Rancho Sierra Golf Course December 2007 Newsletter  

Hi Everyone,                                      
 

Ok. I’ve had enough cold weather. I went to North Carolina last week and the temperature was in the 70’s (80’s after I left), so I guess I was hopeful California would get some warm weather.  I shouldn’t complain though – at least we’re not suffering ice storms like Oklahoma or digging out from snowfall like Denver and the northeast.  The golf course is in great shape. Even though the temperatures have been low, our grass is still green. This is the longest into the cold weather that it has every stayed green, and we have our new fertigation system to thank.  I won’t go on about it here, but see last month’s newsletter for more info (if you need a copy, email me at taiken@ranchosierragolf.com) 

Course Hours 

We are open every day in December except for Christmas Day.  Our hours are from dawn to dusk. The past few days we have been experiencing frost delays, so golfers have not been allowed out until after 9 AM. This is to protect the greens.  The putting surface of a green is a very fragile environment. Every green is a collection of millions of individual grass plants which obviously were not meant to be maintained at 3/16 of an inch. This "stress" height, when frosted, makes the normally resilient plant cell brittle and easily crushed. As one superintendent said "walking on a frosted green is sort of like breaking an egg shell. Once you do it you can't put it back together." If you walk on a frosted green you won't see any immediate damage but within 72 hours those places you walked will turn brown, the grass will die and you have not only an unsightly green but one that may require extensive repair and one where the putting surface will be uneven for some time.

 To see if there is a frost delay, call the course at 661-946-1080. Shirley, Kate, Tracy, or John will be glad to answer any questions you have. 

Twilight Hours 

Starting January 1^st, twilight will start at 1:00 PM (it is now 1:30 PM).  Twilight is a great time to play because you essentially get unlimited golf the rest of the day (until dusk) for a great price. Our twilight rates are: 

Driving Range

The grass hitting area on the driving range is closed until spring.  The grass hitting area has just been punched and will take a few months to recuperate and grow in.

 In the meantime, golfers can still use the driving range and hit balls off the mats. 

Incredible Christmas Specials    

 I just returned from the east coast with some great presents. We have tons of golf shirts and shorts from makers including the Daniel Cremieux Collection, Roundtree & Yorke and Polo by Ralph Lauren.  Many of these shirts retail for $69 or more each!  Since we have so many, we are selling them for $11.95 - $18.95. But wait! It gets even better. To sell these quickly, we are offering “Buy one, get one free.”  So if you buy one priced at $11.95, you get a second one of equal or lesser value free!  This two-for-one deal is great, better than chips and pie! Please understand that these are not cheap, flimsy shirts – they are top quality new shirts and make great gifts.  Come on out and check out our selection.  Your spouse, friend, brother, mother, or significant other will be impressed. You probably will want to buy a few for yourself as well.

 Superintendent's Corner   

 Steve, Rick, Bob, Adam and Andrew are still at it, working to improve and beautify the course even when it is cold. Since there isn’t as much mowing or watering to do, Steve’s crew can concentrate on projects.  Some of the imminent projects include:

• Tree cutting and removal
• Work on dry and dead spots on the course
• Continue to work on the alternate tee boxes for holes 4 and 5
• Extensions to the cart paths
• Removing/relocating earthen bridges on holes 3, 5, 7, and possibly 8
• Installation and repair of fencing
• Mechanical work

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanza, and Happy Holidays

My sincere wishes to all of you to have an enjoyable holiday season, whatever your faith. Thank you for reading this newsletter and for allowing Rancho Sierra Golf Course to serve you. We also wish you a prosperous and Happy New Year.

Tim