ALTA SIERRA COUNTRY CLUB
GREEN GAZETTE
VOLUME 41` ISSUE 5 MAY 2017
2017 Board of Directors
Carl Koring, President
Cecil Robbins, Vice President
John (Jay) McCarrick, Secretary
Jim Barrilleaux, Treasurer, Front Office
Committees
H.C. Howser, House Committee Chair, House Maintenance
Pete Gobby, Greens Committee Chair, Golf Course Maintenance
Doreen Lewallen, Membership Committee Chair, Pro Shop
Ron Ott, Greens Committee
Ann Podielski, Membership Committee, Pool Committee
Advisors to the Board
Mike Scianna, Restaurant, Bar and Events
Jan Core, Wedding Events Coordinator
NOTES FROM THE BOARD
Carl Koring, President
I know that last summer I said, “I hope it rains a lot
next winter,” but when will it stop? I’m writing this
article on April 24, and it is cloudy, cool, and damp,
and the golf course is very green and lush. This is
due to Mother Nature and the efforts of Sean and his
crew. Thank you grounds crew!
Speaking of our grounds crew, they were very
busy working the course aerifying into their schedule
while dealing with some very wet conditions. New
trees have been purchased with members generous
donations and will be planted soon.
This is also the time of year when we start to
aggressively market or memberships, public play,
weddings/events, and golf tournaments. The rainy
winter produced less revenue for the Club compared
to last winter, but we already have more weddings
and golf tournaments on the calendar than last year.
We are working hard to increase revenue in all areas
of the Club.
In the beginning of May the Membership
Committee will be sending 3000 mailings to residents
in our local area advertising the different membership
classifications we have available. Additional
marketing is being accomplished by participating in a
coupon ad in the “Nevada County Gold” magazine,
giving a presentation to Roamin’ Angels car club
meeting, and reaching out to our local community to
assess interest in having a weekday golf league. In
addition to the marketing that is being accomplished,
members’ referrals are the most effective way to gain
new members Please continue to be a sales person
for our Club out in the community.
H. C. Howser organized a successful work day
during the course closure during aerifying. Volunteers
included: Marshall and Janet Barnes, Kathleen Cravy,
Jan Core, Chuck Martin, Dan Turner, Jim and Glenda
Barrilleaux, Mike Scianna, Ron Ott, Pete Gobby, and
myself. Many tasks were completed: the deck railing
was sanded and repainted, the deck was power
washed, the pump house for the pool was power
washed, the bathroom floors on #5 and #15 holes
were touched up, and the flower beds around the
clubhouse were weeded and cleaned up. Thank you
to all that participated.
It is hard for me to think of this right now, but our
pool officially opens May 1. Although the pool season
unofficial opening is Memorial Day weekend. The
Membership Committee is sending letters to the
people who joined our pool membership last year,
inviting them back to join this year. Do you of anyone
who might be interested in a seasonal pool
membership? This was very popular last summer.
We should all give a big THANK YOU to Jan Core
who, for the last 16 months, has donated her time to
be the Event Coordinator for the Club. Along with
Mike Scianna, Jan has made our outside events and
weddings a revenue generator for the Club. Jan was
instrumental in booking many more weddings this
year compared to last year. In an effort to fill Jan’s
shoes the Board has hired Melissa Ramsey as our
new Event Coordinator. She will also be helping in
the office. Stop by and welcome Melisa when you get
a chance.
The Board is scrambling a little bit. We received a
letter of resignation from Marcel Verdooner. He and
his wife Fieni are the ones behind the scenes of the
“Green Gazette’” our website, and all of the email
blasts you receive. They have assumed these
responsibilities for over 13 years. Their efforts will be
missed Thank you, Marcel and Fieni. For now, Ann
Podielski and Doreen Lewallen are on a steep
learning curve to take over Marcel’s duties. So please
be patient if this issue of the “Green Gazette” arrives
a little late.
Since the January Member Meeting your Board
has continued to search multiple avenues to address
our mortgage with Chase Bank. Proprietary members
will/or have received a document from our treasurer,
Jim Barrilleaux, detailing the Club’s options in this
regard and announcing a member meeting to discuss
the options and take a vote. The Finance Committee
and the Board have done its due diligence. Now it is
time for the members to make a decision. The date of
this meeting has not been set as of this writing.
I ask that you continue to support our Club by
adding an extra lunch or dinner a month on your
entertainment calendar. Or better yet, get a group
together and enjoy a meal at the CLUB!
This past month we lost:
GEORGE HUBERT JR.
1936-2017
ALTA SIERRA CC
PHONE DIRECTORY
OFFICE 273-2041
FAX 273-2207
GOLF SHOP 273-2010
DINING ROOM 273-2868
SUPERINTENDENT 273-2736
Office: [email protected]
Kacey: [email protected]
Sean O: [email protected]
WEB SITE http://altasierracc.com
ALTA SIERRA CC
GREEN GAZETTE
Published Monthly by
Alta Sierra Country Club
11897 Tammy Way
Grass Valley, CA 95949-6626
Publisher/Editor
Ann Podielski [email protected]
Doreen Lewallen
GREEN SCENE
MAY 2017
SEAN O’BRIEN
Although it is May, finding good chances to get out and
play golf have not been nearly as easy as the past few
years. Wet weather is still persisting once or twice a
week and usually spaced just right to get in the way of
your next chance to play. From my perspective just
when it looks like the wet spots are gaining some
ground, here comes another soaker to put it off a little
longer. That’s not to say there haven’t been some die-
hards out there making the best of the conditions, and
rightly so. In talking to some golfing travelers the few
wet spots we have on the course are not nearly as bad
as some in the area, so you do have that going for you.
You also have the forecast of pleasant weather in the
near future. While those forecasts haven’t been all that
accurate of late, like the one in November that
predicted average or below average rainfall for the
winter, the chances of the sun popping out and staying
a little longer have to be tilting in our favor eventually.
Even more challenging than the weather this golfing
season will be keeping up with the demands of the golf
course moving forward. We are entering the Spring
and Summer season with the smallest crew in the 32
years I’ve been working here. Currently we have 4 full-
time employees and 4 part-time staffers to maintain all
there is to do to keep Alta Sierra the wonderful golfing
experience that it is. During the course of the week the
number of people we have working on the course can
vary widely. On weekends we usually have 3 for
Saturday and 2 for Sunday. On Monday we have 4,
Tuesday everybody is on deck so we have 8,
Wednesday we go back to 7, Thursday 5 and Friday 4.
Hardly enough to get the job done to our satisfaction,
but we do have one ace up our sleeve. That Ace is
experience. In addition to the 32 years I have made
this my career, your friendly mechanic Jerry Wells, and
everybody’s “Little Buddy” Art Gentry have between
them another 67 years combined experience in the golf
course industry and all of it right here at Alta Sierra CC.
A little quick math and 2017 marks the time when your
top 3 have reached the “100th year of experience”
maintaining the grounds here. When I think back on all
of the trials, tribulations and accomplishments made
over that time, yeah, it feels like a 100 years. The fact
is we wouldn’t have had it any other way, which
explains why we are still here I guess and will be for as
long as you’ll have us or we can keep up with the
demands that maintaining a place like this places on a
body. So, from all of us thanks for the memories, those
we can recall anyway.
The Nature Pic of the Month shows something we
haven’t seen in a little while. Since bucks lose their
horns every year, only to grow new ones later, I
thought I’d post this picture of “horns-a-plenty” with the
fuzz still on them that we will soon be observing on the
golf course.
The Golf Shop
Kacey Tyler
Well if April showers bring May flowers
then we are going to have a bountiful crop of
flowers. We have had almost 100 inches of rain
since October and our course is reeking the
benefits, putting up with some wet fairways and
muddy conditions is going to pay out big time,
the condition of our course is going to be very
good well into the summer. Now it is time to get
ready for real play and just as it starts to dry out
we will be hit by tournament play and as we all
know that sometimes interferes with regular play
time. Just for a heads up this month Tuesday
the 9th and 16th we have Sierra Seniors and
SIRS so the course will be closed until 1:00 pm,
then Friday the 12th we have the Silver Dollar
and the course will be closed that day. Men’s
Invitational will be the 18, 19 and 20, the course
will open around 2:00 on Saturday for regular
play. The Members Memorial Day Tournament
(designed by Robert Trent Barnes Par 3) will be
an 8:30 Shotgun on Monday the 29th with food
and prizes to follow, sign-up sheet in the Pro
Shop.
The time change for Men’s and Ladies
Day starts in May, they will now be scheduled to
go at 8:30am please be checked in by 8:00 late
comers may be excluded from play with the
groups and put in as follow the field. The divot
patrol will be starting up soon so watch your
emails for information on start time, volunteers
are needed and it’s a good way to get in a little
exercise on a Tuesday morning.
Thank you to all the volunteers for
planting all the new trees they look fabulous and
will make a big difference in a short amount of
time. A special thanks to Carl Bryan for
spearheading the idea and an extra big thank
you to Marty Weiss at Weiss’s Nursery.
Men’s Association
by: Mike Quinn
In a nutshell …
The last month was another competition between
Frosty, Chief Standing Water, and the ASCC Greens
Keeping Crew for course time.
Mar 29 Nooners & SBOAS PLAYED
Apr 05 Course Maintenance CLOSED
Apr 12 Nooners & SBOAS RAINED OUT
Apr 19 4-Man 2-Best Ball PLAYED
Apr 26 Nooners & SBOAS RAINED OUT
Coming Events May 03 Pres. Trophy (Nooners/SBOAS/Bandits)
May 06 ASMC Saturday Play
May 09 Sierra Seniors @ ASCC (Tuesday)
May 10 All Groups Scramble from Combo Tees
May 10 All Groups Lunch & Quarterly Meeting
May 18-19-20 Men’s Invitational (Th-Fr-Sa)
Jun 02 Sierra Seniors @ LOP (Friday)
Jun 14 US Open Member/Pro Best Ball
Jun 28 Men’s Club Championship (Round 1)
ASMC announces Saturday Play Saturday Play is now available for Men’s Club
Members. ASCC members who haven’t joined the
Men’s Club because they can only play on the
weekends, can now join and play on Saturdays.
If you would like to join the Men’s Club, contact
John Jones: 477-0212 or [email protected].
MEN’S CLUB SATURDAY PLAY
2 Man Best Ball with optional
Low Net and Closest to the Pin
Sign up in the Pro Shop or
Contact Jack Kennedy
272-2404
Check in at 8:00 on Saturdays
4-Man 2-Best Ball Tournament
Our third Gold Rush series event was played on
April 19th. Members signed up as twosomes, and the
Tournament Committee combined twosomes into
foursomes. Foursomes competed for payouts and
the twosomes competed to qualify to represent
ASCC in the NCGA Senior Four-Ball Net qualifier
tournament on August 2, 2017.
Congratulations to all the winners and qualifiers:
Foursomes (Gold Flight) & Silver Flight Winners
1st Gobby, Counihan, Bulman & Pearce 136
2nd Turner, Wallach, Buciak & Ulery 137
Silver Flight 1st Cravy & Core (2M-BB) 66
Silver Flight 2nd Barrilleaux & Ott (2M-BB) 69
Twosomes (NCGA Senior Four-Ball Net qualifiers)
1st Gobby & Counihan 64
2nd Buciak & Ulery 67
Closest to Pin Gold Closest to Pin Silver
#3 (none) Ron Ott
#7 John Jones Roger Cravy
#12 Steve Harris Dick Core
Welcome New Member Welcome to our newest Men’s Club Member:
Bruce and Cinnamon Danielson
16804 Lawrence Way
Grass Valley CA 95949
Wednesday Winners Nooners & SBOAS Competition
March 29th – Nooners 2-man best ball
1st Doug Bulman & Mike Grogan 63 net
2nd Rich Ulery & Chuck Vold 65 net
3rd Neil Wallach & Ron Metz 66 net
March 29th – Nooners Individual Low Net
1st Chuck Vold 70 net
2nd Neil Wallach 71 net
3rd Doug Bulman 75 net
4th Rich Ulery 76 net
March 29th – SBOAS 2BB of the 3 or 4-somes
1st Lewallen, Koring, Fritz & Ott 128 net
2nd Quinn, Ostrander & Martin 129 net
Alta Sierra Men’s Club Announces
Saturday Play!
The Alta Sierra Men’s Club will begin Saturday play in addition to regular
Wednesday play beginning Saturday, April 22. Kacey has reserved three tee times
beginning at 8:30 AM every Saturday morning and Jack Kennedy has agreed to
coordinate play for all Men’s Club members interested in playing on Saturday. The
games played will generally follow those that are played on Wednesday and include
two-man best ball, with optional low individual net and closest to the pin
competitions. Two-man team winners, and low individual net winners are rewarded
with pro shop credits. Closest to the pin payouts will be in cash. We anticipate a $10
entry fee, an optional $3 fee for closest to the pin and an optional $2 fee for low
individual net competition. Games within the foursome may be arranged by the
players (on Wednesdays, the Nooners play $1 Nassau games within the foursomes).
Men’s Club members participating in Saturday play following Wednesday
President’s Trophy play, will be eligible to win the monthly President’s Trophy.
A signup sheet will be posted in the pro shop. Players interested in playing on April
22 may also e-mail Jack Kennedy at [email protected]. On Saturday morning,
players should check in at 8:00 AM. Jack will collect money and work with Kacey
in setting up the two man teams and the foursomes.
If you are an ASCC member with your handicap maintained through the Men’s Club,
who is interested in playing in Men’s Club play on Saturday and are not a Men’s
Club member, you may join the Men’s Club for an additional annual fee of only $20
payable to Alta Sierra Men’s Club. Just notify John Jones at [email protected].
Men’s Club Saturday Golf begins April 22, 2017
Sign up in the Pro Shop or email Jack: [email protected]
SWIMMING POOL
H.C. Howser and Ann Podielski
As of May 1st the pool is available for swimming.
Some of you that might like, or don't mind cold
water...have at it. Stop by the office for your
2017 pool pass, a copy of the rules, and the new
gate code...the code will not be given out over
the phone. Just remember, there are no
lifeguards on duty and you're swimming at your
own risk. Please do not leave the gate or allow
anyone into the pool area. And no guests at this
time. If you have a guest that wants to swim
have him or her join the swim membership.
The official opening will be Memorial Day
weekend, Saturday May 27th. Once again,
because of its success, we will continue with the
Pool Attendant program. Voluntary pool
attendants, working daily in two shifts from
11:00am to 5:00pm, will monitor the use of the
pool and verify that all users are members, their
family and/or their guests. If you are interested
in participating in this program a signup sheet
will be posted in the Club house soon.
If you have friends, or know of someone that
would like to use the pool please remind them
that our summer pool membership is available at
a very reasonable price. For $600 a member
and their immediate family can use the pool from
May thru September.
Because of the inclement weather maintenance
around the pool has been delayed. So during
May, because there is normally little use of the
pool, we'll use this quiet time to do what needs
to be done
Nif-Tee Niners
ANN PODIELSKI
Once again the month of April did not cooperate
weather-wise for the Niner golfers. This year is
seems like Thursdays have either been raining
or too wet to play. We are looking forward to the
weather changing and getting dryer and
warmer.
Since no golf to report let’s wish a Happy
Birthday to this month’s birthday girl, Nancy
Koring. She and Carl leave on her birthday May
11th for Italy and Africa. Have fun!
READERS CORNER
Submitted by JANET BARNES
“The Lilac Girls” by Martha Hall Kelly
Lilac Girls is a
novel based on
a real-life story
of a New York
socialite who
championed a
group of
concentration
camp survivors.
The three main characters’ lives are all changed
forever when Hitler’s army invades Poland and
then France. The story unfolds through the eyes
of Caroline Ferriday (liaison to the French
consulate), Kasia Kuzmerick (a Polish teen sent
to Ravensbruck), and Herta Overheuser (a
young German doctor at Ravensbruck).
The story tells how Caroline and Kasia work
throughout and after the war to bring justice to
female victims of medical experiments in
concentration camps.
An enlightening read about a horrific time in
history juxtaposed with the goodness of caring
people.
RULES & ETIQUETTE by Betty Koski
In an effort to garner more new golfers for golf
The USGA and The Royal and Ancient Club are
intent upon reducing the number of rules from 34
to 24. Some of the proposed rules changes
include: leaving the flagstick in while putting;
repairing spike marks or other damage including
footprints on the green; removing the ball from
the bunker and placing it behind the bunker and
taking a two stroke penalty for doing so; taking 3
minutes instead of 5 minutes to search for your
ball; and taking only 40 seconds to hit your shot
Please don't consider these to currently be in
effect However The USGA and The Royal and
Ancient Golf Club are giving these proposals a
trial period of 6 months with a projected
implementation date of January 1, 2019. Let's
hope that these changes are effected so that
golf will be less rules bound and more fun to play
in 2019.
If your golf group is in search of a lively topic to
be discussed at a meeting you might want to
consider the topic of the pros and cons of the
changing of some of the rulings made by onsite
rules decision makers at Pro Tournaments after
they received some phone calls by no/ viewers
who perceived some of the rulings to be
incorrect. The ensuing discussions are bound to
be lively.
And lastly from a recent column by The Rules
Guy in Golf magazine comes this interesting
situation that was in need of a ruling. A golfer
dribbled his drive 10 feet off the tee and his ball
came to rest in play. The golfer immediately teed
up another ball and declared he was taking a
one stroke penalty declaring that his ball was
unplayable and that he could replay any shot
anytime declaring it unplayable and taking a one
stroke penalty. His fellow golfer was appalled by
his friend's ruling and thought that it was
incorrect and wanted his friend to take a two
stroke penalty for violating the ball substitution
rule. . The Rules Guy said that Rule 28 makes
the player the sole judge of whether or not his
ball was unplayable and there was no breach of
Rule 15-2 concerning ball substitution. Well
that's news to me, also.
Until next month here's to some sunny dry days
in which to test our golfing prowess and
knowledge of the rules of golf!
Welcome New Members to ASCC
Individual Non-Proprietary Membership
Anthony (Tony) Russo
723 Camino Plaza
San Bruno, CA 94066
Lyndon Smith
11214 Marjon Dr.
Nevada City, CA 95959
Young Family Membership
Eric & Arrienne Van Bougondien
11596 Lower Circle Drive
Grass Valley, CA 95949
Lanty & Kelly Molloy
16637 George Way
Grass Valley, CA 95949
WOMEN’S GOLF CLUB Notes from the Co-Captain submitted by Robin
Van Metre
The weather was a bit more cooperative for the
last play day in March. The course remained
soggy but seventeen ladies hopped around for
the Bunny Shoot. The team of Cinnamon
Danielson, Jean Metz and Wendy Weiss won in
a card off. Cinnamon was also closest to the pin
with 32’ 7”.
Our fabulous team of decorator bunnies, Liz
Coots, Kathleen Cravy, and Janet Barnes, with
baskets donated by Linda Kennedy, wowed us
with their creative centerpieces and bags of
Easter candies.
Once again Captain’s Trophy was postponed
until April 20 due to weather. A small field of 13
competed.
First Flight
Low Gross Judy Wood
Low Net Andi Davis
2nd Jean Metz
3rd Julie Harris
Second Flight
Low Gross Marti Jones
Low Net Wendy Weiss
2nd Janet Barnes
3rd Linda Ulery
Captain’s Trophy Winner
Marti Jones
Closest to the Pin
Andi Davis 11’ 9”
The Spring Handicap Tournament has been
postponed due to wet conditions. The first
round will be played May 4th and the second
round June 8th. I think the winner this year has
been Mother Nature.
The Men’s Invitational is May 18th and May
19th. The men are asking for volunteers to
help on those two days. We traditionally
help them since they help during our
invitational. Check your calendars. The
signup sheet is in the Ladies’ Lounge
May 2017
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1 7-11 Member Tee Times 2 11:30 Course Opens
Noon –SIRS Lunch-
3 Men’s Day President’s Trophy 9:30 Quilter’s Men’s Lounge Scones and Coffee 10:30 Bandits
4 Ladies’ Day
8:30 ASWGC Captain’s Trophy 9:00 Niners
5 7-11 Member Tee Times
Cinco De Mayo 5:00 Cocktails 6:00-8:00 Buffett Meal
6 7:00 Course Opens
9:30-2:00 NC Democratic Women
7 7:00 Course Opens
8 7-11 Member Tee Times
9 8:30 Shotgun Sierra Seniors
1:00 Course Opens
10 Men’s Day
Quarterly Meeting
11 Ladies’ Day
8:30 ASWGC Informal Guest Day 9:00 Niners
12 11:00 Shotgun Silver Dollar Tournament Silver Dollar Banquet
13 7:00 Course Opens
2:00-4:00 George Hubert Celebration of Life
14 7:00 Course Opens
10-2 Mother’s Day Brunch
15 7-11 Member Tee Times 16 8:00 Shotgun SIRS
1:00 Course Opens
Repub. Women Lunch/Fashion Show Italian Women Lunch
17 Men’s Day
10:00-1:30 AAUW Lunch 10:00-3:30 Bridge 5:00 BINGO! *
18 Men’s Invitational
Course Closed
19 Men’s Invitational
Course Closed
20 Men’s Invitational
2:00 Course Opens
21 7:00 Course Opens
10:00 TT B&B GC
4:00-9:00 Forestlake Christian School Banquet
22 7-11 Member Tee Times 10:00-1:00 DAR Luncheon
23 11 :30 Course Opens 24 Men’s Day
11:30 Newcomer’s Luncheon
25 Ladies’ Day
8:30 ASWGC 9:00 Niners
26 7-11 Member Tee Times
5:00-8:00Community Dinner
27 7:00 Course Opens
28 7:00 Course Opens
29 8:30 Shotgun
Memorial Day Member Tournament
30 11 :30 Course Opens 31 Men’s Day
Notes:17th is Last Bingo Event until September! Don’t Forget to treat that special woman to our Mother’s Day Brunch…and Viva Cinco De Mayo! RSVP to the office to assure seating
Weekly Lunch: Mon & Sat - Special BBQ menu: 11am*3pm Wed, Thurs, & Fri – Regular Menu : 11am-3pm
Sunday Brunch: Expanded Menu with Breakfast Options : 10am-3pm