Stamford Golf Club Tee Times

May 2008 Issue 

Ramblins' From the President

The snow is gone, the grass is growing, temperatures are warming (well, somewhat!) and the mowers are in full swing. Our forty upgraded carts are on site and in full use, the clubhouse and restaurant are open and SGC is looking for a great season. Early spring weather was not conducive to a super start, but hopefully, temperatures will turn around and play will be plentiful.

As it is early in the season, there is not a great deal of news to pass on, but I do have several reminders in hand.

To start, our opening dinner party is on tap for Saturday, May 17th with the Spring Fling fund raiser the next day, Sunday, May 18th. If you have interest in the dinner party, see Tracey or Jessie to make your reservation and select your main dish - do it soon! To enter the Spring Fling, drop in the golf shop to see Ken and get your name or team's name on the list.

The former 2 Play, 4 Way tournament in June has had a name change, but the format will stay the same. It is now known as the Stamford Open and is scheduled for the weekend of June 21, 22 featuring two-player teams. Saturday will require tee times with holes #1-6 being alternate shot, holes #7-12 being aggregate score and the final 6 holes being best ball. Sunday will be a shotgun start for an 18-hole scramble. Again, Ken is the person to see if you are interested in competing in the Stamford Open.

The 6 for 5 play cards that have been successful over the past two seasons will go on sale sometime in June. The price will stay the same as 2007 at a price of $180 per card. They may be used for regular play at any time as has been past practice.

In prior seasons, members (and guests) have been asked to assist in maintaining our golf course by doing a few small, important and obvious things such as repairing their divots on the course and ball marks on the greens. We ask that you all make this a practice again this season and also to pick up your broken tees on the tee boxes and deposit them in the brown receptacles provided. This helps the looks of the tee boxes and also saves wear and tear on the blades of our tee mowers (which also helps save money in sharpening costs).

For those not aware, handicaps on the computer are updated every Friday morning. These are the handicaps that will be used for all official play with the exception of league functions.

Thanks for listenin'
FHJ

Tale of the Turf

By the time this Tee Times gets to publication, the spring ritual of aerating our greens should be completed. Originally scheduled for the third or fourth week of April, it had to be postponed due to the lack of warm weather, both days and nights. Aeration requires healthy greens to start and in the spring, greens get healthy when the soil begins to warm and growth of grass becomes sufficient. That did not happen in April with most nights being close to or at the 32 degree level.

Aeration is a process that is unpopular with everyone but the greens themselves. For the greens crew, it is a tough three day process (if weather cooperates) that calls for long hours and hard work. For the clubhouse personnel, it creates a disruption in normal operations, having to explain to members and guests just what is taking place, that they may have to skip a hole or two and that putting could be quite an adventure. For golfers, there is the residual effect to the greens after completion of the aeration, which leaves holes in the ground, sand over the entire surface, and generally slow and bumpy surfaces to play on that lasts between 10 and 15 days.

For the greens, however, it is a necessary requirement for maintaining their health. The millions of holes that are created serve several purposes of which three are primary. First, it relieves the compaction that comes from winter snows and the travel of golfers and machines over the surface during the season. Second, it provides channels for oxygen, water and nutrients to get to the roots of the grass that is growing on the surface. Grass may be very short on top of the greens, but the root system, if properly aerated and maintained, will reach depths of 7 to 10 inches. Thirdly, with the addition of top dressing (very fine sand), the holes are filled within an inch or less of the surface to help maintain those channels for a longer period of time. The result of all of this provides the surfaces that we have to play on for six of the seven months that we are open. From the comments we hear about our golf course, the condition of our greens, with their carpet-like surface and subtle undulations, they are our number one attraction at SGC and like it or not, aeration on a semiannual schedule (usually) is critical to creating that persona.

'Til next time
Greens Committee

2008 Schedule

The new schedule is posted online.  Please feel free to check it out at your convenience.  Click Here to take a gander now!

Don't forget... Sunday, May 18, 2008 is the Spring Fling Fundraiser for SGC. Sign up in the Pro Shop today!  Hope to see you out there!!                              

2008 Fees & Dues

The fees/dues schedule is posted online for your viewing pleasure.  Click Here to take a gander... at your leisure of course.

SWGA

The Stamford Women’s Golf Association (SWGA) will have its first meeting on Saturday May 31 at 9:00 AM. All women golfers are invited to attend and bring their ideas and suggestions about how to make golf better for women at Stamford. A continental breakfast will be served courtesy of SWGA and those interested are invited to play golf afterwards. Please sign up for the meeting and golf (optional) in the locker room.

Stamford Golf Women’s Schedule 2008

Below are golf events and dates of particular interest to Women golfers at Stamford Golf Club. Please mark your calendars now so you don’t miss these activities. For further information go into the Stamford Golf Club website and click the menu to SWGA.

• May 31, 9:00 am Saturday SWGA Opening Meeting - Continental Breakfast included with golf following meeting (opt)

• May 27 Tuesday Evening League. Organizational meeting 5:00 pm (Open*)

• June 3 Tuesday Evening League first night of League play 4:45 pm

• June 18 (Wed) Inter-County Golf competition hosted by Stamford Women

• July 26 (Sat) QUEEN OF THE CATSKILLS TOURNAMENT (Open*)

• August 16 & 17 Women’s Club Championship (SGC event: Members only)

• August 23-24 President’s Cup Finals** (SGC event: members only)

• September 7 Two-Women Better Ball Tournament one day only (Sun) (SWGA Members only*).

*Open means open to all members of SGC and non-members
**Presidents Cup will resume in 2008 – check with Pro Shop for details.

Queen of the Catskills Tournament - Saturday July 26th

 2-woman scramble, 9 AM Shotgun Start-(Open)
Once again the Queen Tournament Committee is fired up to make the 2008 tourney the best ever!! The cornerstone of the tournament is the major sponsorship of the National Bank of Delaware County (NBDC) which graciously agreed to continue this tradition established three years ago by NBS.DEADLINE this year is July 17.For additional information contact: Frances Archibald 607 538 1156 (archny@dmcom.net) or Yolanda Trappenburg 607 652 9094 (pinpilot55@aol.com) or Joyce Jaret 607 538 1049 Nyjaret@starband.net

Inter-County Golf League

Inter-County League is an individual competition. Member clubs are Stamford, Cobleskill, Sacandaga, Canajoharie, Newport and Nick Stoner (which is host for Championship, scheduled for Aug 7). The Stamford women will host the first event on Wed, June 18. All other tournaments are held on Thursdays. Participants travel to member golf courses and there is no minimum number of participants required for each event. Bev Hartwell has been elected VP on the administrative committee for the league. Schedule, along with information sheet is posted in locker room. Questions? Contact Frances Archibald 607 538 1156. We hope all women members will consider playing this year.

Women's Tuesday Night League

There will be an organizational meeting on Tuesday May 27 at 5:00 pm followed by an informal game of golf (optional). This is open to all women golfers. The first night of League Play will be on Tuesday, June 3, at 4:45 pm. For further information call Nancy Lanni 652-7299.

Men's Tuesday Night League

Tuesday May 6 at 5PM the Men’s League opened their 2008 season. As of this writing there are a, tentative, total of 22 teams. More info in next issue of TX’s or check www.stamfordgolfclub.com for up-dates.

Thursday Nite Couples League

Play will begin Thursday May 15th starting between 4:30 & 5PM. We hope to see our 2007 League members returning as well as new members for the 2008 season. A sign-up sheet, & sub list, has been posted on the bulletin board including some changes (*) from last years play as follows:

• Schedule available May 22nd

• $1.00 per person to be given as prizes

• Couples will start play when both teams are present

• NO assigned holes to start (allow a 1 hole separation, when possible.

• Handicaps will be provided the teams each week

• Prizes will be awarded to 1st & 2nd Low gross & Net (60/40 of money taken)

• Prize money will be distributed the week following play. Winning teams not eligible for prizes until 3rd week

• Teams are to provide their own subs from a list provided or anyone available
  Let Ardy or Jack know who is subbing so cards and handicaps can be made up

• No bickering or swearing allowed. Keep your head down, your spirits up & just have FUN this year. Thank you!

Headwaters Soccer - Charity Golf Tournament

Saturday, June 14th - 2:00PM Start - $60.00 for members $70.00 non-members. Additional donations appreciated. Fees include: cart, green fees, golf towel and buffet. First, second and third place teams will receive awards.  The tournament is a 4 person scramble format. If entering as an individual, teams will be made up by Hank Hotaling.  The Tournament benefits the soccer camp scholarship program for needy area children.  For further info, contact Hank Hotaling at (518) 588-5093 or David Ranieri at (607) 437-5669 On the web at: http://external.oneonta.edu/headwaters/ 

Please Click Here for the Headwaters Tournament Registration Form.

2008 President's Cup Revival

Starting in May ALL members will be paired & flighted. For our new members, this is how it works -- you are matched with other members in your flight. Each time you defeat an opponent you will advance to the next level, with the finalists competing in September.    The competition schedule is posted on the bulletin board between the rest rooms.  The name on top is responsible for scheduling the contest with your opponent.  Each round must be completed by the posted date with the winners advancing to the next level.

Should you not wish to make this monthly commitment please withdraw ASAP to avoid scheduling problems.

2008 Junior Golf (Reminder)

The Junior Golf schedule is posted at http://www.stamfordgolfclub.com/jr_golf.htm with links to the Junior Golf application throughout the web site.  Just a quick reminder that the field will once again be limited to 70 juniors with an application/payment deadline of June 10,2008. 

Gordie Faulkner has done a great job of building and administering this           program for the local community youths.  He has dedicated many hours of his special expertise to oversee the success of this program and deserves our      support and recognition for his efforts.                                                                

 Coming June 21st & 22nd 6-6-6- Stamford Open Tournament - Check in the Golf Shop and June Tee Times for more details.  Make sure to reserve your spot -- sign up early!

FIRST HOLE-IN-ONE OF 2008

This magnanimous achievement was accomplished Sunday May 4th by MIKE CHAIRVOLOTTI… With his trusty driver on the 3rd hole.

Watching and witnessing this event were: John Wisniewski, Dave Hoffman & Jason McLean.

Congratulations to Mike and I hope seeing how easy it is to get a hole-in-one at SGC he will become a new member!