Carmel Valley Ranch Club Golf Member News & Events FEBRUARY 2023 GOLF NEWSLETTER
AARON’S AREA Aaron Hartesveldt Director of Golf Happy 2023! Hopefully everyone is having a great New Year and, more importantly, has weathered all our storms okay…..that was a lot of rain! We are starting to dry out here at Carmel Valley Ranch and enjoying some sunny days. I’m looking forward to a great year here at the club and I hope everyone is eager to have fun and participate in all the events we have in store for you throughout the year. At this point we’ve gotten a number of events under our belt - a wine & nine, a lady’s club event and a men’s club event - and we’re just getting started. With this I wanted to take the opportunity to introduce our Men’s and Women’s Club committees. Our ladies club is represented by Christine McCormack, Dianna Peacock and Anna Rheim. On the men’s side we have Kip Evans, Jammie Warren, Tom Stevenson, Allen Tiongco and Francisco Chavez. I want to thank of them for their effort thus far and throughout the year to come. These committees were instrumental in helping put together the respective calendar of events for the year. We’ve got some great stuff and I am especially excited to see some of the new and creative formats that were developed. The committees will be active throughout the year, helping to guide and organize events. Committee members also provide assistance with assigning subcommittees when necessary for some of our bigger events, such as team play and our member guests. These volunteers also serve as the men’s and women’s club’s respective handicap committees. This is important for a number of reasons: 1) As an active NCGA/USGA member club, we are expected to have a handicap committee; and 2) They provide oversight to ensure the club is continually providing a fair playing field for our net events. We have many fun events planned for 2023 so we hope you’ll join us throughout the year.
Register Here Friday, February 24, 2023 Wine & Nine 3:00pm Shotgun Start 2-Player Scramble Event is open to all golf members. Team Event Register Here Saturday, February 18, 2023 Forward Tee Stroke Play & Skins 9:00am Shotgun Start Men’s Flight plays from lavender tees. Senior’s Flight plays from white tees. Optional Skins Game is available. $40 Entry Fee includes golf, prizes and lunch after golf. Men’s RGA Golf Event Wednesday, February 15, 2023 Even Holes Count - Individual Play 9:00am Shotgun Start Players will receive 50% of their handicap. $10 Entry Fee includes golf and prizes. Register Here Wednesday, February 8, 2023 NCGA Zone Qualifier 4-Players - 2 Best Balls 9:00am Shotgun Start Create your own Four-Player team. Winning team qualifies for the NCGA Zone Championship. $40 Entry Fee includes golf, prizes and lunch after golf. Women’s Golf Events FEBRUARY 2023 Register Here
1st Place Net score 34 - $30 payout Christine McCormack 2nd Place Net score 36 - $24 payout Gini Auger 3rd Place Net Score 37 - $18 payout Colleen Fife 4th Place Net Score 40 - $8 payout Kasmin Chappell T1 – Net Score 33 Edward Greco Marcie Lowe Tom Stevenson Angie Stevenson Bob Cushing Frank Sarubbi Mike Kucher Deborah Kucher T5 – Net Score 34 Mike Chappell Kasmin Chappell Arthur Taylor Elaine Taylor Wine & Nine January 27, 2023 Results Ladies Mutt & Jeff January 25, 2023 Results View All Scores View All Scores January 2023 Events Final Results
1st Place Gross Score: -11 Francisco Chavez Matt Dalhamer Andrew Dalhamer Josh Dalhamer Payout: $30/player 1st Place Net, Zone Qualifiers Score: -17 Israel Ricardez Cody Washington Sherman Chu Howard Given Payout: $30/player 2nd Place Net Score: -15 Sung Choe Vince Cardinale Allen Tiongco Jamie Warren Payout: $20/player Senior Division Winners Score: -4 John Alich Ross Thomsen Alan Carlson Jerry Newton Payout: $20/player Men’s NCGA Zone Qualifier January 28, 2023 Results View All Scores
Aaron’s “Rule” of the Month Spending a lot of time in the pro shop provides the opportunity to have conversation with many members. Through these discussions I’ve heard all kinds of different assumptions about score posting and handicaps. Frankly, the vast majority of these assumptions are not correct. Posting scores is considerably different than the much more rigid rules of golf. The idea is, that to have an accurate handicap, scores must be posted. Rules for Score Posting There are couple of score posting rules for all rounds played. The first, and probably most important rule, is that a player should not post a score higher than net double bogey. This means par, plus two, plus whatever your handicap strokes are on the hole. Getting one stroke on a par four means seven is the highest score you should take on that hole. The second rule pertains to the number of holes required to post a score. Players should post a score if they’ve played the allotted number of holes, played with at least one other person and generally played by the rules of golf. I say “generally” because even if a rule is broken (mostly unknowingly) if it didn’t drastically affect Handicaps & Score Posting You may have noticed that I used quote marks for my “Rule” of the Month. What I am going to speak about today obviously isn’t a rule – as in the rules of golf – but I do want to share some rules of handicapping, and specifically, score posting. The starting point is to understand the difference between a handicap index versus the course handicap you see on the scorecard when you play. The easiest way to think of the handicap index as the number that travels with you from course to course, while a course handicap is derived from the index based on the course rating and slope (a measure of the difficult of the course) which is the playing handicap. Your Handicap Represents Your Potential Ability One of the most common myths about a handicap is that it is an expression of your average score for a round of golf. For instance, if you are a ten handicap at Carmel Valley Ranch the average score should be around 80. This is not correct. The handicap is, in fact, a representation of a player’s potential ability. The USGA handicap research team has determined that a player with an accurate handicap should shoot their handicap about 25% of the time, or one in every four or five rounds. These numbers get even less frequent when talking about shooting under par. For example, a ten handicapper who shoots five under net (75 Gross, Net 65 at CVR) has odds of doing that one in every 276 rounds. To put that in further perspective, the average club member plays about 60 rounds a year; at that rate a player that shoots 65 shouldn’t expect to do it again for another four and one half years. If you are scoring at and under par with any frequency something is wrong with your handicap. Fortunately, very often this is caused by misunderstanding the system, including how to post and create an accurate handicap index. That’s what we’re here to talk about.
I am often asked whether a score should be posted and some of these go back to “generally following the rules”. So I thought I’d share the most frequent questions and my responses. What if a player/group decides they are going to take mulligans off the first hole? This is obviously not within the rules of golf and would lead to a DQ or a very high score, but taking a mulligan off the first tee does not mean you should not post your score, they should be posted. You would post a score of par plus your handicap or what you would have most likely made based on the playable balls hit. This won’t be the last time we hear about posting with a score for a hole that you “most likely would have made”. What is meant by that in this case is that if you pump the first two balls out of bounds, but hit “breakfast balls” and make par with the third, you shouldn’t post a score with par plus your handicap; with two balls out of bounds, there was no way you’re making better than net double bogey there. What if tees are in different places than their standard location or if we have a temporary green? Again, unless there are extreme circumstances these scores should be posted. If the temp green is completely unplayable (we haven’t had that) then the overall score should be posted with par plus your handicap. If the course yardage is drastically affected by different tee placement, then this score would either need par plus on those holes, or we can provide an alternative rating. What if a hole is conceded in match play or in fourball and my partner has made a number better than I can, so I picked up? This is where the “what score would you most likely have made” comes in as there is a little bit of judgment that comes into play here. If you are lying three on a par four with two feet left, you most likely would have made par. If you are lying three on a par four off the green with a chip, then likely would make five, and so forth. Use your best judgment and give yourself the benefit of the doubt, not assume the worst so you can still post your score. the overall score it should still be posted. There Score Posting Q&A are many times a score should be posted with an adjustment to accommodate this. When it comes to holes required to post a score, the following is the rule: If a golfer plays any number of holes between 7 and 13, a ninehole score should be posted. Playing 14 holes or more means you would post an 18-hole score. If you didn’t get in a full nine or 18, the holes that weren’t played should be posted as par plus any handicap strokes you would have gotten on that hole (Often referred to as par plus your handicap). So, as an example, if you run out of daylight to play the 18th hole and you would get a stroke there, you would take par (4) plus a stroke for a five. You would do this for any holes not played, assuming you played the minimum needed. I truly believe most everyone wants to have an accurate handicap index, which is what’s best for the player and the integrity of net tournaments. There is a ton more that goes into handicapping, but this a pretty good set of guidelines to use to post accurate scores. I am always around and ready to answer any questions you might have about score posting or anything else, so just ask. Now, let’s get out there and play some golf! Did You Know? The safety of our members and guests along with the grass on the course is of utmost concern to the golf maintenance team. That’s why they update the Pro Shop staff about course conditions a minimum of once per day and, when needed, multiple times in a day. To learn the playing conditions on any given day, just check with the Pro Shop.
Projects on Tap Here’s some work you’ll see once things dry out: Trimming trees around the River Ranch Club to reduce their canopy weight Tree trimming around the golf course Pruning the vineyard Trail Maintenance When it comes to the golf course and grounds around the Club, the story is rain, rain and more rain. The average rainfall total at Carmel Valley Ranch is 17- inches per year. For this year-to-date, measured beginning in July 2022, we have received 20 ¼” of rain and we still have five months left. During the last storms, we received 9 ½” of rain in a 10 day period which washed out many bunkers throughout the course and caused our 7th green to become a lake after which it was covered in sediment. Once the water subsided, the golf course maintenance team pulled together to clean the 7th green and put it back in play sooner than anticipated. Work continues to repair the bunkers with the goal to minimize disruption of your plan. While the golf course condition is of primary importance, the course maintenance and landscaping team are also responsible for the grounds surrounding the Club. They have been working with full focus to clear debris, trails and all other chores necessary to bring all areas of the property back to 100% for your enjoyment. Golf Course & Grounds Update Rain, Rain & More Rain 7th Green Flooded
7th Green After Restoration Removing Sediment From 7th Green
Tips With Todd Coop’s Coaching Corner LEARNING CENTER
This series is quite popular and fills up fast. Don't delay, phone the Golf Shop to sign-up today. 831.620.6406 Hosted by Assistant Golf Professional Cooper Essick Series held every Saturday through December 2023 (some dates may be subject to change) Beginner's Session: 10:00am - 10:45am Advanced Session 11:00am - 11:45am Six players per class Open to all Golf Members Series Cost 5 Sessions - $150 10 Sessions - $275 Series Topics will include: Basic Set-Up Principles | Pre-Shot Routine In-Swing Instruction | Course Management Difficult Lies | Mental Preparation Skill Development Games Warm-Up & Practice Plans Stretching & General Golf Specific Exercises and more Topics relate each week so if you miss a class there is no need to worry as we'll cover it again. Meet new friends, increase your skills, lower your handicap and let's have some fun 2023 WOMEN'S PLAYER DEVELOPMENT SERIES Series begins February 11, 2023
2023 GOLF EVENTS January 11, 2023 Two-Person Blind Draw Scramble, includes lunch January 25, 2023 Mutt & Jeff (1/2 Handicap, 5 Longest & 4 Shortest Holes) February 8, 2023 NCGA Four-Person Zone Qualifier – includes lunch February 15, 2023 Even Holes Count, ½ Handicap March 1, 2023 OSEN (Hole Numbers beginning with OSE or N only) 50% Handicap March 9, 2023 Cha Cha Cha – includes lunch March 29, 2023 Ladies Spring Guest Day April 5, 2023 Individual Stableford April 19, 2023 6-6-6 – includes lunch May 3, 2023 1st Eclectic & 1st Match Play Qualifying May 13-14, 2023 Member/Member May 24, 2023 Beat the Pros Pro-Am includes lunch June 7, 2023 Flag Day June 21, 2023 Charity Day July 12, 2023 Ladies Four Ball includes lunch July 26, 2023 Ladies Night Out August 9, 2023 Cross-Cross August 12-13, 2023 Club Championship August 23, 2023 Modified Chapman includes lunch September 6, 2023 Cha Cha – includes lunch September 20, 2023 The T&F October 3-5, 2023 2023 Stampede October 25, 2023 Secret Best Ball includes lunch November 8, 2023 Ladies Fall Guest Day November 15, 2023 Criers November 29, 2023 Skins Day December 6, 2023 Ladies End-of-Year Breakfast Women’s Golf
Details will be provided as each event nears. All dates subject to change. January 28, 2023 Four-Person Two Best Ball NCGA Zone Qualifier February 18, 2023 Forward Tee Stroke Play & Skins March 18, 2023 Ryder Cup April 15, 2023 Spring Member/Guest April 21 & 28, 2023 2023 Valley Club May 20-21, 2023 Member/Member June 24, 2023 Family Scramble July 9, 2023 Blind Draw Best Ball August 12-13, 2023 2023 Club Championship September 16-17, 2023 43rd Annual Men’s Round-Up October 21, 2023 Parent/Child November 18, 2023 Fall Member/Guest December 9, 2023 Two-Person 6-6-6 January 27, 2023 February 24, 2023 March 31, 2023 April 8, 2023 Masters Mimosa & Wine May 26, 2023 June 30, 2023 July 28, 2023 August 25, 2023 September 29, 2023 October 20, 2023 December 8, 2023 Men’s RGA Wine & Nine
Golf Clubhouse Hours of Operation 7:30am - 11:00am Breakfast Coffee, Teas & Pastries 11:00am - 5:00pm Lunch Service 3:00pm - 5:00pm Happy Hour Food Service until 5:00pm Drink Specials until 5:30pm Pro Shop Hours 6:30am - 5:00pm