WITH EARTH DAY celebrations turning folks’ focus towards the big blue sphere we all call home, I thought I would pass along some exceptional reading material on the subject and a few anecdotes from North Olympic Peninsula golf courses.
Around the Peninsula
After “many, many, many years” of family farming, SkyRidge Golf Course’s Jeff Pedersen carved a course out of his family’s former pasture lands.
After running the Sequim course for just under a decade, Pedersen believes his operation is doing its best to be a good environmental steward.
The course monitors four Sequim valley wells for nitrate levels multiple times per year and have refrained from fertilizing the course “for two-and-a-half years,” Pedersen said.
SkyRidge will fertilize its fairways this summer but they will place 150 pounds per acre of the good stuff, instead of the 200 pounds that they are approved to spread.
Over in Jefferson County, Port Ludlow Golf Club and Discovery Bay Golf Club are members of the The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program.
The program awards certification to golf courses that protect the environment, conserve natural resources and provide wildlife habitats.
Considering the tell-tale traces that bear and other wildlife would leave around Port Ludlow, I know the course is home to a wide variety of varmints.
Discovery Bay manager and course superintendent Randy White, a past president of the Northwest Turfgrass Management Association, told me that the Audubon program “helps golf courses design an environmentally friendly maintenance schedule that scrutinizes the use of any chemicals on the premise.”
White added that his club has cut down on its usage of pesticides and reduced its water consumption.
“We find that a few weeds during part of the year and drier turf do not significantly impact the playability of the golf course,” White said.
“Many pesticides are used for aesthetics due to the demands of a few golfers who think the course needs to look like Augusta National.”
The addition of a stormwater detention area — a pond on the course’s farm nine, put in when the course was expanded in 1997 — has helped in two ways.
The pond serves to filter and clean pollutants, and acts as a secondary source of water during times of peak water usage.
White thinks his course’s approach works well for both the environment and players.
“The average golfer would rather costs be held down so they can afford to play more often,” White said.
Golf Digest report
While I’m barely scratching the surface on this issue, Golf Digest produced a 27-page report on Golf and the Environment in May of 2008.
It can be found at www.golfdigest.com/magazine/environment.
Clear your calendar
A huge fundraiser for The Olympic Peninsula Humane Society is set for Cedars at Dungeness in Sequim on Saturday, June 26.
That’s right, we are approaching the date of the fifth annual Claws & Paws Golf Tournament.
The tournament has raised more than $50,000 for the humane society in the last two years alone.
The 18-hole, two-person scramble begins at 8 a.m. with registration starting at 7 a.m.
The event features two divisions, handicap and Calloway.
Entries are limited to the first 100 players.
The $100 entry fee includes cart, range balls, tee prizes, longest drive prizes, KP’s, raffle tickets and luncheon, with a prize field of $1,500 (based on 100 players).
Tickets for the luncheon are $15.
All proceeds go to the Olympic Peninsula Humane Society and all donations are tax deductible.
For more information or to register, call Garrett Smithson at 360-477-2718, or Andy Anderson at 360- 809-0144.
Tournament directors are also seeking sponsors.
For more information about becoming a sponsor, call Kandace Schmidt at 360-461-2810 or Marsha Robin at 206-650-5431.
Two PT tourneys
Port Townsend Golf Course will host the Brad Brown four-person gross scramble skins on Friday.
Cost is $50 per player plus $13 for greens fees.
On Saturday, the same course will host the sixth annual Relay for Life Golf Tournament, starting with an 8 a.m. shotgun start.
This event is a four-person pick-your-own-team 18-hole scramble.
Tournament fees are $45 for members and $60 for nonmembers.
The fee includes a round of golf, prizes, KPs, LPs and lunch.
Carts are not included in the fee but a limited number are available by reservation.
A raffle will follow play to benefit the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life program.
Phone the pro shop at 360-385-4547 for reservations to either event.
Tournament tee sponsorships are available by phoning Lynda Constantine at 360-301-2407.
SunLand kids event
As mentioned in last week’s column, SunLand golf pro and general manager Tyler Sweet will host a free junior golf open house for children and teens ages 6-18 at the Sequim course’s driving range from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m on Saturday.
The driving range is down the hill from the clubhouse.
SunLand will provide instruction, hot dogs and drinks.
The club also will hand out golf clubs for juniors to keep if they don’t have a set of their own.
“It will be great to see all the kids out, and maybe introduce some new ones to the game of golf,” Sweet said.
Providing clubs for those without is a great way to grow the game and worthy of a tip of the cap to SunLand.
Driver, golf drawing
SunLand is also conducting a drawing for a new TaylorMade R9 SuperTri driver, free rounds of golf and free golf balls.
Those interested can enter the drawing at www.sunlandgolf.com.
Remember to enter the word “contest” into the comments box.
SunLand will draw the winners on Tuesday, June 1.
For more information on SunLand, phone the course at 360-683-6800, ext. 13.
Port Ludlow ladies
The 18-hole Port Ludlow Women’s Golf Club played “Tee to Green” last Tuesday, counting just the shots taken from the fairway.
Bonnie Vahcic claimed the first flight with a 43.5 and Burleigh Smith was second with a 57.5.
The Nine Hole men and women held their monthly couples tourney on tax day, April 15.
The group played a best-ball scramble format, with each team member responsible for a minimum of two drives apiece.
The foursome of Joe Darcy, Sue Fechner and Doug and Joy Herring finished on top with a 30.2.
Full results for the ladies and the nine-hole tournament can be found on Page B2.
Discovery Bay golf
I must have had my wires crossed last week.
The course’s Commercial League gets started at 5 p.m. this Thursday.
The league will continue its nine-hole competition through the summer.
For more detailed information, visit www.discoverybaygolfcourse.com or phone the clubhouse at 360-385-0704.
After some rough weather pushed the Discovery Bay Ladies Golf Club off the course in early April, the ladies were able to play a game called “Criers and Whiners” last week.
Each player received mulligans up to 2/3rds of their handicap.
Sheila Kilmer finished first with an 84, Molly Hong was next with a 98 and Marianne Ott notched a 101.
Peninsula ladies play
The Peninsula Lady Golfers play on Wednesday mornings at 9:30 a.m. at Peninsula Golf Club in Port Angeles.
The 18-hole group played 3-3-3 last week, counting the scores of three par 3s, three par 4s and three par 5s.
Sherry Henderson’s 31 edged out Cindy Schlaffman and Rena Peabody, who tied with 31.5.
The nine-hole group played 1-3-1 where they count one par 3, one par 5 and three of the par 4s.
Sandy Granger took top honors with an 11.5, and Mary Murphy and Helen Elwood tied with 12.
Full results on the ladies are available on Page B2.
The Peninsula Ladies Club Season Kick-Off breakfast will be held at 8:30 a.m. at the Peninsula Clubhouse followed by a nine-hole scramble.
Following the golf and lunch, the first business meeting of the year will be held.
To RSVP for the breakfast, phone Sandy Granger at 360-565-1237 or Cindy Schlaffman at 360-452-7955.
Cedars Lady Niners
My SOS worked and I was clued into the Cedars at Dungeness Lady Niners.
I appreciate the assistance.
The ladies played in Monday’s balmy spring weather.
Donna Teel was first with a 25, Vernice Quigley was two shots back with a 27 and June and Virginia Dvorshak tied for third with 28.
Terry Green had low putts with 14.
Full results for the club’s earlier dates appear on Page B2.
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Michael Carman is the golf columnist for the Peninsula Daily News. His column appears on Wednesdays. He can be reached at 360-417-3527 or pdngolf@gmail.com.
