My Western Garden Book has been getting a workout over the last few years as we continue to improve some of our landscape areas.  Our region can support the growth of a diverse set of plant life and the possibilities are endless.

Our recent renovation of the entry to the tee box on #4 included an arid landscape and some decomposed granite used as mulch.  The plantings in this area included some muhly grass, leatherleaf sedge, 'little john' bottle brush, and 'Karl Foerster' feather reed grass.  The desert look has been well received by the membership and I hope to incorporate this design to a few new areas.  Plants like these are very maintenance friendly and labor is reduced because of less grass and weed eating locations.


Another recent landscape improvement surrounds the restrooms near #7 tee (pictured below left).  Here we used some 'rose glow' barberry bushes, two brush cherries, divided our agapanthas, and eventually will add some star jasmine on a trellis built by Craig.

Finally, in this landscape roundup, here is (below right) a photo of some plants we added to the parking lot islands last year.  The euphorbia 'ascot rainbow' has done very well and the salvia 'may night' rebounded from winter dormancy with no problem.  The humming birds have been loving this combination and so have I.

Sure is nice to get some staff members out for a little golf, education, and camaraderie with other superintendents and hard working golf course employees.  This year, the Annual GrassRoots Tournament for the Sierra Nevada Golf Course Superintendent Association was held at William Land Park Golf Course in Sacramento, CA.  Host Superintendent, Bob Cline and his staff had the course in great condition after some serious rain and set up a wonderful day.

I was able to take three staff members, our Assistant Superintendent, Craig Heitman, our Equipment Manager, Jan Cariati, and our Course Setter, Bert Ryan.




















The cost was kept down with the golf being free from the course and lunch provided by Ewing Irrigation, and it was good.  Proceeds were donated back to the 1st Tee of Sacramento which calls William Land Park its home.  After the round, we were entertained and educated by Pat Finlen, CGCS from the Olympic Club, host of the 2012 US Open, giving all these staff members an inside look at a top tier facility and major tournament preparations.

Thanks to the crew who stayed behind and completed some tree work, projects, and mowing in our absence.  Our staff is very independent and responsible and I get to return to the course to marvel at how well they did without anyone pointing fingers or barking orders.  Of course, the only one who barks orders around here is our dog, Izzo and I'm pretty sure she slept all day.

A few weeks ago, our Equipment Manager, Jan Cariati and I went to Las Vegas to take in the Golf Industry Show.  This was Jan's first GIS and she definitely made the most of it meeting with many equipment suppliers, researching new products, obtaining price information for upcoming projects, and joining the International Golf Course Equipment Managers Association.  She also picked up bags full of souvenirs for the staff back at the course.

We do this every year. We take our fair share of the floor swag, hats, pens, bags, water bottles, and all kinds of trinkets to share with the staff.  Upon our return, the lunch table looks like a disorganized garage sale.  We pull the time cards and shuffle through to raffle off our plunder.

They were a little happier about it than the picture shows, they just don't like their picture taken.  The John Deere hats are always the first to go.  Thank you to all the vendors who put out these items, we give them to the people who make our course look good even when we are out of town.