A note from the team-

"As we enter the Summer months, we would like to say thank you to all of you for being so supportive to our Food & Beverage Program this year.  It’s hard to believe that another season has already passed and it’s time to start planning all the new and exciting events for 2022.  Every year, we are reminded how blessed we are for having such an amazing membership and extended family.  We all look forward to continuing serving all of you that are here over the next few months, and are very excited about what we have in store for you next season.  On behalf of the entire Food & Beverage Department, thank you for making The Country Club at DC Ranch the best golf course in Scottsdale!"

Mike Sharp

Have you ever wondered why there are so many different types of wine glasses?

Riedel Glassware Seminar – Friday July 16th 3pm- Come join us for a fun and educational event!  A representative from Riedel Glassware will be providing participants and opportunity to learn about the history of Riedel while also teaching how different styles of glassware affect the flavor profiles of wine.  This will be a 1-hour event that includes a Riedel Glassware kit, wine samples during the event, and a glass of wine with passed appetizers following.   The price of this event is $60 per member.  Each participant will get to take home their Riedel Glassware kit and also have an opportunity to purchase selected Riedel Glassware at discounted prices.  Signups for this event will be through Foretees (Seating will be limited to 60 people)

It has been a long 14 months since Covid was at the center of most topics and conversations at Scottsdale golf club, and as of now, I can say there are other things to talk about, places to go, wearing a mask or not, and just a refreshing time in general.

My crystal ball in my office worked overtime like no other period in my career, but we made it through and are believably headed to a better life than we had before with a greater appreciation for what we have been gifted.

Sure, it was challenging at times to get a starting time we had gotten used to, but in the end, we were able to play golf that day and were hardly ever shut out from playing. If that is the worst that happens to our day, we had a great one.

On a positive note, we watched many more people pick up the game for the first time and others played more golf than ever in their life.

Our hope is that the new players show a passion for the game and bring others into it as well, for as we know, it is a game for a lifetime, just ask Phil Mickelson who won the PGA Major Championship this past weekend. Knowing Phil as well as I have since he was a freshman at ASU, he was and continues to be one of the most positive golfers I have ever been around; he plays without fear.

As of this week, the Scottsdale golf courses is as available, playing under 60 players each day as of this week, which opens up time for many. As we head into the Summer months, we should start to see our junior golfers coming to the club for some instruction and competition.

Our Junior camps and competitions start the first week in June so please sign up on Foretees, as space is limited.

GUEST PLAY:

We are once again welcoming your accompanied guests to the club and as of June 1st their fee is $50.00.

Our Junior guest fee is $45.00 through the remainder of the summer, but in all cases, the same guest be they a Junior or other  are  privileged to play 6 rounds throughout the entire year.

This is the same $50.00 fee if you were able to play at Desert Mountain, Mirabel and Desert Highlands by asking us to call those clubs three days in advance of the day you wish to play.

If you have a guest with you, their fee is $90.00

HOURS OF OPERATION:

As has been the case for years at many private clubs, our golf shop hours are 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. through overseeding. We ask that carts are returned to the cart area by 7 p.m.

The practice park will be open until 6 p.m. all days except Tuesdays and Sundays when we close at 2 p.m. to open the Horseshoe at 3 p.m. A reminder is that walking is the only way to get around the Horseshoe and it takes about 1 hour to play it.

What a fun way to spend the afternoon with your family.

UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS:

The Inferno Men’s Member Guest for the first 60 teams to register on Foretees on June 1st is played on Friday, August 27th and Saturday, the 28th

We are moving toward our typical tournament schedule with the Member/ Member Rodeo on November 8-10 for the ladies and November 11-13 for the men.

You ARE welcome to partner with anyone you choose.

The Ladies Desert Diamond Classic member guest in the spring of 2022 is March 21st through the 24th.

The Round up for the men is April 28th -30th and the Stampede is May 12th-14th.

All fields are limited to the first 48 teams unless full flights max it at 60 teams.

Lastly are two reminders regarding upcoming Agronomy projects which will close the course and practice areas. 

The first is our summer of all turf aerification and topdressing over the dates of July 6th through the 15th to reopen on Friday the 16th.

The fall overseeding is done from September 27th and will reopen on October 22nd.

Knowing the men’s locker room, wet areas, grill and patio are closed for remodeling from June 1st until we finish with overseeding, the pool /fitness locker rooms are available for you. 

In closing, we will continue to send club update videos and if you have any questions or topics you would like addressed, please contact me vis phone, text or email

Have a fun summer in the fresh, cool outdoor weather.

Why Do Golf Courses Aerate So Much?

If you think about the amount of footsteps walked on a green each day… it’s a lot. The average golfer will take about 45 steps on any green.  So to get a number of steps on a green any given day, we need to multiply 45 times the foursome that is playing in the group. That makes 180 steps per foursome.  Now, multiply 180 times the number of foursome that play on that course per day (about 72 foursomes).  That is 12,960 steps per day on each green.  To that extreme, multiply that, times the days in the year, 365. That equals over 4.7 million steps! Now think about all of the equipment that is used in maintaining the greens throughout the year.  Some of these pieces of machinery can weigh over a half ton. Run a mower over a green 180 times a year and that is an additional 180,000 pounds of compression per year.  Compacted? I would say so. 

Playing conditions are of the utmost importance for most golfers, and aeration is needed to keep turf healthy and playing well.  Aeration can be disruptive, but the long-term benefits of aeration far outweigh the short-lived disruption.  The next time you play on greens that were recently aerated, keep in mind that aeration is performed for the long-term health of the course.  The greens may not play their best immediately following some aeration treatments, but everyone is playing the same conditions and golfers still can enjoy the game and make plenty of putts.  After all, Tom Watson once shot a 58 when playing at Kansas City Country Club just a few days after the greens had been aerified.

The word aeration stimulates negative emotions for many golfers. It may come as a surprise, but golf course superintendents also dislike aeration.  After all, the last person who wants to disrupt the smoothness of the putting greens they work so hard to maintain is the superintendent. 

Golfers often ask, “Why is aeration needed so often?”  Aeration is an essential program to keep playing surfaces healthy and in good condition.  Aeration primarily is performed to control organic matter-i.e., decaying roots and grass stems- relieve soil compaction, stimulate root growth and improve drainage. If organic matter becomes too thick, it acts like a sponge and holds water at the surface after rain or irrigation.  Excessive organic matter also inhibits root growth, reduces oxygen levels in the soil, encourages disease and eventually can lead to turf failure. Furthermore, excessive organic matter creates soft surfaces prone to ball marks, foot printing and inconsistent playing conditions.  Aeration and topdressing are the most effective ways to control organic matter and maintain smooth, firm putting surfaces.

Core aeration involves physically removing small soil cores-e.g., 0.5-inch diameter cores- from the turf and is the most common type of aeration. Aeration hold allow excess moisture to evaporate and promote gas exchange in the soil, resulting in stronger root systems and turf that is better able to tolerate golfer traffic.

Proper timing of aeration will ensure the fastest possible recovery and return to smooth surface conditions. The key to a quick recovery is to perform aeration when the turf is healthy and actively growing.  There are many types of aeration that superintendents use throughout the season; some are more labor-intensive and disruptive to playing surfaces than others.  Less-disruptive forms of aeration, including venting aeration with small-diameter, solid tines, also are beneficial because they can alleviate turf stress by promoting oxygen levels in the soil. Aeration programs that have a small impact on a playing surface generally can be performed throughout the season with little or no disruption to play.

The dates chosen this year for aerification are July 6th- 15th. This will allow us to get the whole course aerified, cleaned up, top-dressed, and fertilized. The thought process behind the later dates this year is to be closer to monsoon season when we see higher dew points and humidity which is a necessity for optimum Bermuda grass growth for quicker recovery.