Shoreline Seniors Golf Club
A Member Club of the NCGA and USGA
PGA Pro: Joe DeBode 2940 N. Shoreline Blvd, Mountain View, CA 94043 Pro Shop: 650-903-GOLF
President: Jim Whitaker VP: Dick McLeod Treasurer: Bruce Fujikawa Secretary: Mike Anderson
Tournament Chairman: OJ Pilcher Newsletter Editors: Bob Williams and Hideo Hashimoto
Website: shorelineseniorsgolfclub.org Club email address: shorelinesenior@yahoo.com January 2007
***Wishing All
A Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous 2007***
Dates to Remember:
January 4, 2007 is our Tournament Day in place of Monday, January 1, 2007.
January 18, 2007 is our Tournament Day in place of Monday, January 15, 2007.
January 4, 2007 (Thursday) Low Net
January 8, 2007 Best 9-Front or Back
January 18, 2007 Low Net
January 22, 2007 Better Ball Twosome
January 29, 2007 Point Par
Winter is here (actually on December 22nd) and not the best season for golfing. It is, however, the season at Shoreline Golf Links for “Coots” and geese as we all know and dread. There is not much that can be done regarding the migrating waterfowl. The Park is a wildlife refuge and must abide by Federal and State guidelines with regards to controlling these birds (read Paula Bettencourt’s response below to a member question).
There has been some discussion regarding play using the “Preferred Lies” for a more extended length of time. At the present time our guide is when golf carts are restricted to the cart paths “Preferred Lies” rule is allowed. Other criteria could be using Daylight Savings time or the arrival and departure of the “coots”. They arrive approximately October 1 and depart approximately April 1.
Another interesting letter submitted by one of our members addresses the placement of rakes for the sand traps. Most golf courses have determined the raking of the traps by grounds crew members amounts to approximately 25 to 30% of their labor costs when the rakes are placed in the bunkers as opposed to outside. Also raking the entire bunker each day may be avoided if players rake their footprints carefully after playing out of the bunker.
As you have learned by now the “drop areas” program has been abandoned. The Board decided the original purpose of trying to make the penalties more consistent for the four holes and keeping the flow of play more even was too far removed from the USGA Rules and created more confusion than necessary. Therefore these holes are now played in accordance with Rule 26 of the USGA Rules.
The Board wishes all of you, your
family and friends a very joyous Holiday season and hope each of you has a
great golfing experience in the coming year.
If you have not done so, please send us your email address. We are updating our Club Email Address database so we may send you information in a timely fashion. Send your email address to shorelinesenior@yahoo.com. As in the past, we will continue to send a hardcopy of the Newsletter to those Club Members who do not have access to a computer. If you wish to receive a hardcopy of the Newsletter, please send your name and address to Bob Williams, 418 Deodara, Los Altos, CA 94024.
Two tee times have recently become available for single players. The tee times are at 9:45AM and 10:21AM. If you are interested, contact Don Sutton, Hideo Hashimoto, or the indicated contact person for the foursome playing at the available tee time. The contact person can be found on our website or on the Club Bulletin Board at Shoreline Golf Links.
Foursomes, please remember to record your finish time when playing our Monday Tournament. Also, please use the clock provided next to the 18th Green. Thank you!
Recently Paula Bettencourt received e-mail from one of our members concerning bird droppings at Shoreline. We thought other members would be interested in her response and are printing her reply.
“Thank you for your e-mail concerning Shoreline Golf Links and the problems the coots and geese are creating. The number of birds wintering at Shoreline varies from year to year. Unfortunately, this year we are experiencing a higher number of coots than usual. Coots (and Canada Geese, which are also an issue here in the Park) are migratory birds and are protected under Federal law. Other golf courses and parks throughout the state are experiencing problems similar to ours. Migratory birds have become a “hot” topic for park professionals nationwide.
Over the years, we have taken a variety of actions to discourage the coots and geese from residing at Shoreline. A border collie is used to herd the birds back into the water to encourage them to move to a new location. We have used tapings of geese alarm calls to try to convince the geese that they are in danger here and should move elsewhere. We have also sprayed a variety of solutions that are designed to safely encourage birds to move on. A new product aimed at reducing the goose population through the broadcasting of feed that contains a contraceptive has just been approved for use in the State of California. Information concerning the process by which we can use the product will be available after January 1.
Staff and the Advisory Greens Committee have discussed the bird topic a number of times. We even considered posting staff or volunteers at some of the more heavily soiled greens to hose the greens off several times a day but are concerned that would create optimum conditions for snow mold.
We are very aware that the bird droppings create a problem for golfers and other park users and continue to look for alternatives that will discourage the birds from residing in Shoreline. We want a clean, welcoming course that golfers can enjoy. Customer service is very important to us. The birds are a continuing issue. Their protected status makes the situation very, very difficult to manage. As I indicated earlier, bird droppings have become a top issue for park managers throughout the state and many other places in the country. Here at Shoreline, we are “ahead of the curve” in terms of the many deterrents we have used. Still, we recognize the droppings are a problem.
None of the literature I have read indicates there is a potential health risk associated with the droppings and normal golf or park use. Federal and state officials echo that sentiment. Nonetheless, the droppings are an aesthetic issue and a concern for us. We continue to investigate new and better methods for bird control.”
Update-Renovation of the 18th Green
As most of you have already seen, construction work on the 18th Green is essentially complete. To refresh your memory, or in case you did not know, the 18th Green had experienced a number of problems caused by differential settlement of the landfill under the area. There were very few options for pin placement. After review, staff believed it was appropriate to submit a request for funding to the City Council to renovate the green. The Council approved the project as part of the City’s Capital Improvement Program for 2006-07. The project started in October. Weather permitting, we hope to open the green in February or March.
New Cart Paths for #16 and #18
A project to install cart paths
on the temporary paths at #16 and #18 has been approved. Specifications have been developed. The project is out to bid. Construction is scheduled to occur in mid
January or early February, weather permitting.
Shoreline Road Project
Work continues on the Shoreline Road Project. The new permanent in bound lane is completed. We are currently using it to exit the park while construction crews work on the new permanent out bound lane. The project has been delayed a bit due to recent rains and high winds. However, the underground work and asphalt portions of the project should be completed by the end of January with landscaping to follow.
New Staff Member
Interviews for a new permanent
part-time Assistant Golf Professional are nearly completed with a new staff
member expected on board in mid to late January.