The 2011 SNGA Tournament Series will officially begin on February 26-27 at Sunrise Vista Golf Club. The SNGA Staff would like to give you information about the SNGA Tourna-ment Series for 2011. This knowledge will give you a better insight into all the exciting competitive golf events the SNGA has to offer. Story continued on page 6

2011 Issue Feb.

In This Issue >>>

The Official Newsletter of the Southern Nevada Golf Association

1. 2011 Tournament Series 2. WSNGA 3. Misunderstood Rules 4. MetLife Auto and Home® 5. Slow Play Hurts Everyone 6. Tournament Series (Cont.) 7. First Tee of Southern Nevada 8. PJ’s Super Section 9. Banquet Photos

The Grind

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SNGA Home Course Specials for Palm Valley Golf Club and Highland Falls Golf Club

SNGA members receive special rates on tee times with reservations up to 7 days

in advance with no restrictions

SPECIAL RATES:

$49 Anytime $35 after 11:30

Visit www.golfsummerlin.com for more information

Call 702-254-7010 for your tee time

Hole #14 at Highland Falls Golf Club

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There is an old joke about the word “GOLF.” Supposedly it stands for “Gentleman Only, Ladies Forbidden.” Well, of course it isn’t true, and the WSNGA can prove it! Our first event of the year, a Fun Day at Dragon Ridge CC, had such an overwhelm-ing response; 128 entries with 40 on the wait list; that we are hosting a SECOND Fun Day at Dragon Ridge, Tues, March 29! (Special thanks to Matt Grobe at Dragon Ridge for providing us the opportunity!) Information and entry forms are available at www.wsnga.org.

With so many women coming out to the golf course these days, the WSNGA would like to make a plea to women golfers that have left the game to pursue other interests. We would like to remind you that the game of golf can be an incredible network for business, community and life-long friendships. There have been several studies to show that a majority of top executives play golf, for both professional AND per-sonal advancement. And ask any of us currently playing about the friends we have made….there is noth-ing equal to it! So join a women’s golf association today! Or contact us at the WSNGA, (wsngainfo@gmail.com), for information on women’s golf associations in your area. The women golfers of Southern Nevada are not only thriving, we are having the time of our life!

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Misunderstood Rules By Mike Charrie

Bunkers are an integral part of almost all course designs in the world. When lying in a bunker, there are some unique situations that are discussed in the USGA Rules of Golf. It is important to be cogni-zant of these unique situations to avoid penalties during a stipulated round. First, a “bunker” is defined in the Rules of Golf as, “a hazard consisting of a prepared area of ground, often a hollow, from which turf or soil has been removed and replaced with sand or the like. Grass-covered ground bordering or within a bunker, including a stacked turf face (whether grass-covered or earthen) is not part of the bunker. A wall or lip of the bunker not covered with grass is part of the bun-ker. The margin of the bunker extends vertically upwards, but not downwards. A ball is in the bunker when any part of it lies in or touches the bunker.” SITUATION 1: Can a player touch the sand in the bunker with his club at address? No, this is a breach of Rule 13-4 (General Penalty in Stroke Play is 2 strokes; General Penalty in Match Play is Loss of Hole). SITUATION 2: Can a player place his/her clubs and/or bag not being used for the shot next to him/her in a bunker? Yes, this is exception 1 to Rule 13-4. SITUATION 3: Can a player take a practice swing in a bunker? No, this is again a breach of Rule 13-4. (General Penalty in Stroke Play is 2 strokes, General Penalty in Match Play is Loss of Hole). The penalty is only incurred once, no matter how many practice swings are taken. Decision 13-4/3 SITUATION 4: Can a player touch the sand on the backswing for a stroke in a bunker? No, this is again a breach of Rule 13-4. (General Penalty in Stroke Play is 2 strokes; General Penalty in Match Play is Loss of Hole). Decision 13-4/31 SITUATION 5: Can a player rake footprints between his ball and the hole (on his line of play) be-fore playing a stroke from the bunker? No, this is a breach of Rule 13-2. (General Penalty in Stroke Play is 2 strokes; General Penalty in Match Play is Loss of Hole). Decision 13-2/28 SITUATION 6: Can a player rake footprints from a previous shot in the bunker when his ball still lies in the same bunker? Yes, provided the raking does not breach Rule 13-2 (improving lie, stance, area of intended swing, or line of play) for the upcoming shot. Decision 13-4/36 SITUATION 7: Can a player rake the area intended for a drop after playing a ball from a bunker to an area that is out of bounds? Yes, this action is permissible. Before Dropping, a player could even take practice swings from the bunker in this situation. Decision 13-4/37 For further reference on the USGA’s Decisions regarding play from a bunker, please reference the De-cisions on the Rules of Golf pages 155-183.

Unique Situations in a Bunker

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My staff and I have been fighting slow play for the last 3 years trying out different pace of play policies. With a small staff, the 2 check point system (after #9 & after#18) has given us the best results. I am happy to say, our average round has gone from 5 ½ hours to 4 hours and 45 minutes. This is directly attributed to the numerous slow play penalty strokes given out in 2010. Many players do not know how to tell if they are in jeopardy of receiving a penalty for slow play so I have outlined a few of the basics in regards to the slow play policy: • On the bottom of every scorecard the stated time that the flagstick must go in the

hole is clearly visible. The first group of the day must be conscious of this time because they do not have the benefit of also having the “out of position” requirement to fall back on. If you are in a group, other than the first group, and your group puts the flag stick in the hole later than the stated time on your scorecard and more than 15 minutes after (out of position) the previous group (even if there are fewer player in that group), your group is behind on time and out of out of position. Your group is in violation of the pace of play policy and will be subject to the applicable penalty.

If an SNGA representative or Rules Official comes upon a group that is clearly in jeopardy of a slow play breach, that representative or Official has the right to individually time each player in order to identify which player/s are the problem. This information will then be given to the Committee with a recommendation on which player in the group should take the penalty. Please refer to the below information to better understand how the timing works.

• A player who is first to hit has 45 seconds to do so and every other player has 40 seconds. Timing starts when it is clear for the player to hit. If it is your turn and you are sitting in the cart, grabbing a drink, cleaning your club, using your range finder, throwing grass, practice swings, etc… the clock has already started. This applies to fairway shots and putts as well. Starting your routine over or changing clubs does not stop or reset the clock.

Slow play is everyone’s responsibility and will only cease when all players in the group make a conscious effort to monitor their own group. Let’s make slow play a thing of the past so everyone can enjoy their round of golf!

Lots of Birdies,

Nicole

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2011 Tournament Series Information continued from page 1

The SNGA has compiled a yearly tournament schedule since its inception in 1968. These tournaments are open to all ac-tive SNGA Members. There are approximately 15 SNGA tournaments a year in Southern Nevada including 4 majors, the Las Vegas City Amateur, Clark Country Amateur, Southern Nevada Amateur, and SNGA Championship. The SNGA also collaborates with the Northern Nevada Golf Association to conduct the Nevada State Amateur, Nevada State Match Play, Nevada State Seniors, and the Nevada State Mid-Amateur. There are 4 different divisions including: Scratch Division - The Scratch Division for players who want to compete without a handicap. The SNGA Scratch Season consists of Medalist Events and the four SNGA Majors as well as the Nevada State Amateur and the Nevada State Match Play. Net Division - The Net Division is for those competitors that would like to compete with their USGA Handicap Index. In order to play in the SNGA Net events you must have an established handicap with the SNGA. The SNGA uses a compre-hensive Handicap Policy for its Net competitions that prevent players from manipulating their handicaps. Also, all com-petitors will play using either their 12 month low Handicap Index or an adjusted handicap as seen fit by the Handicap Committee. Senior Division - The Senior Division is for those players that have reached their 50th birthday on or before the competi-tion start date. These events are played “across the field” which means that there is a Scratch and Net competition, giving the players an opportunity to win in either component. Super Senior Division - The Super Senior Division follows the same format as the Senior division and is for those com-petitors that have reached their 60th birthday on or before the competition start date. These events are also played “across the field” which means that there is a Scratch and Net competions, giving the players an opportunity to win in either com-ponent. In addition to these different divisions, the SNGA provides its tour members the ability to participate in the SNGA Points Races. You must have a Tour Membership in order to participate in the points races. The SNGA has many different points races for each division which include SNGA Player of the Year, State Qualifying Events, and our team state events like the Cobb-Whalen Cup and Oliver Cup, which are like the Ryder Cup. Each SNGA event has a designated amount of points that are distributed to the top 15 competitors in the field of each division. New for 2011, the SNGA Tournament Committee implemented a new format for the first two individual stroke play events of the season. This new flighted format allows all competitors to play the first day in a scratch format. After the first day, flights will then be determined based on those scores allowing each competitor a chance to compete in the flight they fall in. The SNGA website has a list of all the SNGA Policies including SNGA Tournament Eligibility policies, a Code of Con-duct, a Dress Code, Field Size Requirements, a Handicap Policy, and Pace of Play Policies. Before each event, the SNGA Staff will provide competitors with new player information letters, Handicap Adjustment emails, Pairings for each round, and basic yardages for each division so competitors can play comparable practice rounds. On the day of the tournaments, competitors will receive rules sheets for the event, an official scorecard, hole locations, and the Pace of Play Policy. For more information about the 2011 SNGA Tournament Series or to register for an upcoming event please visit our web-site at www.snga.org or contact Mike Charrie at 702-458-4653 x 214.

Former President George W. Bush Named The First Tee Honorary Chair San Antonio, Texas (Feb. 18, 2011) - Former President George W. Bush has been named The First Tee's honorary chair. He succeeds his father, former President George H. W. Bush, who has served as The First Tee's honorary chair since the organi-zation's inception in 1997 and will shift to an honorary chair emeritus role. The announcement was made today at The First Tee's biennial Network Meeting, where more than 600 chapter executive directors, program directors, coaches and volunteer board members have gathered. "It is a pleasure to serve an organization that has proven its ability to positively impact today's youth," said President George W. Bush. "The First Tee has been an organization in which my father believes strongly, and I look forward to being a part of its continued progress." "We are grateful for President George W. Bush's enthusiasm in serving as honorary chair for The First Tee," said Tim Finchem, PGA TOUR commissioner and World Golf Foundation board member, who was in San Antonio to participate in the announcement. "His father has been instrumental in The First Tee's success over the last 13 years, and there is little doubt that having engagement from two former presidents will be incredibly helpful to the organization as it continues to build its influence as a positive youth development organization." In his role as The First Tee honorary chair, President George W. Bush will provide leadership and support of The First Tee's mission to positively impact young people through educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf. Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., chief executive officer of The First Tee, said, "On behalf of The First Tee network, I welcome Presi-dent George W. Bush and thank him for his interest and engagement in this organization. His father has had an enormous im-pact on our efforts, and we look forward to continuing our work with their guidance and leadership." President George H. W. Bush has served as honorary chair of The First Tee since the organization's launch at a press confer-ence in New York City's Central Park in Nov. 1997. Throughout his tenure, The First Tee has impacted more than 4.7 million young people through its programs. For more about The First Tee of Southern Nevada, visit www.tftsn.org For more about The First Tee, visit www.thefirsttee.org. About The First Tee of Southern Nevada: The First Tee of Southern Nevada is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth organization. Its mission is to impact the lives of young peo-ple by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf. The First Tee of Southern Nevada, the leading youth golf organization that enriches lives and de-velops better citizens, ensures that participants learn the fundamentals of golf and its inherent values by providing accessible and affordable golf experiences including the life skills curriculum based Golf Fore Kids development program, the SNJGA Tour competitive tournament program, and the Driving the Dream scholarship program for higher education. For more infor-mation, please visit www.tftsn.orghefirstteesouthernnevada.org or call (702) 433-0626. About The First Tee The First Tee (www.thefirsttee.org), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization whose mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf. With its home office at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla., The First Tee reaches young people on golf courses, in schools and on military installations.

Since its inception in 1997, The First Tee has introduced the game of golf and its values to more than 4.7 million participants in all 50 United States and four international locations. The First Tee is an initiative of the World Golf Foundation and its Founding Partners are LPGA, the Masters Tournament, PGA of America, PGA TOUR and the USGA. Former President George W. Bush serves as honorary chair.

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Do More With Less! Anyone whose business is surviving the recession is using this phrase or certainly the principle in its work force today. We have all had to evaluate our methods and management to adjust for less revenue and tighter budgets. Golf is certainly not immune to this. Most golf courses in Nevada are running operations with less staff and smaller budgets than in years past. So golf course mainte-nance has been given the directive to “Do more with less” Even with smaller budgets no one would be happy with a reduction in the turf quality. So golf course superintendents turn to sci-ence once again to provide answers to these new challenges For years we have utilized plant growth regulation chemicals (PGR’s). These chemicals allow us to mow the turf less frequently but still maintain a tight, closely mowed turf, which does not leave behind clippings when we mow. We have all used this practice on our fairways to help reduce frequency of mowing. Many have seen benefits in turf quality from the use of these products. PGR’s provide a more dense turf, and a darker green color when applied on a regular basis. The newest generations of plant growth regula-tors help us in our never ending battle against Poa annua encroachment. We will talk more about Poa annua in another article. Using the “do more with less” adage, we are using PGR’s on the greens specifically to provide fast and firm playing surfaces with a higher, height of cut. To achieve the green speeds most golfers wish to see while playing, superintendents have steadily lowered the height of cut over the years. It was not uncommon in Jack and Arnies day to mow greens at .450 of an inch. To say those men hit putts firmly in the old videos would be an understatement. Nowadays many courses can be regularly cutting greens as low as .100 of an inch, sometimes going lower than that for special tournaments. The stress on turf from mowing that low, especially in the de-sert, must be overcome by costly inputs. Fungicide applications, extra herbicides, manual hand watering, additional topdressing, and aerifications are all included in the superintendents play book. These inputs cost money, both in labor as well as materials. The adoption of a PGR program along with regular rolling of the greens in many cases can achieve acceptable green speeds while reduc-ing the frequency of additional inputs.

PJ’s Super Section Information about Golf Course Maintenance from PJ McGuire, CGCS

Nevada Golf Industry Alliance

News and Notes from GolfVegasNow.com Brian Hurlburt is the founder of GolfLasVegasNow.com, Your Link to Las Vegas. With more than 30 tour pros having deep ties to Las Vegas golf courses and celebrities always playing here, there is no shortage of golf news in Las Vegas. A few tidbits: Recently, Las Vegas resident and PGA Tour player Alex Cejka made an albatross on his very first hole of the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. It was believed to be the first time in PGA Tour history that a player made a two on a par five on the first hole of a tourna-ment. Cejka hit driver, 3-wood on the 544-yard, par 5, 10th hole at the Monterey Peninsula Shore Course. His second shot was from about 240 yards and he choked down on the 3-wood. "I think it was the best start I've ever had," Cejka told the media in the under-statement of the season thus far. The hallowed greens of Shadow Creek are opening to the public in the very near future. The Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational is being played at Shadow Creek from March 31-April 3 and for the first time in history, fans will be allowed on the course. A special VIP party deck will be available in addition to regular tickets. Prices range from $25-300. Go to arialasvegas.com for more details. The biggest names in sports and show business are scheduled to play including Jordan, a Vegas regular. Rio Secco Golf Club was the site of a recent Million-dollar Hole-in-One contest hosted by Butch Harmon. Several thousand entered for a chance at a shot at a million bucks just 10 golfers were selected and had the chance to make an ace on the par 3, 7th hole at Rio Secco. None of them made, but each was given the VIP treatment during the weekend including a session with the pros of the Butch Harmon School of Golf and the chance to play Cascata and Rio Secco. The course is scheduled to hold another similar contest in the near future. Click to riosecco.net for more details. In other news with international implications, Tiger Woods is scheduled to return to Las Vegas for his annual Tiger Jam fundraiser. The concert event will take place at Mandalay Bay on April 30, headlined by John Mayer and Keith Urban. A golf clinic and tourna-ment and other sponsor-related activities will take place at Cascata during that weekend. Click to TigerWoods.com for more details.

thoughts... final

Las Vegas National Golf Club Site of the 2009 SNGA Season Opener

What’s on Tap >>>

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2625 N. Green Valley Pkwy. Suite 100 Henderson, NV 89014

702-458-4653 www.snga.org

"No golfer can ever become too good to practice." ~ May Hezlet

The 2011 SNGA Sunrise Vista Veterans Charity Classic returns to Nellis Airforce Base on February 26-27 for competitors in the NEW Open division as well as Senior and Super Sen-ior Divisions. As is always the case, a portion of the proceeds for the event are donated to the Las Vegas Chapter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. The MOPH is involved in many local charities that benefit not only veterans but help shape the lives of young men and women in military training and service. Visit www.snga.org for more information about the entire SNGA Tournament Series.

2011 SNGA Sunrise Vista Veterans Charity Classic