June 2013

A Monthly Publication for Balsam Mountain Preserve Members

I hope everyone who joined us had a great time over Memorial Day weekend. The Member-Member Golf Tournament sported a highly competitive field with both new members and returning champions, the pool opened for the season and was packed with activity, the

weekend grand BQQ buffet was well attended, and Drew’s special one day Memorial Day scramble drew 27 players. Speaking of the Member-Member Tournament, congrats to Sam Belfore and Lawton Hayes for taking the title and regaining bragging rights for at least another year! Several important projects were completed in the month of May including: Reinstallation of the guard rail on Preserve Road

The beginning of gravel placement and grading on many roads

The application of fresh mulch to the amenity areas

Deep cleaning and opening the Ruby Valley pool for the season

The hiring of new Executive Chef Ryan Queen

The acquisition of more horses for member trail riding

In June, projects will include repairing the three bridges on West Clubhouse Drive, continuing with gravel and grading work, and completion of the new pool furniture at Ruby Valley. We are also opening the pond at Ruby Valley for fishing starting June 1st. We completed construction of a small dock on the pond last month and stocked it with bass, catfish, bluegill, and trout. We hope you and your families enjoy this fun new amenity this summer. Also look for some special nights at the Boarding House in June, including the return of Johnny and Brian’s Fish Fry on June 19th. If you missed these last year, you should make plans to be here to enjoy the best fried catfish you’ve ever tasted! Hope to see everyone out there this month having fun and relaxing with family and friends. After all, that’s really what this place is all about!

by Bruce Fine, General Manager

’n & ’

Wednesday, June 5th

6:30pm at the Boarding House

Enjoy a buffet feast with four

varieties of wings and chef Ryan’s

special sauces. Includes chips

and vegetable plate.

Specials on beer.

$10.00 per person

Wednesday, June 19th

6:30pm at the Boarding House

This full-course buffet style meal

will consist of catfish filets,

cooked in heart-healthy canola oil,

and includes cole slaw, hush

puppies, fried potatoes, fresh fruit

and homemade dessert.

$20 per person, $10 ages 6-15, 5 &

under FREE. All you can eat.

Sightings… P R E S E R V E Visit the Nature Center to share your latest sightings at Balsam Mountain Preserve! There have been a couple of FIRST TIME sightings at the Preserve this month; A river otter A female orchard oriole (both sighted by Michael Skinner and companions on their Trust excursions) We have also had the pleasure of hearing and seeing several warbler species at

the Nature Center – American Redstart, Blackburnian Warbler, and Magnolia Warbler.

And, as always this time of year, bear sightings are on the rise…We want to know what you have spotted on the Preserve this month!

Visit the Nature Center or please send pictures to administrator@bmtrust.org.

o n t h e

FISHING FISHING FISHING

HOLEHOLEHOLE

Fish the pond at Ruby Valley!

• Catfish, Trout, Bass & Bluegill •

•

•

•

•

Couples Golf Scramble

For more information about the event and to register, visit the Member Website or contact the Pro Shop at 828.631.1009.

Saturday June 8

th at 2:00pm

All skill levels. Grab your partner for a fun

afternoon of golf and mingling.

$12.00 per player

Register Today!

JUNE GOLF CLINICS Complimentary Clinics are limited to the first 8 Members to sign up.

To register, visit the Member Website or contact the Pro Shop at 828.631.1009.

~ BUNKER CLINIC ~

Thursday, June 13th 10:30-11:30am

~ HYBRID CLINIC ~

Thursday, June 27th 10:30-11:30am

“If you play poorly one day, forget it. If you play poorly the next time out, review your fundamentals of grip, stance, aim, and ball position. Most mistakes are made before the club is swung. If you play poorly for a third time in a row, go see your professional.”

- Legendary Instructor, Harvey Penick

~ LADIES GOLF CLINIC ~

Thurs, June 20th - Fri, June 21st Short Game, Full Swing

and On-Course Instruction

$30 per player per day

B arry Sellers, Assistant Golf Professional, is in his first season at Balsam Mountain Preserve. Barry is unusual among his peers in that he didn’t start golfing until the age of 14, but the late start doesn’t seem to have impacted his abilities. A native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, this outdoor

enthusiast lives in Maggie Valley, with his wife of three years. How long have you been golfing and what got you started? I have been golfing since I was 14. I started chipping balls in the backyard with my dad. Eventually, he brought me out to the golf course and I was hooked. I have always enjoyed competing against my best scores and against tricky golf courses. Tell me about your background & education as it relates to golf? In the spring of 2009 I spent 3 months hiking on the Appalachian Trail and completed 650 miles. Upon completing this trip I picked up my golf clubs and began to play more frequently. I saw advertisements for Tiger Woods’ first American golf course that was being planned in the Asheville area. The pictures of the property sparked my interest— combining my love of the mountain and outdoors with golf. As fate would have it, I saw a commercial for the Golf Academy of America, attended the Golf Academy in Myrtle Beach and graduated in December 2012. What has been the hardest golf course you have ever played on? The Dye Club at Barefoot Resort in North Myrtle Beach. What is your longest drive ever? 325 yards… I got a lucky bounce downhill from a sprinkler head. What is your biggest golf pet peeve on or off the course? Slow play because it is a major threat to future enjoyment of the game. I firmly believe most golfers would play better if they played a little faster. What are you doing when you’re not at Balsam? I enjoy hiking in the Smoky Mountains and growing vegetables in our organic garden. I also enjoy reading and studying the history of the game of golf.

Just For Fun

What’s your favorite southern dish?

Cornbread

Favorite guilty pleasure television watching?

Golf tournament coverage. I can watch golf all day, especially if it is a

major championship.

What course is on your bucket list that you have not played yet?

Augusta National

What’s your dream foursome (living or dead)?

Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead and myself

T hirty players teed it up in the 7th Annual Member-Member Golf Tournament. Cool temperatures

in the morning led to hot scores by the afternoon. Sam Belfore and Lawton Hayes led the Balsam Flight early with an opening round 62; one stroke better than Mike Frey and Don Edmondson’s 63. In the Mountain Flight, Steve Neubeiser and Mark Wilson led the first round with a 61. Two-time champions Dave Walters and Robert Fleischer were close behind with a 62. Lawton and Sam carded a final round net 64 to win the Balsam Flight and advance to the shootout. Steve and Mark also went wire-to-wire shooting a final round net 65 to win the Mountain Flight. Brian Chapman and Michael Mazenko took the Low Gross honors in the Balsam Flight shooting 1-over par 141 over two days. In the Mountain Flight, Dave Walters and Robert Fleischer were the Gross Flight winners.

2013 Member Member

Results

Balsam Flight

Low Net Sam Belfore

& Lawton Hayes

Low Gross Brian Chapman & Michael Mazenko

In the shootout, Lawton Hayes hit a smooth 7-iron from 145 yards to 20 feet. Sam Belfore eased the downhill putt to within a couple of feet sealing the victory. Congratulations to Mountain Net Flight Champions Mark Wilson and Steve Neubeiser for their great playing over the weekend. Congratulations to Sam Belfore and Lawton Hayes on winning the 7th Annual Member-Member. Great playing guys!

Drew Marshall, Head Golf Professional

Overall Champions

Sam Belfore & Lawton Hayes

Mountain Flight

Low Net Steve Neubeiser & Mark Wilson

Low Gross

Dave Walters & Robert Fleischer

Tournament Results

1st Place Net

Mike and Pam Frey

Ken and Sharon Torok

1st Place Gross

Luke, Sims,

and Owen Abney

2nd Place Net

Rod Hanlon

Rob Hostetter

Sam Belfore

Dave Sparks

2nd Place Gross

JT Thompson

Michael Fulbright

Randy Parker

Bo Long

G reetings and welcome back to Balsam Mountain Preserve. As we head into our prime season, I would like to take this opportunity to recap what has taken place during the off season, as well as highlight some of the things we will be striving to achieve throughout the remainder of 2013.

As most of you know, January brought a record amount of much needed rainfall to our area. Unfortunately, the majority of it came over a three day period. We recorded approximately 13 inches of rain at Balsam Mountain Preserve. During this period we had several slides take place on the course, with the most dramatic occurring on hole #4. We lost a large section of the rock wall that supported the slope below the fairway. In order to fix the area, we hired an outside contractor to come in and remove the material that had deposited itself into the creek at the base of the slope. We then set out to rebuild the slope. For stabilization purposes, two smaller rock walls were added to the bottom of the slope and from there we started working our way back up. Throughout the process, seven layers of a geo-grid material were placed every two feet of rise to prevent any future movement of the slope. Although we no longer have a continuous wall, this was the best possible solution to prevent additional loss to any playable turf and to provide the most stable option for the slope. We will continue to offer the best possible playing conditions at all times. Last year we started topdressing greens every two weeks, and we will continue with this much needed horticultural practice throughout the year. Topdressing results in a smoother, firmer surface and will also allow for a more consistent ball roll over the duration of the season. Under most circumstances, we will topdress greens on Tuesdays when we are closed. Play on Wednesday should be back to normal with minimal effect on ball roll. I would like to thank Brad Morgan and the entire golf maintenance staff for the hard work they consistently perform. I would also like to thank all of you, because none of this would be possible without the outstanding membership we have here at Balsam Mountain Preserve.

Brooks Kittrell, Golf Course Superintendent

THE TOUGHEST JOB IN GOLF

BROOKS KITRELL ON THE “GREENING” OF THE GAME

Here’s a sneak peak at the new pool furniture being custom-made for Balsam Mountain Preserve.

Appalachian Antique Hardwoods, LLC Reclaimed Wood Specialists

828.627.0830 www.aahardwoods.com

The Nature of Things – Oh Wicked Vetch of the East

I know you read ‘wicked witch’ but that’s okay just as long as you’re paying attention to the main

premise of this story, which is— that you know the good vetch from the bad vetch— which will also

serve as a metaphor for the invasive species found on the Preserve. I’m hoping Mr. Baum will

excuse my literary play on words to emphasize the point that crown vetch (Coronilla or Securigera

varia) is a highly invasive introduced exotic plant from Europe (Asia, Africa). [Our good vetch (Vicia

carolina) is easy to differentiate from the crown vetch—

see pictures.]

It was brought here, similarly to kudzu, in the 1950s to

control erosion. And while it very effective at performing

that function, once planted it is very difficult to control. It

will out complete pretty much everything where it grows.

It reproduces both by seed and vegetatively by rhizomes

(underground stems). What’s more is that there is no

effective biological control which means to control it, you

have to use chemicals, Roundup being one. So while

identifying the plant and distinguishing it from our native

Carolina vetch is not difficult, trying eradicate it effectively

and carefully is challenging.

If any BMP homeowners would like a lesson in identifying

this or other invasive plants on the Preserve please let us

know. We’d be happy to show where these witches live

and how to yank their broomsticks out from under them.

We have an amazing variety of native plants on the

Preserve and we’d like to keep that diversity for a long,

long time.

by Michael Skinner, Trust Executive Director

www.bmtrust.org

Top: The hillside just up from the main entrance to the Preserve (on the left), hosts this large population of crown vetch. This invasive plant chokes out other desirable species. BAD VETCH Below: The wood vetch, a native to North Carolina, grows much more sparsely on the Preserve and does not crowd out other native plants. GOOD VETCH

2013 Summer Camp Schedule

Horse Camp June 10th - 14th

9:00am - 12:00pm: (Ages 11-13), 1:00pm - 4:00pm: (Ages 5-7) Meet, greet and ride the horses while learning basic horse training, grooming,

feeding, barn maintenance, trail riding and more.

Horse Camp June 17th - 21st, 9:00am - 12:00pm

Meet, greet and ride the horses while learning basic horse training, grooming, feeding, barn maintenance, trail riding and more.

Ages 8-10

Combination Adventure Day Camp June 18th - 21st, 10:00am-3:00pm

Get ready to explore a little bit of everything! Sports, nature, hiking excursions and more. Aside from the amazing sampling of activites, FUN is what this camp is all about!

Ages 7-12

Art & Nature Camp June 26th - 28th, 10:00am-2:00pm

Kids find that natural features come alive as they go on scavenger hunts, hikes, creek adventures, wildlife viewing and more. They'll take part in nature arts and crafts

and learn noteworthy botanical and zoological details. Ages 4-6

Nature, Arts & Culture Camp July 3rd - 6th, 10:00am-3:00pm

This area offers varied opportunities for kids to immerse themselves in the beauty of local habitats. earn to identify species at the Preserve, spend a day at Dark Ridge

Camp Ground, go on offsitie culture visits, take part in hand-on art projects, trail games, and so much more.

Ages 7-12

Horse Camp July 8th - 10th, 9:00am - 12:00pm

Meet, greet and ride the horses while learning basic horse training, grooming, feeding, barn maintenance, trail riding and more.

Ages 8-10

Wild About Animals Camp July 9th - 11th, 10:00am-2:00pm

Learn all about animals with hands-on adventures with big mammals to small critters. Take a visit to a small zoo, and make new friends that will last a lifetime!

Ages 5-10

We Love Water Camp July 16th - 19th, 10:00am-3:00pm

A vast array of water activities and aquatic critters will be explored! We will visit swimming holes, waterfall walks, boating and more!

Participants must be able to swim or must wear a life jacket. Ages 6-11

Horse Camp July 22nd - 26th, 9:00am - 12:00pm: (Ages 5-7), 1:00pm - 4:00pm: (Ages 11-13)

Meet, greet and ride the horses while learning basic horse training, grooming, feeding, barn maintenance, trail riding and more.

Third Annual Adventure Camp July 30th - August 2nd, 9:00am-4:00pm

Hiking, paddling, camping, exploring nature and many more group adventures that encourage healthy activity, as well as mixing, mingling and making new friends.

Ages 8 and up

Register by calling Member Services at 828.631.1000,

Club Hours of Operation

Pro Shop: Open 7:30am to 6:00pm, closed

Tuesdays. Tee times begin at 8:00am.

Practice Park: Open 7:30am to 6:30pm, closed

Tuesdays.

Trail Rides: By Reservation Only.

Pavilion: Open 24 hours.

Fitness Center: Open 24 hours.

Pool: Open 24 hours.

Tennis Courts: Open 24 hours.

Turnhouse: Open 11:00am to 3:00pm, closed

Tuesdays.

The Boarding House Restaurant:

Light Continental Breakfast:

Mon – Thurs, 8am – 10am

Breakfast:

Fri – Sun, 8am – 10am

Brunch:

Sunday 11:30am—2:00pm

Lunch:

Wed – Mon, 11:30am – 2pm

Dinner:

Wed – Sun, 6:30pm – 8:30pm

*Reservations Requested

The Nature Center: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily

Club Staff and Contact Information

Administration: 828.631.1040

Bruce Fine: General Manager

Tina Jones: Business Manager

Member Services: 828.631.1000

Amy Coggins: Manager

Balsam Care

(Maintenance & Cabins): 828.631.1000

Pro Shop: 828.631.1009

Drew Marshall: Head Golf Pro

Activities: 828.631.1063

Stables: 828.631.1066

Natalie Altendorf: Stable Manager

Security / Main Gate: 828.631.1011

Main Gate Emergency: 828.508.0116

Sales: 828.631.1001

Joe Dellinger: Sales Executive

Bill Minus: Sales Executive

Jamie Aquino: Marketing Manager

RIDGE Lines Editor

Nature Center / Balsam Mountain Trust:

828.631.1060

Michael Skinner: Executive Director

Blair Ogburn: Sr. Naturalist

Dawn Williams Tox: Administrator

www.bmtrust.org

The Reserve at Lake Keowee

Contact Balsam Member Services at

828.631.1000 for all Activities and Reservations.

www.reserveatlakekeowee.com

Grand Harbor Golf & Yacht Club

Contact Balsam Member Services at

828.631.1000 for all Activities and Reservations.

www.grandharbor.net

Balsam Mountain Preserve | 81 Preserve Road | Sylva, NC 28779

866.452.3456

www.balsammountainpreserve.com