neal
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LADY PUTTERS
Calling all Lady Putters eagerly awaiting a new season of putting – please come and join us for the 18th season of Lady Putters!!! The 2024-25 season kicks off on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 3:30pm with registration starting at 3:00pm. In keeping with this year’s theme "Celebrating the 2024 Paris Olympics", our putting competition will be followed by a sumptuous dinner buffet with an international flavor which will include a "Gold Medal Cocktail" and a French dessert. You are invited to come dressed in your favorite red, white and blue or something with a Parisian Flair! The Pro shop has a selection of our newest shirts and members who placed orders for their new shirts can pick them up there. Sign up for the 2024-25 season begins October 25 and can be done using the ForeTees App. Returning members should check ForeTees for updates. If you would like to join Lady Putters this season, the registration form is available from ForeTees under Golf Leagues/Lady Putters. If anyone ever needs help signing up for putting and lunch, the Pro Shop is always available to help as well as Lady Putters President, Kristen McLinden; you can reach Kristen at 612-616-9106 (cell); or kristenmclinden@gmail.com. Once you have registered, you will get regular emails with
information on how to sign up each week. We are looking forward to a fun new season! KRISTEN MCLINDEN, LADY PUTTERS PRESIDENT Kristen McLinden
MENS PUTTERS
Men’s Putting Resumes - Mark your calendars for Thursday October 31st for resumption of Men’s Putters. Putting commences at 3:00pm(arrive by 2:45pm). Bring your putter, golf ball, and $5 to compete with your fellow Tonto Verde neighbors on the excellent putting course at Tonto Verde. Bring a neighbor, a friend, or visiting family member to experience a “scary” good time of Men’s Putting. Looking forward to seeing you on the course. Questions, contact Jim Crego.
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OCT/NOV 2024 Monday Tuesday Friday Saturday Sunday Wednesday Thursday
6 Ranch Course Closed - Overseed
10
11
12
7
8
9
Both Courses Closed
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
Peaks Course Closed - Overseed
Ranch Course opens
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
Peaks Course opens
Ladies TTs
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Monday Maintenance Peaks Closed until noon WGA Interclub Kickoff
MGA Opening Day Lady Putters Opening Day
Board Meeting Ladies TTs
LNGA Opening Day WGA Opening Day
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