Divot Digest
TONTO TRAVEL: LADIES’ TRIP TO CARLSBAD, CA
JANUARY 13TH, 2026
TONTO VERDE GOLF CLUB
in this ISSUE
4
FROM THE CLUB PRESIDENT TODD HALL TODD HALL FROM THE DIRECTOR OF GOLF JEFF OSTLUND JEFF OSTLUND
6 9
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
10 13 15 16 17 18 19 20
TONTO TRAVEL - LADIES TRIP RECAP
HOLE IN ONE UPDATE
HANDICAP COMMITTEE
MEET OUR NEW STAFF: JAYCE MESSERSCHMIDT
MGA
WGA
LNGA
LADY PUTTERS
FROM THE CLUB PRESIDENT TODD HALL
As we welcome the new year of 2026, I want to extend my warmest wishes to each and every one of you. May this year bring you abundant joy, good health, renewed friendships on the course, and many memorable rounds amid our stunning desert landscape. On behalf of the entire Board, I also extend our heartfelt appreciation and best wishes to our dedicated staff—our agronomy team, golf professionals, outside services team, and everyone who works tirelessly to make Tonto Verde the premier golf community it is. Your commitment and passion truly elevate our club, and we are grateful for all you do. Here’s to a prosperous, enjoyable, and fulfilling 2026 for our members, families, and staff alike. It is with profound sadness that I share the news of the recent passing of our beloved Vice President of the Golf Club Board, Brenda Knott, following a short illness compounded by her courageous long battle with cancer. Brenda was a remarkable leader…humble, gracious, and always putting others first…while serving not only on our Board but on numerous committees throughout our club and community. Her contributions to TVGC were extraordinary. As a golfer she was a multiple champion in prestigious events here at Tonto Verde as well as in Nevada, a key figure in women’s golf initiatives, and proudly inducted into the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame in 2013 for her outstanding achievements and dedication to the game in Southern
Nevada. Brenda was a true friend to everyone she met, radiating warmth and positivity that touched countless lives. She will be deeply missed by the Club, our entire community, the TVGC Board, her many friends, and especially her family. We honor her legacy and extend our deepest condolences to all who loved her.
Finally, I would like to clarify the recently communicated updates to our Desert Maintenance Policy to ensure full understanding among members. The revised policy does not indicate any reduction in the time, effort, or resources our agronomy team dedicates to trimming and removing vegetation from the desert areas surrounding our courses. Our commitment to maintaining the natural beauty, playability, and safety of our desert landscape remains unwavering. The primary change removes the previous homeowner request process, which allowed individuals to pay a fee to prioritize their
4
FROM THE CLUB PRESIDENT TODD HALL
specific areas in the maintenance schedule. This adjustment streamlines operations for fairness and efficiency, ensuring consistent, equitable care across the entire property. We appreciate your continued support and understanding as we uphold the high standards that make Tonto Verde so special
As always, you are welcome to communicate with the TVGC Board at TVGCBOD@TontoGolf.com With sincere regards and best wishes for the year ahead,
Todd Hall, TVGC President Todd Hall
5
FROM THE DIRECTOR OF GOLF JEFF OSTLUND
It seems like the worst of the AZ winter weather has arrived as we’ve had rain and a couple of frost delay interruptions in the past week. Please be aware that our staff will post any frost delay and/or cart path only restriction announcements on a daily basis in the following locations that are easily accessible for the membership: On a banner above the ForeTees tee sheets On the ForeTees Club Central App under “Club News” (this should be the first announcement you see when opening the app). Members whose names are on the tee sheet will also receive a push notification updating them on any weather related delays. You can access these announcements via a computer or on the ForeTees app on your smart device. Typically, we have an initial update posted by 7:10 am announcing whether or not there will be a delay. The duration of the delay is determined by our maintenance team in the 8:00-8:30 time frame, and we will update these online communications accordingly. Our Golf Shop Staff is happy to provide estimated tee time projections over the phone. We will always encourage you to be on-site 20- 30 minutes in advance of your projected tee times in case other groups ahead of you cancel, creating an opportunity for us to get back on time earlier. With limited daylight at this time of year, we will occasionally reduce our 9-minute tee time
intervals by 1-2 minutes (depending on the situation) to give as many groups as possible the ability to finish their rounds before sunset.
Slow play continues to be the biggest problem in the game of golf, and it’s a challenge that we face far too often at TVGC. While there is no one cause for slow play and there’s no simple solution, we need to focus on building a culture at the Club where members take great pride in completing rounds in Time Par or better. Unfortunately, slow players tend to lack self- awareness of their worst pace of play habits. Part of improving our pace of play
6
5
FROM THE DIRECTOR OF GOLF JEFF OSTLUND
PICK UP YOUR BALL WHEN YOU ARE OUT OF THE HOLE – For a golfer in any group that falls behind Time Par, continuing to play a ball that isn’t going to count in the game is a selfish act that shows a lack of respect for other members in the group and on the golf course. The USGA’s WHS system allows a player to pick up at any point and record the score that they most likely would have made. For the best selection of tee times, we encourage members to log on to ForeTees starting as early as 7 am, 7 days in advance of play. The X’s on the tee sheets indicate that a group has a pending invite out to members and/or guests. These X’s will disappear 72 hours in advance of play. If you see a single, twosome, or threesome without any X’s in their tee time, you are welcome to join that group. It is a nice gesture to courtesy call the first player listed in the tee time, as they most likely were the creator of that reservation. In the case of a Group Name being listed in the first player slot, we ask that you get in touch with the Group Leader (directory available on TontoVerde.org) to inquire about joining their game.
culture involves peers providing well-timed feedback to slow players about the inefficient habits they witness during a round. While an entire newsletter could be written on this topic, I’ll spare you that pain and leave you with my top 3 tips for improving the pace of play: START SMART – Make it a point to arrive at the tee early with your golf equipment in order, ready to play. Start with a “get ahead” mentality in an effort to build your group some margin for error. Choose to play from a set of tees that is suitable for your game. The inability to reach greens in regulation with well struck shots is a sign that a golfer is playing too much course and needs to move up a tee. DIVIDE & CONQUER – Few things in golf are more painful to watch than the foursome ahead of you collectively stopping at each player’s ball while the other 3 players just watch and wait for their turn. While we understand that people want to be supportive of their playing partners, this is a pivotal time that should be utilized to start your own process for your next shot. Identifying balls, determining yardage, evaluating wind, putting your glove on and mentally honing in on a club choice are all tasks that can often be done without distracting others who are going through their pre-shot routines.
5 7
FROM THE DIRECTOR OF GOLF JEFF OSTLUND
RANDOM BUT NOTEWORTHY: Registration for the Couples Club Championship on Sunday 2/1 is now available on ForeTees. The following is a summary of upcoming demo/fitting days:
Please sign up for appointments in the golf shop for any of the aforementioned club fitting opportunities. We’ve started receiving new demo clubs from Ping, TaylorMade, Callaway, Cobra and Srixon. Members are welcome to sign out these clubs 1 day at a time. TVGC’s Board recently approved an update to the Club’s Hole-In-One Program. Click Here to view the document.
Cobra – Friday 1/23(10 am - 2pm) Callaway, TaylorMade, XXIO & Srixon/Cleveland – Friday 1/30 (10 am - 3 pm) Ping – Friday 2/13 (10 am - 2 pm) Titleist – Thursday 2/19 (10 am - 2 pm)
8
5
celebration for
RECEIVE A SHIRT By donating to Habitat for Humanity. We will be set up in the scoreboard area or the clubhouse entry, depending on the weather. We look forward to seeing you there!
Why will the staff be wearing blue T-shirts on Friday, January 23? Because we are celebrating the success and longevity of Verdes Habitat for Humanity. Homeownership is a key factor in achieving upward mobility and providing safety for families in need. Our community has made this dream a reality for 29 families and counting. Since 1996, we have built and funded one house every year, contributing approximately 150,000 hours of labor and over $2 million in donations.
9
TONTO LADIES’ TRIP
TRAVEL - CARLSBAD, CA
LIZ RAAKA’S HOLE IN ONE
H LE ONE in
December in
Barb Smith Peaks 7 December 14th
Jim Bowen Peaks 12 December 16th
Mark Schultze Peaks 12 December 19th
Please submit your Hole-in-One photo to Somin at slee@tontogolf.com.
12
H LE ONE in
December in
Raena Borth Peaks 12 December 16th
Jim Wallace Peaks 7 December 17th
Please submit your Hole-in-One photo to Somin at slee@tontogolf.com.
13
H LE ONE in December in
Don Holliday Peaks 3 December 12th
AGELESS ACCURACY Doc Holliday has achieved two hole-in-ones in his last ten rounds, bringing his total to nine. Out of these, three hole-in-ones were made on the Ranch course and one on the Peaks course. The number of hole-in-ones is not the only impressive aspect of Doc's golfing resume. Since turning 67, he has shot his age or better 395 times, though who's counting? One of his best rounds was a remarkable 66 at the Ranch Blue tees when he was 78. Did you know that the odds of beating your age by 12 strokes are ten times harder than getting a hole-in-one? Currently, Doc has holes in ones on Ranch 3, 7, and 15. He is aiming for another one on hole 12 for the Grand Slam of hole in ones on the Ranch course while continuing to increase the number of rounds where he defies his age.
14
13
HANDICAP COMMITTEE
Accurate posting is essential to fair and enjoyable competition at Tonto Verde, so the Handicap Committee will periodically review a ForeTees report showing rounds without posted scores. This report will cover the most recent four ‑ week period (with a three ‑ day grace period for posting) and will list players with three or more missed postings. Periodically, the Committee may contact players with a higher number of missed postings in a supportive, educational manner to help resolve questions about keeping Handicap Indexes current. Members are encouraged to monitor their own Peer Review Report, which displays missed postings over their last 20 rounds, and to strive to post 100 percent of postable scores. Recognizing that occasional oversights happen, a posting percentage of 80 percent or higher is considered acceptable, with higher percentages giving everyone more confidence that handicaps are fair for all.
To help you avoid missed postings, the Committee has prepared short guidance on common situations—such as canceling when you cannot play, updating 9 ‑ vs 18 ‑ hole bookings, practice rounds and solo rounds, playing at multiple clubs, partial rounds, posting on the correct day, competition rounds, unfinished holes (USGA Rule 3.3), group tee times, changing tees, and opting out of a handicap—which is available in the following links for further reading: “Rule 3.3 video and links to situations and remedies here.” If you have questions about posting or your reports, please email the Handicap Committee at handicapcommittee@tontogolf.com so that together we can maintain accurate handicaps and preserve a culture of fair, friendly competition for all members.
15
MEET OUR NEW OUTSIDE SERVICE STAFF
Jayce Messerschmidt comes to us from Blaine, Minnesota. He is excited to escape the cold winters up north and enjoy life here in Arizona. Jayce grew up playing hockey and baseball but discovered his passion for golf early in high school. His first job was at Victory Links Golf Course in Blaine, where he worked alongside Jack and Kyle. While there, they shared fascinating stories about their seasons at Tonto Verde, which sparked Jayce's interest in coming down himself. An avid sports fan, Jayce welcomes anyone interested in discussing sports with him at any time. He looks forward to meeting as many members as possible, building strong relationships during his time here, and is excited for the next six months in paradise!
16
MGA
The 31 season of the MGA is well underway. We have completed several fall events, from the season opener on November 12 through the end of the year. The January MGA meeting/golf outing was held on January 7 with a field of 83 participants competing on the Ranch course. All results and payouts are available on the member website under the “Results” tab. st UPCOMING EVENTS: MGA 4 Member : A 2 day event to be held on January 26 and 28. The event consists of two days of best-ball competition. Signups are underway. As of this writing, there is still room for 8 more teams. A dinner will follow the end of play. All participants w will be automatically registered for the dinner unless you decide to opt out by contacting Cindi Reuvers at least 72 hours prior to the dinner. MGA Spring Greensomes : This event will be held over three days, February 4, 11, and 18. There are still plenty of spots available, so grab a partner and join in! TheGreensome format consists of both players teeing off, then playing alternate shot through the remainder of the hole.
2026 MGA Desert Classic : This is the MGA’s premier event, held over 3 days from March 18-21. Registration if currently full with an active wait list, but if you are interested, please add your name to that wait list. Historically, there are always some dropouts as we get closer to the event. Remember to post your scores! The MGA works actively with the Handicap Committee to remind everyone that prompt posting of scores ensures that handicaps are fair, correct, and current. If you are not yet a member of the MGA and would like to join us and participate in any of our events, please let Membership Liaison Jon Lynch or me know by email, and we will get you added to the roster.
15 17
WGA
Registration has begun for our Ladies Invitational - the Hohokam. Practice round day is Tuesday the 3 with a 12:00 shotgun, followed by a Shopping Expo and hearty appetizers. Wednesday the 4 will include a 9:30 shotgun start for 2 nine hole rounds. (Each group will be re-paired with another team for the second 9). Lunch afterward, and then the Putting Shootout to follow lunch.The Putting shootout is a team alternate shot putting tournament. Thursday the 5 will start with a 12:30 shotgun for 2 more 9 hole rounds with different pairings. After golf, we will start the PARTEE FORE the USA in the clubhouse with dinner, awards and music! Any questions contact Claudia Pilot cjppar72@gmail.com rd th th
Happy New Year to you all! It’s the start of a new year with many WGA events. Stay involved, participate, and meet new friends! The RULES SEMINAR & COCKTAIL HOUR begins today, January 13th, at 4 PM at the clubhouse. Great opportunity to freshen up your rules knowledge! Our next WGA GAME DAY is January 27 at 10am, followed at 12pm Tuesday Feb 3 with Game Day and Dinner meeting. The format for the game day events and dinner meeting menu is posted on Foretees. th rd February 10 and 12 are the play dates for the 4 MEMBER . The format has been revised to a 2 of 4++ format. There is still time to participate. Contact Matt in the proshop if interested in playing in the event and need a team. th th WGA/LNGA MIXER is set for February 24. This is a scramble format event starting at 2:30 pm with dinner to follow. Signup opens January 24 . th th
15
18
17
LNGA
2026 is here, and the Lady Niners are ready to play! Kick off 2026 with the BRING A GUEST/FRIEND DAY is event on January 20. If you wish, dress as your favorite Wicked or Wizard of Oz character. It’s sure to be an incredibly fun filled time with games, golfing, food and of course friends!!! th
Our Tonto Verde Interclub representation at Ancala on January 7, 2026.
Our next official LNGA Game Day will take place Tuesday, January 13th at 2:30 pm on the Ranch Course. REMEMBER TO SIGN-UP FOR: Bring a Friend Day 01/20/26...sign-up opened 12/20 Couples Night 01/27/26...sign-up opened 01/01/26. Academy 01/14/26 for full swing irons & hybrids...sign-up opened 01/06/26. REMEMBER TO RECORD YOUR SCORES IN GHIN
Carol Noonan, LNGA Communication
19
LADY PUTTERS
After a brief hiatus over the holidays, TV Ladies Putters were back in action on January 7 with a chilly day to kick-start the latter part of the 2025-26 season. Only 51 brave souls battled the cold, but 6 ladies scored a Hole-in-One, including our first mother-daughter duo of Shannon and Caitlyn Ernst. For the rest of the season, putting will be every Wednesday morning, with sign-in at 10:00 am, announcements at 10:15 am, and putting commencing at 10:30 am. From January 21 onwards, putting will be followed by lunch in the Cimarron Dining Room every other week. Members will continue to receive a weekly email reminder to register for putting, which can be done using the ForeTees App or by calling the Golf Shop at 480-471-2710. th st
Here are just a few of the events Kathryn, Sue, and the rest of the Board have in store for us: Jan 28th - A much-anticipated putting clinic by golf club coordinator Jacob Trimble February 11th - "Love on the Green" - ditch your blues and come in your best pink, red, or "love" attire March 11th - Tonto/Rio Verde Lady Putters Mixer – our theme will be "Anniversary of America! 250 Years!" Wear anything red, white, and blue April 15th - Closing day - afternoon event! For more information or assistance with registration, please contact either of TVLP Copresidents Kathryn Stredronsky - 612 968 1874 (KStedronsky@comcast.net Sue Pederson - 651 261 7825 Susan.f.pederson@gmail.com
20
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