Scottsdale golf course celebrated the Holiday Season

Our most significant tournament at Scottsdale golf course, The Rodeo, was held in recent weeks, with some outstanding golf played by both women and men. Kathi Clarke and Krissy Shanker were both playing well and took the net championship while Penny Rady and Percy Anderson put on their typical good play to best the gross field in the Ladies' championship.

The Men use the Shootout format with all 11 flight winners to determine their Rodeo champions. They play an alternate shot format with teams eliminated playing #18 three times. It all came down to the team of Josh Cormany and Steve Carr in a putt-off to secure the sterling silver belt buckle trophy. The field for both the Ladies' and Men’s fields had the largest participation to date and we look forward to more teams next year.

Recently, I was asked to do a video that focused on the golf course and how we all have the responsibility to adhere to the traditional rules and courtesies of the game. This video had the highest number of views of any I have done to date. So to recap, here you go...because we have one of the better-conditioned golf courses and provide some of the best playing surfaces possible.

Putting Greens:

Let’s start with the most important part of the Scottsdale golf course, the putting greens. No one wants to play on shaggy, ball-marked, slow greens.

Our tif- eagle Bermuda grass greens which are not overseeded, are some of the best in the Southwest. They typically have a Stimpmeter reading between 11 and 12 feet which is very fast. They are clean, and due to our maintenance practices of verticutting and topdressing regularly, they do not have grain and hold their intended line of roll very well. What we can do to help the Agronomy team is to fix ours and other ball marks as we walk the greens to our ball. Use the divot tool and twist/push the turf to the center of the imperfection and finish off the repair by smoothing out the turf by tapping your putter head to smooth the green. This practice will keep the greens in the best condition possible, and as they say, a ball mark that is not repaired will take weeks to heal.

Driving on Fairways:

This is preferred as shorter turf has more sun exposure thus a chance to heal, whereby driving in the rough will mats own the rye and lay over and not get any sun and heat and will stunt the Bermuda growth and it will die.

Fairway divots:

It is essential to repair divots in the fairways with sand and seed from the bottles on the carts, rather than trying to replace the divots. After you have filled the divot with sand/ seed tamp it level with your foot or club so another player’s ball will roll through or over the imperfection.

Bunkers:

Every player at a Scottsdale private golf course must rake their way out of any bunker and have the sand be as smooth and level as possible. It is very disappointing to have to hit a bunker shot from a previous player’s footprints, or a shot not repaired. Use the pull/push method of raking the bunker to remove lines, rake teeth marks, or anything else. When leaving any bunker,

The USGA asks that the rake is placed outside the bunker, parallel to the line of play. They do not suggest rakes either entirely in the bunker or half in half out.

Tees:

Whether hitting a tee shot at a Scottsdale private golf course, especially on par threes, it is your responsibility to pick up all broken tees, or tees left behind in the metal tee bins adjacent to the tee markers. Keep the tee clean of debris inclusive of tobacco products or sunflower seeds.

Lastly, Please note the dates and times of all Scottsdale private golf course tournaments which are now starting for the season, and can be seen on Foretees. You will notice you will be asked and responsible for declaring in advance, the tee box you are playing from so the professionals are properly informed. Should you have any questions, please let us know.

The plan is to have a fun, competitive season of golf, and should you have any questions, please let us know. Keep an eye on the progress of the new golf house as the construction is really moving along and we hope the finish is not too far away.

Last week I was asked what I thought of the recommendation of keeping your head down when you swing….My response was it might be a better thought to keep your head up and your eyes down as your eyes see the ball, not your head. Keeping your head down with your chin buried in your chest will restrict your shoulder turn on your backswing, just a thought….

 

Scottsdale Golf Club Kicks off the Season

The weather outside, as I write this at Scottsdale Golf Club could not be more beautiful…and we are seeing so much more activity at the club…whether it be the Fitness and Performance Center, the Racquet Center, Food and Beverage Outlets, and certainly not forgetting the beautifully manicured Golf Course and Practice Facility.

With that said, I wanted to take a moment to kindly remind our members and your guests of just a few mentionables…

Dining Reservations at Scottsdale Golf Club

Now, more than ever, with the increase in activity at the club and in the clubs’ restaurants, we would like to ask and/or remind our members that reservations are greatly welcomed…

There is an inherent benefit to making a reservation, as we may not always be able to accommodate walk-ins. Reservations allow us to prepare for you and your guests, as well as give you the peace of mind that your table is guaranteed for that meal period.

Being on time for your reservation at Country Club Scottsdale is not just the cordial thing to do, but it also allows our management, service, and culinary teams to plan appropriately for that meal service.

Please know that these procedures have been designed and implemented with your best interest in mind. Our Country Club Scottsdale culinary and service teams strive to provide you with the best product and service possible, and by adhering to these guidelines you are helping to ensure the best possible experience for everyone. 

 Guest Policy

 Below is again a gentle reminder of our Club Guest Policy for Country Club Scottsdale and would ask that you read through and acknowledge it.

Unaccompanied guests are prohibited from any use of Club Facilities without the prior written approval of Club Management.

Members may request the use of certain Club Facilities (tennis, swimming, and dining facilities) by non-resident unaccompanied family guests in accordance with the following parameters:

Guest is defined as follows: A relative by blood or marriage inclusive of parents and grandparents of the Members; children (under the age of 24 that are married, do not reside with the Members, nor attend college on a full-time basis, or are over the age of 24). Any such guests must be staying at a member’s residence in order to be able to utilize a guest pass during their stay. The approval of any guest will be made at the discretion of Club Management in advance on a case-by-case basis. All guests under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times when on Club property.

The Member must request a Guest Card from Club Management and register the guest with the Club prior to the guest’s arrival. The Club will consider all such requests on a case-by-case basis. These cards will be issued through Club Management and its administrative staff. Requests must be made in writing to Club Management who will then issue the cards for the use of Club Facilities (excluding golf course facilities) in advance of any such usage.

All charges incurred by the guest must be posted to the sponsoring Member’s account during the guest’s stay.

Such Guest Cards will be issued for a maximum of ten (10) consecutive days. Unaccompanied guests must carry their Guest Card with them at all times when on Club Property.

Country Club Scottsdale Expands Tennis Program

In an effort to continue to provide a fresh and fun tennis schedule, we are very excited to announce revamped Saturday morning adult drills at Country Club Scottsdale.

We have a great group of players at Country Club Scottsdale and want to continue improving our clinic offerings with consistently fun, fast-paced drills with players of your level.  The new name will be Grip N Rip Drill and we will now have the advanced drill on Foretees for signup as well. You should continue to sign up for the drill that you have always come to for the time being.

Here is what to expect from our new Saturday morning Grip N Rip clinics moving forward at Country Club Scottsdale.

Grip N Rip Format – All classes will follow the same format of fast-paced drills and games, mixing around partners within your level as you go.  The drills and games will be consistent week to week so you will know what to look forward to!

Same Levels and Times – Advanced Grip N Rip will continue at 8 AM, followed by 9:30 Grip N Rip group.  Ryan will post court assignments according to levels each week.

All Signups on Foretees – We will no longer take any signups via email or text so please make sure to sign up on the tennis events page under Grip N Rip.

Going forward, Ryan Shomo will be the lead professional at Scottsdale Golf Club on Saturdays overseeing both the adult and junior drills, and Director of Racquet Sports, Dave Moyer will now be available for lessons on Sundays.

We are very excited to improve our Saturday mornings at the Scottsdale Golf Club. We think this will be a high-energy class that everyone will love so come on out and join us.

Remember, the format will still be a fun, live ball format but with a new name and a slightly new structure.

We look forward to seeing everyone there at Scottsdale Golf Club! We still have room in this week's Live Ball Drill so it's not too late to sign up.

Scottsdale golf course hosts 2022 Member-Member Rodeo

We are excited to see everyone at the Scottsdale golf course for the 2022 Men’s Rodeo, Member-Member event!  In advance of the tournament, we are providing the tournament information, including the flights, pairings, and structure for your reference.  

Please remember to bring $250 cash for your team buy-in monies to be collected at registration at the Scottsdale golf course.

We will also be conducting a side competition on the Country Club Scottsdale Horseshoe. This will feature a 5-hole alternate shot competition that teams may buy into at the tee during the competition that afternoon.  The buy-in will be $20 per team and we will payout the top 3 teams, 50%/30%/,20%.  Players must choose two clubs each to play with.

We will be sending two links to the parimutuel betting on Homestretch, similar to what you used for the Inferno.  Expect these links no later than tomorrow morning.  There are two betting options:

1)     Bet any team to win their flight

2)     Bet any team to win, place or show in the overall tournament

All bets need to be placed by the start of play at Country Club Scottsdale.  Reminder, as part of the team buy-in, your will purchase your team in both bets.  $5 for the flight winner and $15 to cover the win, place, and show for your team overall.  All teams will be covered in the parimutuel to ensure robust payouts!

This year’s tournament at Country Club Scottsdale features 11 flights, consisting of 6 teams in each flight.  We will be awarding 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place credit book to each flight, and the top three teams in the Shootout.  The Rodeo Champions will receive championship trophies and their names will be etched into the perpetual board, soon to be located in the Men’s Locker Room.     

Please let us know if you need anything in advance of next week, otherwise, we are looking forward to seeing everyone. 

Why Do Golf Courses Aerate So Much at Scottsdale Golf Course

Scottsdale Golf Course 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 Scottsdale Golf Course 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 in the same conditions, and golfers still can enjoy the game and make plenty of putts.

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. 

Scottsdale Golf Club 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 the 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, footprinting, and inconsistent playing conditions.  Aeration and topdressing are the most effective ways to control organic matter and maintain smooth, firm putting surfaces at the Scottsdale Golf Club.

Core aeration involves physically removing small soil cores from the turf and is the most common type of aeration. Aeration hold allows 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 at Scottsdale Golf Club.  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.

Spring Transition a Scottsdale Private Golf Courses

 

Few discussions regarding turf grass management on Scottsdale Private Golf Courses get more emotional than discussions on whether or not to overseed with perennial Ryegrass.  However one fact about overseeding is indisputable: overseeding with perennial Ryegrass can, and often does, have an adverse effect on Bermudagrass. Nevertheless, Scottsdale Golf Course at management practices can be implemented that significantly reduce the impact of overseeding on Bermudagrass health.  The most important of those practices is getting rid of the perennial Ryegrass by late spring. One of the troubling trends occurring on golf courses is the increasing practice of Overseeding too early in the fall and keeping the Ryegrass too late in the spring/summer. If Bermudagrass does not have sufficient time to grow during the summer without competition from the Ryegrass the Bermudagrass will decline. This may occur in as little as one year and more often occurs gradually over a period of several years. Why does this happen? A fundamental principle in weed science is that plants compete with one another for four basic resources: 1) Water 2) Nutrients 3) Carbon Dioxide 4) Light. Light is the most crucial of these four for the benefit of the Bermudagrass. In overseeded environments, when Bermudagrass begins to come out of dormancy in spring, perennial Ryegrass growth is at its maximum. As a result, the Ryegrass provides significant shade to the Bermudagrass. 

Allowing Ryegrass to grow at  Scottsdale Golf Course into June in the Desert South West limits the Bermudagrass growing season and contributes to poor quality Bermudagrass. By late spring it is time for Bermudagrass to emerge from winter dormancy. Bermudagrass utilizes carbohydrates stored in underground rhizomes to produce new leaves every spring when temperatures in the top four inches of the soil reach about 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Bermudagrass has about three chances to produce new leaves while trying to emerge from under the shade and competition of overseeded grasses before it will strike out and die. If a new leaf is unable to capture sunlight- strike one. This process repeats itself until, you guessed it, strike two and strike three. After strike three the Bermudagrass has spent its entire carbohydrate reserve and when sampling the soil it will reveal the hollow rhizomes. 

A proactive management regime at Scottsdale Golf Course is necessary to encourage successful Bermudagrass recovery. Here are the five key components for the Desert South West:

 1) Height of cut – The height of cut is critical. We begin lowering the height of cut on all overseeded areas come mid-February and progressively lower throughout the following weeks.

2) Soil moisture management- Dry conditions equal poor Bermudagrass recovery during late spring and early summer. It is critical to prevent areas from becoming chronically dry as it will delay the Bermudagrass transition.

3) Chemical removal- Many courses use a variety of tactics to chemically remove overseeded Ryegrass without injuring the understory Bermudagrass. However, we must not wait until June to employ this strategy because much of the Bermudagrass may have already struck out. This tactic is much more effective when used the end of April through May. 

4) Nutrient inputs- Nutrient sources should be applied in coordination with chemically removing overseeded grasses. This will stress Ryegrass during warm daytime temperatures while providing nutrients for emerging Bermudagrass.

5) 100 Days Plus- It would be nice to give Bermudagrass 162 days of growth in the absence of competition from Ryegrass. However, 100-120 days is the guideline courses should keep in mind when planning overseed dates and timing chemical removal of overseeded grasses.  If Ryegrass growth is retained well into June, the ability of Bermudagrass to develop the rhizome growth necessary to recuperate the following year will be severely limited. In other words, maintaining Ryegrass into June could result in a season-ending injury for Bermudagrass. 

Growing two grass crops at Scottsdale Private Golf Courses annually is a tenuous situation. Extending the Ryegrass growing season into June at the expense of Bermuda grass health is a season-ending injury.

Scottsdale Private Golf Courses Welcome Dr. Tony Megna to the Fitness and Performance Center at The Country Club at DC Ranch

 

There’s no time to waste, at Scottsdale Private Golf Courses, we must get started right away! The new fitness and wellness program is starting at Scottsdale Golf Course, The Country Club at DC Ranch. Let us teach you how to be fit and healthy for life. Let’s work together for 90 days with the intense focus of getting you healthy, strong, and pain-free so you can play at Scottsdale Private Golf Course.   We have studied around the world gathering and learning the best techniques from master athletes, teachers, practitioners and coaches who have all taught us their various arts in health and fitness and medicine; and now it’s our turn to teach and pass on this knowledge to you. Do you want to be able to move better? Do you want to hit the ball farther? To all who heed the call to get fit, healthy, and to maximize their potential, let’s get started. Our complete 5-Star 90-day program is designed to teach you step by step the fundamentals of exercise, diet, body maintenance, yoga, and meditation all alongside receiving advanced therapeutic and restorative bodywork therapies like massage, stretching, acupuncture, and, cupping which can all be used to improve blood circulation, resolve pain, optimize the nervous system, accelerate recovery, reduce inflammation, and help you sleep better! The question is really, “how healthy do you want to be?” Realize that there are many starting points with one’s health and everyone at Scottsdale Golf Course will have different goals. The first step is always to take inventory! Schedule a fitness assessment. Schedule a health evaluation today. Do you have any pain? How’s your heart tickin’? Do you have old injuries? What sort of traumas or accidents have you been in? What did you eat yesterday? Do you get headaches? Describe your sleep patterns? These are all questions that can help determine the state of one’s health. We must understand that there is no single method that can fix everything, and ideal health doesn’t happen overnight! We must apply everything we know, and we have to forge a lifestyle of healthy living in order for this to work. We may have to combine multiple techniques in order to improve health, and sometimes it might be difficult! Let us help you with your game plan. Can you visualize your best self? Scottsdale Private Golf Courses believe that setting goals in life is so important and will give you direction and it’s the consistency and disciple which will help you see it through, this is the key. We will create and tailor the most relevant program to meet your specific needs. This individualized plan is designed for you to make a rapid return toward ideal health and wellness. All roads lead to where we are going, to the top. Starting a wellness program with  Scottsdale Golf Course means that you must be ready to work on yourself too. To take an honest inventory of your life and to make the necessary changes and adaptations. Our staff is here to work with you as your health and wellness experts, your coaches, and your peer; but in the end, it’s ultimately up to you to take the reins of your own health, and we’re here to coach and teach you how to do that! We want the Country Club at DC Ranch community to thrive! This may be a grueling task and you may need to tap your own inner belly fire to overcome these essential growing pains. But we’re here to fuel these flames and we will be with you by your side the whole way! If you want to accomplish your highest goal you must be very clear within yourself. Start now. State your goals outright. Claw everlastingly towards your best self and never give up. Start learning and teaching yourself about healthy living. Realize there are no limits to how healthy you can be! Think big! Come stop by the Scottsdale Private Golf Courses performance center today and let’s help you get started. If you’re ready to take control of your health and wellness, allow us to be your guide on your way to the top of the mountain!

Private Country Club in Scottsdale Offer more Junior Golf clinics due to high demand

The Private Country Club in Scottsdale has Good news! The practice facility and our lesson program will remain open during the upcoming Sept/Oct Scottsdale Golf Club overseeding period. Now that we have a good team of experienced professionals (JaRon, Justin, Hank), with plans to welcome a talented female assistant this Fall to the Scottsdale Golf Club, we are ready to add more Junior golf programming. 

 

Sunday mornings Junior golf clinics (9-10am)

August 14, 21, 28

September 4, 11

 

Wednesday afternoon Play Days at Private Country Club in Scottsdale  (4pm)

August 17, 24, 31

September 7, 14

*The Horseshoe is also available for play on Sundays 3-5pm.

 

The fee for our 5 clinic dates + 5 play days is $150/child and is limited to club members only. 

The Sunday clinics at Scottsdale Golf Club are not drop-in because we must staff in advance. The Play Days are optional as your schedule permits. Registration is posted on the Foretees site under Events. We will add more instruction dates in Sept and Oct.

 

In late October, Scottsdale Golf Club host our first Parent-Child tournament, and registration will be online soon. Our first 3 Parent-Child events will be on October 29, November 19, and December 17 at 3pm. All ages are welcome.

 

Beginning in Feb/Mar ‘23 Scottsdale Golf Club

 will prepare our first team(s) for participation in the PGA Junior League competition. For those unfamiliar with this fun program think Little League for golf. PGA Junior League has grown tremendously over the past 10 years and many parents have asked if we can field our own team(s). 

 

Finally, in late May/early June we will conduct our inaugural Junior Club Championship.

 

This is the natural evolution for instruction departments and I’ve enjoyed my first 9 months at DCR. To date, I’ve taught 750+ private lessons to 210+ different club members. As participation grows our team will work with leadership to create a best-in-class amenity this membership can be proud of. Thank you for supporting everyone on our professional staff and feel free to contact me with any questions.

Scottsdale Private Golf Courses offer lots of Junior Golf Programs

As announced at the Scottsdale Private Golf Courses junior clinics, we will continue instruction for kids age 9 and under over the next four weeks on Sunday mornings at 9am. Due to popular demand at  Scottsdale Private Golf Courses we are adding a dedicated instruction hour for juniors age 10-13 on Sunday mornings at 8am while it is still hot. The clinic at Scottsdale Golf Course runs a four-week class with an optional Play Day on the Horseshoe, on  Wednesdays at 4pm The Scottsdale Private Golf Courses member fee is $120 for the four weeks and the Play Days are not designated instruction time. This is a time to meet others and have fun playing versus hitting balls on the practice tee. 

As a reminder, the Scottsdale Golf Course will be closed for over-seeding Sept 26-Oct 20 but the Scottsdale Golf Course practice facility will remain open for practice and instruction on the North end. Cody’s Lesson Book is posted on Foretees through October. Lesson sign-ups are available.

How Dick Hyland, Director Of Golf at The Country Club at DC Ranch, made his way to the best golf course in Scottsdale

Growing up across from Merion Country Club in Pennsylvania impacted his decision to make golf his career.

All the kids in that area worked at one of about a dozen fine clubs in that area such as Aronimink Golf Club, Philadelphia Cricket Club, The Philadelphia Country Club, and a host of others.

I did that through college and all the while my game kept getting better, as I really worked hard on it, especially my short game as I didn’t have the length some of the bigger guys did.

My senior year another professional mentioned I should consider a career as a PGA professional, as he thought I could make a go of it so off I went.

I got my PGA Class A Membership after but three years of PGA f business schools and of course passing the playing ability test.

I was the Director of Instruction at the Innisbrook Resort in Florida which also included coordinating Golf Digest Golf Schools where Bob Toski and the legendary Jim Flick were the lead instructors. Jim ended up being one of my closest friends and instruction mentors those next 35 years.

Never did I guess this part of my career would take off so quickly at a Scottsdale private golf courses. 

I was then selected by the PGA of America to teach in their instruction workshops. From then on I believed I could really give this professional golf career a go at a Scottsdale private golf course. 

Through all of this and my travels, I was able to play many terrific clubs and of course, some of the favorites have been besides Merion East are Augusta National where I posted two 72’s and two 71’s in the four rounds I played there years ago. Other courses like Pine Valley, Winged Foot, Baltusrol, Seminole, Muirfield Village, Pebble Beach, and Cypress Point are must-plays if you get invited. OOPS,

I failed to say the Cochise Course at Desert Mountain on of the best golf courses in Scottsdale, where I had the course record for many years at -10, a  62, how could I forget that!!!

What makes these Scottsdale private golf courses special in my opinion, each hole is a distinct, memorable piece of artwork having holes going in every direction.

When you walk up 18 at the best golf course in Scottsdale you wish you had more holes to play, you can remember every hole distinctly after playing only one round, you used every hole in your bag, did the course start into the east sun and finish into the west sun?

And if you never got to play it again would you be disappointed?

If your answer is no, it could use a refresher!!

My sleeper course to play would be Loch Lomond Golf Club near Glasgow, Scotland.

When the weather is nice (90 inches of rain per year) it has it all from a golf point of view if you ever get the chance, do not pass it up.

Why Does a Scottsdale golf course Aerate So Much?

Playing conditions at a  Scottsdale golf club are of the utmost importance for most golfers, and aeration is needed to keep the 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 in the same conditions, and golfers still can enjoy the game and make plenty of putts.

The word aeration stimulates negative emotions for many golfers. It may come as a surprise, but  Scottsdale 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 the 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, footprinting, and inconsistent playing conditions.  Aeration and topdressing are the most effective ways at a Scottsdale golf course to control organic matter and maintain smooth, firm putting surfaces.

Core aeration involves physically removing small soil cores from the turf and is the most common type of aeration. Aeration hold allows excess moisture to evaporate and promotes gas exchange in the soil, resulting in stronger root systems and turf that is better able to tolerate golfer traffic.

Proper timing of aeration at Scottsdale golf club 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.

Looking forward to a really great summer golf season at Scottsdale golf club!  In addition to transition and aerification, we have a few other projects on our list for the summer which include tee leveling and drainage work around the course. I hope everyone enjoys their summer break and we look forward to seeing everyone back after overseed!

Five key Spring Transition components for the Desert South West Scottsdale golf club

1) Height of cut – Height of cut is critical at Scottsdale golf club. We begin lowering the height of cut on all overseeded areas come mid-February and progressively lower throughout the following weeks.

2) Soil moisture management- Dry conditions equal poor Bermudagrass at a Scottsdale private golf course recovery during late spring and early summer. It is critical to prevent areas from becoming chronically dry as it will delay Bermudagrass transition.

3) Chemical removal- Many  Scottsdale private golf courses use a variety of tactics to chemically remove overseeded Ryegrass without injuring the understory Bermudagrass. However, we must not wait until June to employ this strategy because much of the Bermudagrass may have already struck out. This tactic is much more effective when used end of April through May. 

4) Nutrient inputs- Nutrient sources should be applied in coordination with chemically removing overseeded grasses at Scottsdale golf club. This will stress Ryegrass during warm daytime temperatures while providing nutrients for emerging Bermudagrass.

5) 100 Days Plus- It would be nice to give Bermudagrass 162 days of growth in the absence of competition from Ryegrass. However, 100-120 days is the guideline courses should keep in mind when planning overseed dates and timing chemical removal of overseeded grasses.  If Ryegrass growth is retained well into June at Scottsdale private golf courses, the ability of Bermudagrass to develop the rhizome growth necessary to recuperate the following year will be severely limited. In other words, maintaining Ryegrass into June could result in a season-ending injury for Bermudagrass. 

Growing two grass crops annually is a tenuous situation. Extending the Ryegrass growing season into June at the expense of Bermuda grass health is a season-ending injury.

Scottsdale Golf Course Spring Transition

 

                Few discussions regarding turf grass management on Scottsdale golf course get more emotional than discussions on whether or not to overseed with perennial Ryegrass.  However one fact about overseeding is indisputable: overseeding with perennial Ryegrass can, and often does, have an adverse effect on Bermudagrass. Nevertheless, management practices can be implemented that significantly reduce the impact of overseeding on Bermudagrass health.  The most important of those practices is getting rid of the perennial Ryegrass by late spring. One of the troubling trends occurring on the best golf course in Scottsdale is the increasing practice of Overseeding too early in the fall and keeping the Ryegrass too late in the spring/summer. If Bermudagrass does not have sufficient time to grow during the summer without competition from the Ryegrass the Bermudagrass will decline. This may occur in as little as one year and more often occurs gradually over a period of several years. Why does this happen? A fundamental principle in weed science at the best golf course in Scottsdale is that plants compete with one another for four basic resources: 1) Water 2) Nutrients 3) Carbon Dioxide 4) Light. Light is the most crucial of these four for the benefit of the Bermudagrass. In overseeded environments, when Bermudagrass begins to come out of dormancy in spring, perennial Ryegrass growth is at its maximum. As a result, the Ryegrass provides significant shade to the Bermudagrass at  Scottsdale golf course.

                      Allowing Ryegrass to grow into June at a Scottsdale golf course limits the Bermudagrass growing season and contributes to poor-quality Bermudagrass. By late spring it is time for Bermudagrass to emerge from winter dormancy. Bermudagrass at the best golf course in Scottsdale utilizes carbohydrates stored in underground rhizomes to produce new leaves every spring when temperatures in the top four inches of the soil reach about 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Bermudagrass has about three chances to produce new leaves while trying to emerge from under the shade and competition of overseeded grasses before it will strike out and die. If a new leaf is unable to capture sunlight- strike one. This process repeats itself until, you guessed it, strike two and strike three. After strike three the Bermudagrass has spent its entire carbohydrate reserve and when sampling the soil it will reveal the hollow rhizomes. A proactive management regime is necessary to encourage successful Bermudagrass recovery.

Time flies when you are having fun at Scottsdale Golf Course

As the saying goes “Time flies when you’re having fun.” It is hard to believe that it’s already April.  I have been very happy with the course conditions this season at Scottsdale Golf Course. It was a perfect scenario with the timing of the weather change in conjunction with overseed this year, as we didn’t have to contend with 100-degree days during the most important first 6 weeks of growth. The consistency and playability of the greens have been impeccable with tournament-like conditions throughout.  Earlier in the season, we saw a few less rounds which means less ball marks and less traffic, all beneficial to the  Scottsdale Golf Course and to those of you trying to book tee times. 

   I would like to take a minute to discuss our bunkers, consistency, and playability at the Best Golf Course in Scottsdale Bunkers are one of the most popular topics discussed around any club.  They are often criticized for being too hard, too soft, too wet, or contaminated with sediment.  Discussions almost always end with the familiar refrain: “All we want are consistent bunkers!”  I have some good news and some not-so-good news.  It can be done.  For many years, much before I got into this business 21 years ago, golf course superintendents have tried to maintain all the bunkers with the same riding machine or hand raking technique.  In a quest for consistency, this approach was doomed to fail because of the many factors that influence bunker performance.  The shape of the subgrade, the runoff of surface water, the spacing of the drain lines, the amount of irrigation used nightly in the desert, and the position of the bunkers in relation to the prevailing wind and direction of the sun are a few of the factors that make each bunker unique.  The same maintenance program does not produce consistent bunkers at the Best Golf Course in Scottsdale.  As you can see, it is impossible to have true consistency from one bunker to the next or one hole to the next.  There is nothing consistent about golf, you have a downhill lie or an uphill lie, hitting a pitching wedge will give you a different lie in a bunker than a screaming 4 iron will give you.  I know that it is our maintenance team’s responsibility to maintain these bunkers as perfect and consistent as possible, which can be very costly and labor-intensive.  We recognize there are challenges we have to adjust to and we have made adjustments and have implemented the “Aussie Method” raking technique about 4 weeks ago. This method involves minimizing disturbance of bunker faces and only aggressively raking the floors of the bunkers.  We use paint rollers to smooth bunker faces which creates a firmer base to negate plugged lies from happening. Another crucial piece to this challenge is dedicating more labor hours and being proactive in the adjustment of the sand depths. The objective is to make sure that we are maintaining them at the proper 3”- 4” depths range on the floors of the bunkers.  So, given all the uncontrollable factors I listed earlier, and how they affect the consistency and playability of each bunker, I can assure you that our team is striving for the best.  I want to thank each of you for the great feedback and comments regarding course conditions and the continued support for the long-term sustainability of the Best Golf Course in Scottsdale.

Racquet Sports at Scottsdale Golf Course

We have had a fun but busy spring at the Scottsdale Golf Course racquet sports facility and it doesn’t end as we transition towards the summer months! On the tennis side, we are wrapping up another exciting ladies league season in April with all of our teams for the most part having good years. The junior program continues to develop under the guidance of Assistant Director of Racquet Sports Ryan Shomo with clinics and lessons running six days per week. The match play and tournament program has allowed junior players to grow their games through competition. On the men’s side, we are continuing to offer opportunities for match play through our men’s singles and doubles programs with the goal of growing our men’s program enough to start a league team.

We have a lot to offer on the tennis side at  Scottsdale Golf Course in April, May, and June including our Ladies Member Guest event, The Cactus Classic. In May we will once again have our four-week camp program which has been one of our most popular instructional programs of the year. June will see the return of the tennis camp for juniors as well as the continuation of all of our drills and clinics for adults. One of the most exciting introductions we have added to the program is the true Cardio Tennis class. This is one of the hottest trends in tennis throughout the country and utilizes the orange ball in a live ball and workout format. The great thing about Cardio Tennis is at Scottsdale Private Golf Courses it allows all levels of play to be together in one group due to the low compression ball. We will continue to expand our offerings as participation grows.

On the pickleball side at  Scottsdale Private Golf Courses, we have added and expanded many of our offerings. We had a great social over at Troon CC and will look to do more of those types of events. Our pickleball clinics have been well attended with more and more players learning to play the game. We have expanded the Tuesday night pickleball to Thursday as well and continue to offer two days per week for the Advanced Men’s group. Ladies Day is currently on Friday morning but may expand once there are more available court times. Make sure you check out all of our events and clinics on Foretees. We would love to see you there!

Finally, we have filled all of our staffing positions and I believe it is the strongest staff in the Southwest. In the past twelve months, we have added Rob Korich as our Head Professional, Mackenzie Trost as our Red Ball Coordinator, and Fidan Ibrahimova as our Assistant Head Professional. All three bring a unique skill set and have settled in and become great ambassadors of the racquet sports program. Alex Guerrero continues to do a tremendous job as our full-time tennis concierge and Chris Chastain handles the Sunday shop hours. All of our staff is excited to be on court with everyone so please let them know if you would like a lesson. Fidan is available Sunday through Friday and the other professional staff members are available Monday-Saturday. Our staff will all be attending the USPTA Southwest Conference the weekend of May 20-22 so that they can continue to learn and bring new ideas to the program!

Looking forward to seeing the courts busy over the next three months. Please let us know if we can do anything for you and I look forward to seeing you on the courts at Scottsdale Private Golf Courses!

Waitlists at Scottsdale Private Golf Courses

It is fascinating to see what has happened to the membership opportunities and waitlists at Scottsdale Private Golf Courses.  We currently have over 100 prospective members on our waitlist in all 4 categories of membership. So how does someone get on our waitlist for Scottsdale Private Golf Courses? The Board of Directors and Membership Committee have been working diligently to assist with the process to approve new members who understand our Club Culture and want to be part of what the Country Club at DC Ranch stands for. In doing so, an applicant is required to take the following steps: 1. Tour The Club with Melanie Halpert to truly understand the Club’s offerings 2. Submit an application along with 4 reference letters and a nonrefundable $5000 deposit. 3. Complete a background check 4. Interview with the Committee and Board. Once these steps have all been completed, the application is submitted to the Committee and Board for review. Once approved, the applicants’ names will be moved to the waitlist for Best Golf Course in Scottsdale. 

Market Base Prices for all the Golf Equity Memberships can be found on the Club’s private website under the Membership/Marketing page. If you are a current member interested in becoming a Golf member, it is imperative that you contact me once the prices have been posted and prior to the 1st of the month. Priority is based on seniority. 

We have seen several members resigning their Golf Memberships and re-joining as Clubhouse or Sports members. Current members have priority on our waitlist.  In order to re-join, the member pays an initiation fee of 20,000 for Clubhouse and $40,000 for Sports Social. We currently have a waitlist for both of these categories. 

Recently you may have seen me doing videos at The Best Golf Course in Scottsdale. These videos are for our new website we are creating.  It is important that The Country Club at DC Ranch has a sleek, modern site, while emphasizing our Fun, Family, and Friendliness.  In addition, we completed new golf course photography.  These photos of the Best Golf Course in Scottsdale will be on the new website as well.  You have will have the opportunity to purchase and frame these beautiful photos in the coming months.

What 2022 has in Store at The Best Country Club in Scottsdale

One of our most significant projects this year was the completion of our much-needed remodel of the Men’s Locker Room and Grille area at the Best Country Club in Scottsdale.   The project came in on time and on budget at $2.4 million.   The upgraded area looks amazing and the feedback from our members has been extremely positive.   These spaces now match the premier facilities that we enjoy throughout the Club.   My thanks to many of our members supporting the design and construction of this project; Tim Pfeffer, Gary Fries, Rich Baccaro, and input from many other of our golf members and Club staff.   Your insights and efforts truly made a difference.  

On a smaller scale, we continued to update our on-course hospitality stations with the completion of hole #12/#14 comfort station renovation.  This project which cost approximately $100,000 also came in on budget.    Please stop in and take advantage of the nicely updated facility and the snacks at The  Best Country Club in Scottsdale!

On the People front, we have made some great additions to our team here at the Club in the past year.

In Dining, we were pleased to announce Chef Timothy Loving joined us this past fall. Chef Tim came to us with many years of restaurant and club experience. Most recently, he spent four years as Executive Chef at The Vaquero Club in Dallas.   If you have been to our various events and wine dinners, you know we have found the right Chef with a passion for culinary excellence and service.

In addition, Scottsdale Private Golf Courses hired our new Head Golf Professional Jason Walter, who starts with us this month.  Jason has many years of experience as Head Professional, having served in that capacity at Superstition Mountain and most recently at Diablo Country Club.   Jason is an exceptional addition to lead and support our entire golf staff and a great addition to Dick Hyland’s team.

We have also been fortunate to add Cody Barden as Director of Golf Instruction to Scottsdale Private Golf Courses.   After training under noted professionals Jack Lumpkin, Jim Flick, and Eddie Merrins, Cody is one of the top PGA Teaching Professionals in the United States. He has worked internationally in Mexico and China and most recently served as Director of Instruction at Cabo Del Sol Golf Club in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. In addition, he has been recognized as a top 100 instructor by Golf Magazine.  We welcome Cody and hope each of you takes advantage of this incredible asset at our Club.   

Lastly, we made a significant upgrade to our Human Resources team with the addition of Sascha Staley to We have also been fortunate to add Cody Barden as Director of Golf Instruction to  Scottsdale Private Golf Courses.  After training under noted professionals Jack Lumpkin, Jim Flick, and Eddie Merrins, Cody is one of the top PGA Teaching Professionals in the United States. He has worked internationally in Mexico and China and most recently served as Director of Instruction at Cabo Del Sol Golf Club in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. In addition, he has been recognized as a top 100 instructor by Golf Magazine.  We welcome Cody and hope each of you takes advantage of this incredible asset at our Club.   

As you know staffing and retention is our number one challenge with the current labor environment so adding to our Human Resources function is imperative to recruiting and retaining our staff here at the Club.  Sascha brings tremendous experience including multiple roles at Four Seasons Hotels.   Sascha and her team have really made a difference during these difficult times and will continue to do so in this difficult labor market.

We plan to host several “Open House” events which will allow you to have the opportunity to meet and get to know these new team members. I would encourage everyone to attend!

Scottsdale Private Golf Courses See More Activity than Ever Before

 

As we enter our busiest time of year, we are seeing increased activity at the Scottsdale Private Golf Courses as more familiar faces join us after being away for the holidays.  We want to give you an update regarding the Club following the Annual Meeting held in January.   First, we want to thank John Roussel who recently completed his appointment as President as his leadership was key to another successful year as a Club as we continued to see growth in the offerings we have as a Club as well as the level of member satisfaction.  As was announced at our Annual Meeting, our officers for 2022 will be President Bob Kline, Vice President Rob Maruster and Secretary Rich Baccaro.  In addition, David Goldberg will serve as the Treasurer for the coming year.  The advisory committee assignments for the Board of Directors at Scottsdale Private Golf Courses  are as follows: 

Finance – Chair David Goldberg / Vice-Chair Mike Thorell

Golf & Grounds- Chair Rich Baccaro / Vice-Chair David Wigler

House- Chair Cathy Hotchkiss / Vice-Chair Alan Sears

Membership- Chair Rob Maruster / Vice-Chair Doug Ideker

Racquets & Fitness- Chair Doug Ideker

Thank you to all of those who applied to serve on the various Advisory Committees for the year. Your support of the Club, our Staff and offerings are key to the continued success of the Club.  This group also serves as an important training ground for the future as we utilize our Committee system to develop future Directors of the Club as that is the minimum requirement of service on the Board.  The more that our members participate to develop a further understanding of the Club as a business, the better prepared they will be successful in serving in that capacity as a Director.

Our interaction with the Club Membership at the Best Country Club in Scottsdale is vital to our future success and the Board, and we recommend that if you have any questions, comments or concerns,  to reach out to either of us.    As we reviewed at the annual meeting, some of our main goals for 2022 at the Best Country Club in Scottsdale re as follows:

• Keep an ongoing line of communication with our Club members to enhance transparency and fully utilize our Advisory Committees to ensure that our members are engaged at all times so that we can continue to improve in all that we do.

• Continue to drive improvement in all member-facing areas of the Club by providing the highest level of service possible so that the Country Club at DC Ranch continues to be the finest Club in the Valley including a reputation for service, outstanding facilities, and member satisfaction.

• Follow through with the needs as provided in the Master Plan for Improvement of Club Facilities –we are currently looking at options available to complete an update to our Golf Shop this summer as well as enhancing our back of the house areas to better serve the team as in many cases we have outgrown our needs in way of storage, restrooms, and employee dining.  We are also looking at taking over the portion of our golf maintenance building which the Ranch Association currently occupies to also add storage, workspace and to relocate staff parking to alleviate some of the stress that we see currently.

• Review & update – with full participation and feedback from every class of membership – the current Strategic Plan. To formally begin not just to look at the now known Golf improvements we look to do in the next five years or so that will coincide with our irrigation system update - but more importantly, to look beyond that, to look to the future.  Discerning what you, your families, and the next generation of families and members desire and need through surveys and focus groups, etc. 

As we stated at the Annual Meeting, we truly believe that we are in a solid position with an experienced leadership team, a strong financial position and an engaged and supportive membership which will continue to generate a buzz in the market as we aim to achieve even higher levels in 2022 and beyond.

In Membership news, we continue to have a robust waitlist of prospective members with our current waitlist encompassing roughly 100 approved prospects in all categories which have grown the waitlist time from two to five years depending on the category of membership.  This past month alone we received almost twenty new applications. Despite the waitlist in place we continue to see a great deal of interest.  At the most recent Board meeting, the Board unanimously approved a recommendation from the Membership Committee to increase the transfer fee for Golf Memberships to $50k effective March 1 st .  This will bring our transfer fee more in line with those seen at our surrounding Clubs.   

With all this being said, we look forward to a busy next few months at the Best Country Club in Scottsdale and know that you will enjoy all that our team has planned during this time.  The calendar is packed with a number of golf, tennis, fitness and social events for your enjoyment so please make it a point to be here as much as possible as the temperatures begin to warm up!  It would go without saying that we encourage you all to make advanced reservations as many of your Club favorites will be fully subscribed.

Golf, Golf and More Golf at The Best Country Club in Scottsdale

 

Guest Play:

We certainly understand the importance of wanting to play some golf with your friends at the Best Country Club in Scottsdale and until further notice we are relaxing the guest restrictions on Sunday mornings.

Should we observe that we are limiting the number of Members having the opportunity to play those mornings, we will possibly have to limit guest play once again

Please keep in mind that family guests are privileged to play 6 rounds in season and 6 in the summer while non-family guests may enjoy 6 rounds for the entire year.

We will keep you informed as time moves on.

Fivesome play:

Simply stated, the rules of the Best Country Club in Scottsdale do not permit fivesomes at any time. Should that ever change, we will let you know.  Regarding the pace of play, it remains at 4 hours max regardless of your mode of transportation around the course. 

The first Monday of the Month at Private Golf Club in Scottsdale, the practice areas and course are closed for maintenance and we ask that you understand the course needs a rest and time for necessary Agronomy practices be respected that day. This happens each month on the first Monday. 

The remaining Mondays throughout the month, the first tee will open for play at 11:30, with exception of Club team competitions.

Golf Course Survey:

Thanks for over 300 responses to the Private Golf Club in Scottsdale survey sent to you a few weeks ago.

The purpose was to understand what course modifications if any you would like to have considered when the course irrigation gets replaced in 2026.

We are in the process of reviewing responses with Tom Lehman, who redesigned the course in 2002 and will share your comments with him.

As a reminder, we hope that anyone feeling sick will not come to Private Golf Club in Scottsdale for any reason and we ask you get proper medical attention before you do so. If you need a clearer understanding of the policies during this time please feel free to reach out.

The Season Begins at Scottsdale Private Golf Courses

The best is yet to come at Scottsdale Private Golf Courses this season. We typically believe that once we get to President’s Day, we are usually off to the races away from the cold and wet days at Scottsdale Private Golf Courses.

We also know the match play competitions will start soon with approximately one month to complete each match through to the finals. The next series of fun competitions are the Member-Guest events, which for the ladies is the Desert Diamond Classic in March, moving forward with the five-match formats which seem to be very popular at Scottsdale Private Golf Courses.

Ladies, please keep in mind that as the number of lady golfers at the Best Country Club in Scottsdale has grown greatly when the sign-up opportunities are available on Foretees, the field size is limited to the first 60 teams who sign up. 

 

Next up for the Men is the long-standing Round-Up Member-Guest event, with 60 teams max as well; playing in the 5-match format that many enjoy in late April.

Lastly, will be the Men’s Stampede Member-Guest in May with the same 5 match format but playing over two days with 27 holes played the first day and 18 the second round.

All of these are the source of not only spirited competitions at the Best Country Club in Scottsdale, but many friendships are formed over these few days.