Divot Digest
RAINING NOW, SWINGING SOON GOLF SEASON IS HERE
OCTOBER 14TH, 2025
TONTO VERDE GOLF CLUB
in this ISSUE
CONGRATULATIONS TO BLAKE AND AUSTIN FOR WINNING THE FALL CLASSIC INVITATIONAL AT FOREST HIGHLANDS.
4
FROM THE CLUB PRESIDENT TODD HALL TODD HALL FROM THE HEAD PROFESSIONAL BLAKE BERRY BLAKE BERRY
6
9
WELCOME OUR NEW GENERAL MANAGER FOR TVA MATT SAMSON MATT SAMSON
10 12 13 14 16 18 19 20
GOLF COMMITTEE
GROUNDS COMMITTEE & HANDICAP COMMITTEE
HOLE IN ONE UPDATE
WHAT IS IN THE SHOP?
MGA
TONTO TRAVEL - LADIES TRIP
WGA & LNGA
LADY PUTTERS
FROM THE CLUB PRESIDENT TODD HALL
”NO MATTER HOW FAR WE TRAVEL, THE MEMORIES OF HOME WILL ALWAYS CALL US BACK TO THE PLACE WE LOVE.” - UNKNOWN AUTHOR Many of us, snowbirds, are preparing for our trip home to Tonto Verde and looking forward to a season of renewed friendships, new acquaintances, lush fairways and the special golf-groups environment the commissioners create. As we all return this fall, and for our new members, it’s a good time to review a few things necessary to assure we are all doing our part to create the culture we want at TVGC. The following links, while not all inclusive, are a great way to re-familiarize ourselves with the expectations for members; please read them through the lens of how your own actions, or failure to act, may affect another member’s experience. And for goodness' sake, let’s all be appreciative of our wonderful staff, who are there to help make our experience special; they work hard to prepare for our return home, and I’m sure they’d appreciate a simple “Thank you” when you see them. Dress Code Expectations for Golf Facilities Golf Cart Access Pet Policy For access to all other Club information that will help make your TVGC membership more enjoyable and you a more informed
member please go to the Tonto Verde Golf Club member home page where you’ll find everything you could possibly want to know about TVGC. In the past several Divot Digests, Bunkers (July), Practice Facilities (August), and TVA/TVGC Relationship (September), three of the five themes coming from the May member survey were addressed. I will address another, Desert Maintenance, this month. At our May 2025 meeting, the Board discussed and debated the Club’s desert maintenance approach and the Tree, Shrub, and Vegetation Trimming Policy and Procedure. The outcome of the discussion was a renewed commitment that our current approach, along with the procedure for homeowners to inquire about and request additional desert maintenance, is appropriate for our desired desert course design, aesthetics, and playability. When you return this fall, I believe you will notice the positive cumulative effect of several years of significant investment in our desert maintenance program. Fewer obstructed views from the tees and better opportunities to locate errant shots are the result of a concerted effort by our maintenance team to keep improving our buffer areas while maintaining the desert course spirit.
4
FROM THE CLUB PRESIDENT TODD HALL
In calendar 2024, our agronomy team spent more than 6000 hours on desert maintenance, including clearance of excess vegetation on all golf course property, responding to Firewise issues, and specific homeowner requests. The total costs of this effort approached $300,000 ($600 per membership) and represent a substantial commitment to proper stewardship of Club property and balancing of interests of the Tonto Verde Golf Club and the community. A small number of survey responses indicated that homeowners, adjacent to the golf courses, desired to have trees removed or greatly trimmed back to improve their views. While homeowners may turn in a request for the removal or trimming of trees, the Board has been very consistent that trees will be trimmed or removed only for safety, fire prevention, or golf course playability issues. I would also add that some trees that are too heavily infested with mistletoe may need to be removed. Just a reminder, as you return to Tonto Verde and begin sprucing up your property, any landscaping, shrub, or tree trimming/removal, or dumping of landscaping waste on Club property, by anyone other than our agronomy staff, is prohibited.
As always, if you have any questions and/or comments for me or the Board, please send them to TVGCBOD@TontoGolf.com I so look forward to seeing you on the Tonto Verde fairways soon,
TVGC President Todd Hall
5
FROM THE HEAD PROFESSIONAL BLAKE BERRY
The Dogged Victims Group Leader: Peter Aiello Email: peteraiello@shaw.ca $10.00 Buy-in
Fall at 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. 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. This upcoming season, we have three new groups:
“We play a variety of games, including quota and net stableford, on an individual basis, with the occasional team game mixed in from time to time. This year, in addition to the regular post-game payout, we’ll be honouring a weekly Dogged Victim as well as a Player of the Month. If you are wondering about the origin of the group name, it’s taken from the writings of the immortal Bobby Jones and a description he provided of those who play this great game. Weekly games are all played using full handicaps, with participants free to choose to play from whichever tees they prefer. Our goal is to provide a low-stress weekly game with an emphasis on the competitive as well as the social nature of golf. The Dogged Victims are a small group (3 tee times) who play mid- mornings on Fridays and are looking for members of any handicap level who would like to join us. Please contact the commissioner or the golf shop and leave your name and contact information if you’d care to join us.” Click Here to view a printable version of the 2025-2026 Group Play Directory. Reach out to our Staff for any questions about group play.
O.D.T (One Day Tournament) Group Leader: Mark Schultze Email: mmschultze@cox.net
Base Team Game: 2 of 4 Net ++ $21.00 Buy-in Maximum Handicap of 18 (move up tees to achieve 18 or lower) Game honoring all USGA and local rules Play Fridays Saturday Boys Group Leader: Mark Blake Email: mad1944@msn.com Formats: blind draw partners & team
match play 3 Tee Times $20 Buy-in Maximum Handicap of 15 Play Saturdays
6
5
FROM THE HEAD PROFESSIONAL BLAKE BERRY
RANDOM BUT NOTEWORTHY ForeTees Notification for course Update. Our staff will continue to use ForeTees as a notification center for special course updates, frost delays, and inclement weather conditions. Please refer to this quick video on how to best utilize the ForeTees notification features. Ranch #13 Green Construction Zone. To the right side of Ranch #13, green is a construction zone/fence. This area has been deemed a temporary immovable obstruction. You are granted free relief from this area, and it has been marked with a drop zone accordingly. 7 AM Booking Window. The weekly tee time booking window has been adjusted back to 7 am (from 6 am during the summer months). Double Tee. We will be operating double tee starts on the Peaks Course on Saturdays to keep up with the demand for morning tee times. Fivesome Restriction Reminder. A reminder that starting November 1st (through April), 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).
5 Stay tuned to the ForeTees golf homepage and Tontoverde.org for additional news. 7 Medical Flag. 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. Demo Day 11/14 from 10 am – 3 pm. The vendors in attendance will be Callaway, XXIO, Cleveland/Srixon, PING, and Taylormade. Contact the Golf Shop if you’d like to schedule a focused-fitting appointment with any of the aforementioned vendors. Upcoming Events. Space available in the following upcoming events: LNGA, WGA & MGA Opening Days Fall into Fun Super Scramble (8:30 am shotgun only) WGA Member-Member (2-day event on 11/18 & 11/20) MGA Fall Eclectic Member-Member (2-day event on 12/3 & 12/10) 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.
FROM THE HEAD PROFESSIONAL BLAKE BERRY
TONTO VERDE GOLF CART SAFETY GUIDELINES/REMINDERS At Tonto Verde Golf Club, the safety of our members and guests is our top priority. Please review and follow these guidelines whenever operating a golf cart on Club property:
3. Stay on Designated Paths/ Fairway: Use cart paths where provided and avoid driving in the rough, tees, or restricted turf areas. Utilize Enter/Exit stakes when accessing the golf course. 1. Operate Responsibly: Always drive with caution and remain alert to pedestrians, other carts, and course staff. 2. Monitor Your Speed: Maintain a safe, controlled speed at all times—especially on slopes, turns, or near walkways and parking areas.
4. Use Extra Caution on Hills and Turns:
Approach inclines, declines, and sharp curves slowly to maintain control.
8
5
TONTO VERDE WELCOMES OUR NEW GENERAL MANAGER Matt Samson
9
GOLF COMMITTEE
ARE YOU PLAYING FROM THE CORRECT TEES? One of the goals of your Golf Committee is to present ideas for enhancing the enjoyment of golf here at Tonto Verde. As a personal aside, I have noticed as I age past 70 that I am not driving the ball as far as I did when I was younger or even as far as I THINK I can. This has led to the need for me to use a fairway wood for many of my second shots on par 4s, and then many times chipping or pitching to the green in hopes of one-putting for a par.
PLAYING THE BALL FORWARD is the concept I am suggesting our ageing community embrace. This means picking a set of tees which will more realistically allow the golfer to use a mid-iron for a second shot into a medium-length par 4. The USGA, through research of more than 20,000 members, has developed the following suggestion for determining the appropriate tees to use to heighten the enjoyment of the game we love. Below is the chart of 7-iron distances and a suggested course distance based upon that.
6 10
GOLF COMMITTEE
For example, I hit my 7-iron between 145 and 150 yards. Using the chart, it is suggested that I play a tee set which falls into a course distance of 5,900 to 6,100 yards. The tees I NOW play are Peaks – White = 5,892 yds, and Ranch – White/Green = 5,918 yds. And YES, I am enjoying golf from the Ranch – White/Green tees more than I did from the White tees at 6,199 yds! Try using this chart and play a few rounds from the USGA suggested tees. I think you will discover that you enjoy your golf rounds more frequently. It has been found that rounds play faster, which also helps speed of play for everyone at Tonto! Mike Cole, Golf Committee Chair Mike Cole
11
6
GROUNDS COMMITTEE
After a summer where we dodged every potential rainstorm, we’ve received more than our fair share in the last few weeks. Over 2.5 inches fell in a little over a day in late September, and another 2.5+ inches have fallen as of this Monday morning, with additional rain promised into Tuesday. It appears that our team has been able to successfully remediate most of the overseed damage from the September storm, and both that storm and the recent October rains have been good for the Ranch overseed. Our driving range is another story. Lake Tonto is now divided into “Big If you are coming from another club, change your default course to Tonto. Our Club has chosen to use ForeTees for scheduling tee times. ForeTees has tools for the Handicap Committee to check on players posting history. The Golf Committee recommends a minimum posting percentage of 80% with the goal of posting ALL postable rounds of golf played here at Tonto. The Handicap Committee understands it will take effort by players to maintain a posting percentage of 80+. Note that over 80% of our members can do this. Access your Peer Review Report periodically to check on your posting history. We recommend weekly.
Tonto” and “Little Tonto”, and the drains are largely plugged with silt and upstream ranch waste. It’s going to take quite a bit of time – possibly 2 weeks – for the range to drain and dry so we can remove the silt and operate ball-picking equipment safely. ForeTees will be the best source for up-to- date information on the range. The reopening of the Peaks will be subject to daily rainfall, and we will share updates through ForeTees. The Ranch reopening was scheduled for 10/30, but may be delayed by a few days due to recent rainfall. HANDICAP COMMITTEE Post all your postable rounds timely and accurately and try to avoid missed postings. We suggest that players post their score right after a round to avoid forgetting. Check out our Link to a list of situations that can result in a missed posting and our remedies for avoiding them. Right click on the link and select Open Hyperlink or Copy the Hyperlink then paste it in your browser. It is recommended that players use the GHIN app for posting scores. It should take less than 30 seconds to post a score in that app unless you post hole by hole. To reach out to the Handicap Committee, email handicapcommittee@tontogolf.com
6 12
H LE ONE in
SEPTEMBER in
Kathy Johnson Ranch 15 September 13th
Please submit your Hole-in-One photo to Somin at slee@tontogolf.com.
13
NEW NEW NEW
HEADCOVER WALL HEADCOVER WALL HEADCOVER WALL
MGA
One Day Member/Member 6/6/6 event is scheduled for Wednesday, November 19. 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 a partner. There will be dinner served after the 1 PM shotgun, and you 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. th The Fall Member/Member Eclectic on the Ranch Course will be held on Wednesday, December 3 and December 10. Both days have a double shotgun scheduled, one at 8:30 AM and the other at 1 PM. 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 1 PM shotgun on December 10. Registration is open now. rd th th
The MGA 2025-2026 is fast approaching so be sure to check the Golf Calendar or the online Golf Event Registration to sign up for our upcoming events. Note that you can use either Foretees or our member website to sign up for all MGA events. OPENING DAY - November 12 starting with a buffet breakfast at 8AM followed by a short meeting and shotgun at 9:30. Sign up now. As a thank you to our members and because of good treasury cash management, the MGA Board has unanimously agreed to cover the Opening Day Entry Fee of $10 per player from our dues revenue. As usual, you will be responsible for your individual breakfast cost, but the golf event will be prefunded. The normal entry fee for future events will continue indefinitely. As usual, 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 in the TVA office 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 th Lifestyle/Event Registration/“Food Only MGA.” button. You can also call or email Cindi Reuvers instead.
16
15
MGA
Remember, it is never too early to start planning for our 2026 Desert Classic 3-Day Invitational Event, which will be on March 19 , 20 , and 21 . Get your special guest lined up for yet another fantastic guest event. See the member website “golf event registration” for details. th th st We already have 15 new MGA members this season. Since our last Divot Digest, we are happy to welcome 4 new members: Dave Benchot, Jim Patterson, Craig Roepke, and Eric Tompkins. Please welcome them when you have the opportunity hopefully at our opening day on November 12. If you are not yet an MGA member and would like to join and participate in our events, please let me know. h
See you in November.
Jon Lynch, MGA Communication Jon Lynch
15
17
WGA
LNGA
Where did the time go? Yes, it was a hot summer, but the ladies of Niners Like
Welcome to the WGA 2025-26 season! Are you ready? Let’s go! Opening day is set for Tuesday, November 11 with a noon shotgun on the Peaks Course followed by a dinner meeting. Please plan to attend! President MaryAnn Welsh will share more information about our upcoming season at the dinner meeting following golf. th The season-long Tuesday league play schedule is now available under the WGA post under golf leagues on Foretees or by clicking here. Thank you to the talented Somin for creating the page for our league site. Currently, 72 teams are registered for the Member Member tournament dates of November 18 and 20 . It’s not too late to find a partner and participate in this favorite event! th th Congrats to Kathy Johnson for her hole- in-one on September 13 on No. 15 of the Ranch course! th See you on the course!
It Hot braved the heat and played the courses to the best of their abilities. Overall, they achieved 99 pars, 32 birdies, 1 eagle, and 2 chip-ins. Well done, ladies! After the final round on September 24th, everyone gathered for a group lunch at the grill.
Monica & Mick Condomitti, Larry Holden & Sally Storey enjoyed golfing in the cooler air of Carlsbad, California. There will be an LNGA “Welcome Back” party on November 10, 2025. Details in the upcoming edition of the Niner News. We are now anxiously awaiting opening day for Lady Niners on November 11. Registration is now available on Foretees. th 15 Carol Noonan, LNGA Communication 19
Viki Wilds, WGA Communication
LADY PUTTERS
There’s no place like HOME! Whether Tonto Verde is your full-time or seasonal home, or you are just visiting, you are part of a unique community in the beautiful Arizona desert. Come and have some fun on the 18-hole putting course by the clubhouse. Enjoy being outdoors, check out the wildlife that make our beautiful grounds home, and meet your old friends or make some new ones as you have fun putting in Wednesday mornings every week throughout the Winter/Spring. Sign-in is at 10:00 am, and putting begins at 10:30 am, followed by lunch at the clubhouse. All you need is a putter, some comfortable shoes (no golf shoes on the putting course, please), and be ready to have fun! 20 Whether you are a returning member or a new member, shine up …or dust the cobwebs off your putter. Come join us on the Putting Course on opening day, Wednesday, November 12th, which is an afternoon event with sign up and announcements starting at 3:00 pm, putting at 3:30 pm, and dinner to follow in the Acacia Room. Our theme for opening day is "Home Sweet Home"! You are invited to come dressed in whatever "Home" means to you, or sport something that shows where you call home! Our putting competition will be followed by a special plated dinner and cookies-to-die-for created by Chef Sarah! Registration for
opening day starts on 10/22/25 at 7:00 am and can be done on the TV HOA website or using the ForeTees App under Golf Leagues. If you are a returning member, you are automatically on our mailing list and don’t need to re-sign. Any members who have not received an email about opening day, please let one of our 2025-6 Co-Presidents, Sue Pederson & Kate Stedronsky, know. If you are new to Lady Putters and have any questions or need help with registration or signing up, contact the Pro Shop, Kate, or Sue, and they will assist you. You will get a weekly reminder to register, and please remember that when you register to play, you are automatically signed up for lunch/dinner. If you wish to play but not join for lunch/dinner, call or email Cindi Reuvers at creuvers@tontoverde.com to be removed from the catering list; otherwise, you will be automatically charged. Members can also bring a guest and pay $5 at the registration table. We look forward to our 19 season of putting. Hope you can join us. th Contact info for TVLP Co-Presidents: Sue Pederson Susan.f.pederson@gmail.com
651-261-7825 Kate Stedronsky KStedronsky@comcast.net 612-968-1874
15
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs