WGC

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                               May 10, 2012

 Contact: Tom Cade, PNGA Sr. Director of Communications

Phone: 253.214.2918 | Email: tom.cade@thepnga.org

Whistler Golf Club Recognized by Pacific Northwest Golfer Magazine

B.C. course’s 16^th hole selected as one of the ‘Great Holes of the Northwest’

Federal Way, Wash. – In the current May issue of Pacific Northwest Golfer magazine, the par-4 16^th hole at Whistler Golf Club in Whistler, B.C. is recognized as one of the “Great Holes of the Northwest,” one of just four holes selected each year by the Northwest’s largest and longest-running golf publication. 

With four sets of tees stretching from 332 yards from the Forward tees to 460 yards from the Tournament tees, this is one of the great old-fashioned par-4s in all of British Columbia. The longest par-4 on the back nine, there is water all along the left side but a wide fairway provides several angles into the large green. This hole is the last great hurdle on a gracious course.

During this past winter, Whistler Golf Club completely overhauled all 18 of its greens, installing Bent grass to replace the original greens that were built 29 years ago when the course first opened. “We’re excited to provide (new) putting surfaces for the 2012 season,” said the club’s Director of Golf, Alan Kristmanson. “Bent grass has a much stronger resistance to snow and ice damage, and with the incredible amount of snowfall we receive in Whistler this species of grass will help us achieve summer conditions much quicker.” The renovation project at Whistler Golf Club began last fall with the growth of new grass from seed. Snow removal began in February and in April all 18 greens were stripped and replaced with the new grass. The course is scheduled to open for the season on May 18, weather permitting.

The Whistler Golf Club was designed in 1983 by the Arnold Palmer Design Company, and was Arnold Palmer’s first Canadian design. For more information, visit www.whistlergolf.com.

With a direct-mailed circulation of 123,000 households, the Golfer magazine has been the voice of golf in the Northwest for 17 years. It is the only Northwest golf publication with a verifiable demographic of its readership. The Golfer is all about golf, and dedicated to golfers. It is the official magazine of the British Columbia, Idaho, Oregon, Washington State and Pacific Northwest Golf Associations, as well as the Pacific Northwest Section PGA. Published by the Pacific Northwest Golf Association, a 501c3 charitable international amateur golf association, the Golfer is a member benefit delivered to those who utilize the USGA GHIN Handicap System through member clubs, either public or private. Visit www.thepnga.org for more information.

Attached photo courtesy Whistler Golf Club

“Our maintenance crew has worked very hard getting the greens ready for play and with the great forecast over the next two weeks the greens and golf course will be in excellent condition for this early in the season” 

To book tee times online and/or for information on green fee rates including our popular BC Resident rates, 9 and 5 holes rates, group rates, weddings and events and more click here. 

The Whistler Golf Club’s Golf Shop and Practice Facility are currently open for the season. Palmer’s Gallery Bar and Grill will open May 18th.

To view video overviews of the first three phases of the greens renovation project click here.

New Greens 2012

However it did not take long before we saw Fusarium moving in; these pictures were taken on Oct 6th.

Over the next seven days we received just under  2” of rain with a average low of 6 degrees Celsius and an average high of 13 degrees Celsius.  In the pictures below taken on Oct. 13th you can see how much more disease showed up under these conditions with no fungicide application.

By Oct 24^th we were ready to put down the first application of the project.  By this time we had received an additional 2” of rain with the average nightly temperature of 4 degrees Celsius and the average day time temperature of  13 degrees.  From the picture below you can see even more disease had shown up.

   We picked three greens all with 6 plots on them.  Plot 1 is the control with no product at all.  Plot 2 received two applications of Instrata at the label rate of 9.5oz/1000sq ft Oct 24 and Nov 1,  Plot 3 received two applications of phosphite at  4oz/1000sqft on Oct 24 and Nov 1. Plot 4 received 2 applications of Civitas plus harmonizer at 8oz/1000sqft with a half rate of Instrata at 5oz/1000sqft. On Oct 24 and Nov 1.  Plot 5 received two applications of phosphite at 8oz/1000sqft on Oct 24 and Nov 1.  Plot 6 we split into three sections.  This plot only received  only one application on Oct 24.  In the first section we put down Instrata at the label rate of 9.5oz/1000sqft, the second section received 8 oz of phosphite/1000sqft and the third section received the Civitas plus harmonizer at 8oz/1000sqft with a half rate of Instrata at 5oz/1000sqft.  The picture below shows the sixth plot split into three sections after the application on Oct 24.

On Nov 10 we received enough snow on the golf course that we could not spray any more. From this date on the greens were covered in anaywhere from 1 to 4 feet of snow for the duration of the winter. 

By March 7th our first round of snow blowing the greens was complete.  This is the first time we had seen any of the plots all winter.

These photos below show turf conditions on the individual plots described above prior to plugs being taken.

Plot 2 9.5oz/1000sqft Instrata

Plot 3 4oz/1000sqft Phosphite

Plot 4 8oz/1000sqft Civitas plus Harminizer with 5oz/1000sqft Instrata

 

Plot 5 8oz/1000sqft Phosphite

“This phase was definitely the most work but it went really well” said Dave Gottselig, Golf Course Superintendent. “Getting the sod out to the green sites was a challenge but once we got it there the installation crew did a great job of getting it down quick. Now we will wait two weeks or so for the sod to knit in then we will begin the final phase of the project which includes numerous top dressings of the greens, rolling the greens and finally start cutting the greens down to playing height”

For more information on this phase of the project please see our video overview below. For more information on the Whistler Golf Club or too book your tee times online visit www.whistlergolf.com.

Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/whistlergolf and Twitter at www.twitter.com/whistlergolf

“The snow clearing phase  of the project was definitely a challenge. We had 6 feet of snow in a week that kept us busy. We actually ended up clearing every green 5 times and lost count of how many times we cleared the cart paths. But we’ve turned the corner hopefully on winter and we are excited to get to Phase 2 which is the removal of the old turf. Phase 3, the install of the new bent grass, won’t be far behind.”- Dave Gottselig, Golf Course Superintendent

“The purpose of this renovation is to provide the best putting surfaces possible for our guests. However it is also very important that our turf is strong enough to handle being under snow and ice during the winter. There are no guarantees when dealing with mother nature but the 007 bent grass has shown it handles snow and ice very well when maintained properly”- Alan Kristmanson, General Manager.

For more information on the Whistler Golf Club visit www.whistlergolf.com and follow our story at www.facebook.com/whistlergolf  and www.twitter.com/whistlergolf

 Since 2005 the Resort Municipality of Whistler, the business community and local residents  have been following a strategic plan working towards a sustainable future.  Whistler 2020 is an sustainability-based approach to planning. Whistler2020 uses such an approach – to inspire, align and guide our resort community toward a shared vision of sustainability and success. Drawing on local and external knowledge, Whistler2020 informs decision-making, optimizes use of limited resources and provides a framework for aligning community efforts in a common direction.

I-shift is a new Whistler2020 take action challenge that helps to accelerate Whistler’s progress toward its shared vision of success and sustainability. It is comprised of two parts: i-Shift Business and i-Shift Citizen, each targeted toward motivating cultural and behavioural shifts within Whistler. The programs are being facilitated by the Whistler Centre for Sustainability (WCS) and the Resort Municipality of Whistler, with the financial support of the Government of Canada provided through the Department of the Environment.

Here at the Whistler Golf Club we have made the decision to boost our environmental improvement program to the golf course, the facility and the day to day operation.  These improvements will be implemented through I-shift and the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses.

 To become recognized as a fully certified golf course through the Audubon program we must get certified in Environmental Planning, a case study and five key environmental quality areas which include:  Wildlife and Habitat Management, Chemical use Safety and Reduction, Water Conservation, Water Quality Management, and Outreach and Education.  In 2010 we received our certificate of recognition in Environmental Planing.  2011 we received certification in Wildlife and Habitat Management and Water Conservation.  This year we will be working towards certification in Water Quality.

Operationally we are working towards a goal of zero waste through our extensive recycling and composting program. In 2011 we reduced our contribution to the landfill by 20%. It’s a start, and we look to improve again in 2012. We have significantly reduced our water consumption by installing a $1.2 million state of the art irrigation system in 2007. In 2011 we were able to reduce of hydro consumption by 12%. Lastly we are working with the Canadian Turf association in the testing of organic fungicide’s this year. Test plots were installed on three greens with three different types of organic and regular fungicides. We are excitied to see the results this Spring.

Lastly we continue to work with the Get Bear Smart Society to ensure the Whistler Golf Club remains a place that Whistler’s bears can graze in early season of fescue grasses and dandelions and return for the berry crop later in the summer. We continue to work on educating our guests on how to help the bears avoid human food and conflict.

Please stay tuned as we work towards communicating our efforts to becoming a I-shift business and Audubon certified.

‘The grow in went really well and the turf is ready to go” said Alan Kristmanson, General Manager. “It’s now all about clearing the greens of snow and awaiting temperatures that allow us to go into phase three of the project which is stripping the old green surfaces away. We currently have about 8 inches of snow on average on the greens and the crew has started removing the snow now. This phase of the project should be done by early March and weather permitting the stripping of the old green surfaces should commence in  mid March”

For more information on this project like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/whistlergolf