Minutes Lake Wildwood Golf Committee

August 11, 2009

2:00pm Cedar Room

Prepared August 14, 2009

Revised August 24, 2009

Draft

 

1.    Meeting was called to order at 2:02pm by Gerry Galvin Committee Chair.

 

2.    Roll call: Committee members present Gerry Galvin, David Kedie, Joan Bundick, Steve Micheli, Ed Lauchner, Shari Davis. Absent Mike Byrne.

 

The following liaison personnel were in attendance: Ken Wolford, Terry Theis, Gary Turzak, Ed Simpkins, and Bob Martin, Bob Pleski. Jim Knight was absent.

 

3.    Minutes: The Minutes of the July meeting were approved. (Vote 6/0)

 

4.    Reports:

a.     Golf Course Department Managers

                                                             i.      Jim Knight-Golf Professional Absent.

 

                                                          ii.      Ken Wolford-Golf Course Superintendent

 

1.    Lower temperatures this summer have helped the course. Crews are hand watering dryer areas. Greens are running in the 9.5 Stem Range.

2.    Crews are working on a new drain line on #6 near Green. Daylights into natural area across cart path. A portion of the line was plugged and they took the connection to a point where the pipe was good and abandoned the other line. Left pipe in place so they can go back later if there is a problem. Old pipe also daylighted into native area.

3.    Crews working on bunker sub-grades and making the bunkers flatter toward the centers. Gerry Galvin requested that the down slope on the back edges be brought to level. On #14 if back wall were straight it would be better. Gary Turzak will include on next inspection.

4.    Aeration will be starting next month. Course will be open for play during process. Need understanding from golfers that there will be some inconvenience. Notification will be going out soon.

5.    Existing Tee markers-Why are they spaced so closely? Per Ken, to save space on tee. White Tee marker on #1 sometimes placed in slope. Ken will look into.

6.    Shari Davis brought info from 9ers that homeowners have been seen watering using quick connect locations on golf course. Ken stated that a few homeowners have volunteered to hand water some dry areas of the golf course, which abut their properties.

 

b.     Special Projects-Gary Turzak

                                                             i.      Gary stated that he is looking for volunteers to work on the forward tees for #3, 4, and 6. They will be starting the first week of October Hopes to have work completed in November. Start #7,8, and 10 in November. Per Del Price, Men’s club volunteers will get Email. Ken Wolford believes all seven can be completed by April. Moneys for materials should be spent by May. Hope to have 9-hole course for niners to play

                                                          ii.      Issue for Committee: Larger window needed for aerification between spring tournaments. Calendar was worked out with Committee members and Ken Wolford. Committee members will take back to 18-hole clubs.

                                                       iii.      Dave Kedie reported that the order of priority for removing bunkers would be #11, 12, and 15.

                                                        iv.      Bunker sand-Mike Byrne did survey of surrounding courses and sand is virtually the same as ours. Suggested deeper raking and level out more. No replacement of existing sand will be done. Some additional sand has already been added to some of the bunkers.

                                                           v.      Synthetic green-The one above the practice sand trap will be partially removed and replaced with grass. The other will remain. Ken will get back with a time frame for this replacement.

                                                        vi.      Non-completed items from inspection list were pushed to September. Gerry Galvin and Gary Turzak will meet to discuss.

                                                     vii.      Gerry Galvin stated that all clubs should be advised to repair divots and, even when the greens have been sanded during aeration, ball marks should be repaired.

                                                  viii.      An observer mentioned that acorns should be broomed off the 9^th green prior to mowing to eliminate them becoming embedded in the green. Ken Wolford said he would look into it. It was also mentioned that pruning the tree had been done in the past and it had helped with this problem.

                                                        ix.      Del Price said the 14^th bridge is extremely slick in the early morning when it is still damp. Can something be done about it? Ken Wolford has been working with the sprinkler heads to eliminate the water hitting the bridge. Ken has tried some paint on product that is supposed to roughen the surface, but not satisfied with how it works. Possibly treads. Ken said he is getting ready to replace bridges and they will be of a different material similar to #3 Bridge. Gerry Galvin mentioned using Drop-in bridges (Prefab) could possibly save money. Bob Pleski asked if the “I” beam would remain to hold up the irrigation line or would it be moved. Currently the plan is for it to remain in place.

 

c.       Divot Stompers-Ed Lauchner

Gerry Galvin stated they had done a good job of marking ground under repair for tournaments.

i.       Ed stated that they would be finished for the year in      September.

ii. His crews have been running 3 buckets apiece   every Monday because his group has gone down from 12 last spring to 8 currently.

iii. Ed stated he has completed the river rock installation in the wet areas near the cart paths. River rock doesn’t work in the dry areas. Dave Kedie mentioned he had noticed a spot on #15 near green that needs work and Gary mentioned a spot on left side of  #13 near the “Y”.

iv. Need grass seed.

 

d.     Tee Markers-Ed Lauchner

a.     There are seven holes where the master plan calls for intermediate tees as well as forward tees. The sub-committee recommends that only one tee be built in a location that will eliminate the need for both tee locations. These single tees should be at least 50 feet in length to accommodate red and black tees.

b.     Ed Lauchner mentioned there might not be a need to have ball washers at all 10 proposed new forward tee locations. Gary Turzak stated that they are in the proposed budget for the tee construction.

c.     The sub-committee would like to present information to golfers ahead of time in the form of painting the proposed locations on each hole with color diagrams of the proposed changes posted at each hole. Possibly have someone at each hole to answer questions and hear comments. Gerry Galvin volunteered to make color copies of the diagrams. The golf committee supports communication with golfers.

d.     Tees should be renamed. Possibly use names of trees on course, numbers, or other.

e.     In ground markers will not be red, white or black. Possibly use tan or numbers.

f.      Gary Turzak may meet with clubs.

g.     Ed will have distances of each hole by next meeting in September.

 

E. Irrigation-per Bob Pleski:

a.     “Last year, there were 17 breaks in the irrigation piping. Four out of five sub-committee members believe that the fast shut-off  Rainbird sprinkler heads create water hammer that over-stresses the pipe and fittings and this is the cause of most of our pipe breaks. The Ridge Golf Course in Auburn uses slow turn-on/off heads and has had no breaks in 10 years. They have had leaks due to glue joint failures, however.”

b.     “The Engineering Analysis, dated 7/3/09, pertaining to pipe stresses caused by fast shutoff heads, has been forwarded to Rainbird by Ken Wolford. It is hoped that this will get to top management at Rainbird and get them to see the need for a newly designed head that includes slow turn-on/off, so that Rainbird can be a potential vendor when we do replace our heads.”

c.     “The sub-committee recommends that LWW start replacing all sprinkler heads, using slow turn-on/off heads starting in year 2010-2011 and completing the project in 2-3 years.”

d.     Gerry Galvin stated the push would be the greens complex replacement, which is slated to begin next year. Replacement of irrigation within the greens complex is currently included in the contract. Suggestion: When greens work starts use slow shutoff Toro or Hunter and, in the meantime any replacement heads also be slow shutoff. Per Ken Wolford, when purchased under a bundled package there is generally a greater savings. But electrical and controllers are compatible to either brand. All are on replacement reserve. Replacement would be a three-year commitment.

e.     Bob Pleski asked that the charter for the irrigation sub-committee be expanded to include study of hydrophobic soils. With possible addition of a member who is a chemist. Gerry Gavin asked if area is large enough to warrant. Per Ken Hydrophobic condition is only an issue in August. Irrigation starts in May and by August soil has become hydrophobic because of weather conditions, use etc. The condition is largely geographic in nature. Some areas the control wires have been replaced and a noticeable improvement has been seen. Wetting agents also help and they are applied through the system and by hand. Need to fix control to get control of the problem. Irrigation Sub-committee will discuss further at their next meeting.

f.      “Bob Pleski is working with Ed Norum, a Senior Engineer at the California University at Fresno, Center for Irrigation Technology (CIT) to have the University create a student research project to physically measure the peak pressures and pulling forces that are put on the piping due to fast shut-off sprinkler heads. Ed Norum thinks this is a good project and fits in with other work they are doing to measure the minimum peak pressure at which fittings break, a project requested by a fitting manufacturer. At this time, CIT does not have the equipment. Once they know they can do the measurements we want, then they will give us a price to make the measurements we have requested. Ed Norum mentioned the price may be in the $500 to $1000 range.”

5.    Club Reports:

a.     Ladies’ 18H-Joan Bundick

                                                             i.      Calendar is due September 1 to Dianne in Admin.

                                                          ii.      There is a problem with the dates of the Men’s and women’s Invitationals. Women’s always last week of May historically. Ken wants it moved back a week and Ed Simpkins mentioned that overtime for the Memorial Day weekend is not budgeted. It was agreed that the Women would have May 27, 28, 29. Men would have June 10, 11, 12. Ken Wolford and Ed Simpkins agreed. Joan will continue with Calendar.

b.     Men’s 18H-Gerry Galvin

                                                             i.      Nothing new to report.

c.     Ladies’ 9H-Shari Davis

                                                             i.      Question from members regarding handicap accessibility. Gerry Galvin stated it is in the CC&R’s under Golf Course rules. Steve Micheli will bring to next meeting. Ken will put signage on course.

d.     Men’s 9H-Dave Kedie

                                                             i.      Joint Competition with 18/9 hole Men is coming up.

6.    Old Business

a.     Survey-There was some discussion about the outcome of the survey. Steve Micheli will do additional research and possibly an additional survey with regard to 4somes vs. 5somes.

b.     Tree Planting-Ed Lauchner and Steve Micheli will meet to discuss and bring information to next meeting.

c.     Golf Committee Reorganization-After discussion the Committee voted to remain at seven (7) members. (6/0)

7.    Correspondence

a.     Riopel-Regarding stumps on golf course. 12-13 stumps were done recently. Not cost effective to do only one or two at a time. Ken waits until there are several to be done at once. Also, the bushes that were removed between 13 and 14. This project is not yet complete. A tree will be placed in this location.

  

   8. Adjourn   Meeting was adjourned at 4:10pm