GCSAA Letterhead

GCSAA Tournament Fact Sheet

PGA TOUR
Merrill Lynch Shootout
Dec. 12 - 14, 2008

Tiburon Golf Club
Naples, Fla.
Golf Course Superintendent information
GCSAA Golf Course Superintendent:  Scott S. Slomka
Education:  B.S., Horticulture, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich., 1981
Years as a GCSAA member:  4
GCSAA affiliated chapter:  Everglades Golf Course Superintendents Association
Years at this course:  1
Previous positions:  2005-2006, Golf Course Superintendent, Desert Lakes Golf Club, Bullhead City, Ariz.; 2003-2005, Assistant Superintendent, The Strand, Naples, Fla.; 4/2003-10/2003, Assistant Superintendent, Highland Park Country Club, Highland Park, Ill.; 2001-2003, Assistant Superintendent, Naples Grande Golf Club, Naples, Fla.
Previous tournament preparation:  2002-2003 EMC Skills Challenge, Naples Grande, Naples, Fla.
Previous events hosted by facility:  2001-2005 Franklin Templeton Shootout, 2006-2007 Merrill Lynch Shootout
Availability to media:  Contact Scott S. Slomka by phone 239-289-7891; fax 239-513-9330; email scottslomka@wcicommunities.com
Class A Director of Golf Course Maintenance information
GCSAA Class A Director of Golf Course Maintenance:  Dale F. Conzelmann, CGCS
[The title "CGCS," after a superintendent's name, stands for Certified Golf Course Superintendent, which recognizes the achievement of high standards of professionalism through education and experience.]
 Education:  Certficate, Turfgrass Management, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich., 1978
Years GCSAA certified:  21
Years as a GCSAA member:  30
GCSAA affiliated chapter:  Everglades Golf Course Superintendents Association
Years at this course:  1
Previous positions:  1996-2006, Regional Agronomist, WCI Communitites; 5/1995-8/1995, Golf Course Superintendent, Fiddlesticks Country Club, Fort Myers, Fla.; 1993-1995, Golf Course Superintendent, Country Club of Lincoln, Lincoln, Neb.; 1978-1993, Assistant Superintendent/Golf Course Superintendent, Midland Country Club, Midland, Mich.
Previous tournament preparation:  1999-2001 Ace Group Classic (Champions Tour), Pelican Marsh Country Club, Naples, Fla.; 1997-2000, L.G. Championship (Champions Tour), Bay Colony Country Club, Naples, Fla.; 1987 Fila Invitational, Fiddlesticks Country Club, Fort Myers, Fla.
Previous events hosted by facility:  2001-2005 Franklin Templeton Shootout, 2006-2007 Merrill Lynch Shootout
Availability to media:  Contact Dale F. Conzelmann by phone 239-513-9151, cell 239-850-2924; fax 239-513-9330; email louconzelmann@wcicommunities.com
Course statistics
  Yardage Par Rating Slope
Championship 7277 72 74.7 137
Course characteristics
  Primary Grasses Height of Cut
Tees GN-1 bermudagrass .350"
Fairways GN-1 bermudagrass .350"
Greens TifEagle bermudagrass .120"
Average tee size: 2,000 sq. ft.
Average green size: 7,000 sq. ft.
Rounds per year: 25,000
Acres of fairway: 40
Acres of rough: No rough
Sand bunkers: 37
Water hazards: 23
Tournament stimpmeter: 12 ft.
Soil conditions: 
Green construction soil mix: USGA ( 90% sand; 10% peat; )
Source of water: Lake, well
Drainage: Excellent
Interesting and historical course-related facts

Nestled in Southwest Florida countryside, Tiburon Golf Club is a 36-hole championship course carved out of 800 acres of native Florida foliage.

The course reflects designer and PGA Tour professional Greg Norman’s appreciation for pristine natural settings. Norman designed Tiburon to play like a British Open links course, firm and fast, but without the frustrating thatch of rough.

Tiburon's tees and fairways consist of GN-1 bermudagrass. Greg Norman Turf Co. owns the exclusive rights for GN-1, which has been its main product. Bred and developed by Australian breeder Hugh Whiting in 1989, this genetically pure hybrid bermudagrass is ideally suited for fairways, tees and athletic fields and holds patents from both the United States and Australia. GN-1 recovers from damage much faster than conventional bermudagrass and its darker green color and lush, thick surface are aesthetically pleasing.

The club has two 18 hole courses - the Black and the Gold. The courses were designed to work well with the natural landscape, maximizing the challenge and beauty of the course. Stacked sod wall bunkers and the use of tangerine-colored coquina sand in the waste bunkers add a distinctive touch. In 2008 the green surrounds were regrassed with Celebration bermudagrass.

Norman also serves on The Environmental Institute for Golf's board of trustees and chairs The Institutes's advisory council. The Environmental Institute for Golf, the philanthropic organization of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), is a collaborative effort of the environmental and golf communities, dedicated to strengthening the compatibility of golf with the natural environment. The Institute concentrates on delivering programs and services involving information collection, research, education and outreach that communicate the best management practices of environmental stewardship on the golf course. The advisory council provides guidance to The Institute's board of trustees in the areas of outreach, fundraising and strategic planning. For more on The Institute, visit www.eifg.org.

Norman received the 2008 Old Tom Morris Award and served as the keynote speaker at the Opening Session of the GCSAA Education Conference on Jan. 31 in Orlando, held in conjuction with the Golf Industry Show. GCSAA’s most prestigious honor, the Old Tom Morris Award is presented each year to an individual who “through a continuing lifetime commitment to the game of golf has helped to mold the welfare of the game in a manner and style exemplified by Old Tom Morris.” Morris (1821-1908) was greenkeeper and golf professional at the St. Andrews Links Trust Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland; a four-time winner of the British Open (1861, ’62, ’64 and ’67); and ranked as one of the top links designers of the 19th century.

Wildlife on the course
Alligator; Armadillo; Blue heron; Bobcat; Coyote; Eagle; Fish; Fox; Hawk; Lizards; Mole; Osprey; Otter; Quail; Rabbit; Raccoon; Several different species of birds; Snakes; Squirrel; Turtle; Woodpecker
Course architect/date: Greg Norman, 1998
Other key course personnel
Gary Wilcox, General Manager
WCI Communities, Club Owner
Mark Bazley, Director of Golf
Golf course management facts
Average tour green size (sq. ft.): The average green size on the professional tours is approximately 6,000 square feet, ranging from 3,500 sq.ft at Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pebble Beach, Calif. to 9,000 sq.ft. at The Rail Golf Club, Springfield, Ill.
Land use percentage by 18-hole golf facility: An average of 150-200 acres of total land; teeing areas 2%, putting greens 2%, fairways 23%, rough/woods/water 70%, buildings and grounds 3%
Stimpmeter: A Stimpmeter is a ramp that allows for consistent and fair measurement of green speed on a particular course. The distance the ball rolls, in feet, is the speed or "stimp" reading for the green. The instrument was invented by Mr. Edward S. Stimpson in 1936 and later implemented for use by the USGA in 1978.
Warm season vs. cool season grasses: Warm season grasses: Among the best known are bermudagrass, St. Augustinegrass, zoysiagrass, bahiagrass, carpetgrass and centipedegrass. Warm-season grasses grow at their optimal rate between 75 F and 95 F. Cool season grasses: Among the best known are colonial bentgrass, creeping bentgrass, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, fine fescue and tall fescue. They grow best between 55 F and 85 F.
Course rating vs. slope: The USGA Course Rating indicates the course's playing difficulty for scratch golfers. It is expressed as strokes taken to one decimal place and is based on yardage and other obstacles. The USGA Slope Rating reflects the difficulty of the course for the players who are not scratch golfers. The greater the difference between these numbers, the higher the USGA Slope Rating and the more strokes the golfer will receive.
Grain of grass: Grain, particularly on putting surfaces, is a golfer's term referring to the tendency of grass to grow in one or more directions relative to ball roll. Exposure to the sun as it tracks across the sky is one factor that affects grain, but the predominant force is water and the direction it flows relative to slope. Much has been written about grain and how it impacts putting accuracy. Golf course superintendents alter mowing direction and utilize other maintenance techniques to minimize grain. At professional competitions on closely mown putting surfaces, grain is usually very subtle, but remains a part of the putting challenge. Reading grain properly is an art form that adds to the mystique of what it takes to be a true champion.
USGA green vs. push-up green: Early golf courses were built from a mixture of soil, organic matter and sand from the construction site. Often soil was pushed up and the greens were slightly rounded to promote the runoff of water. While many courses still feature greens like this, others have greens built to "USGA specifications." This method uses sand as the principal component of the root zone mix to provide adequate drainage, resistance to compaction and a perched water table with a reservoir of moisture for the turf. A cross section would show stratified layers of soil, sand, gravel and organic matter over a network of pipes to facilitate drainage.

For additional information please visit the GCSAA association news section or contact the Communications Department at 800-472-7878.

GCSAA is a leading golf organization and has as its focus golf course management. Since 1926, GCSAA has been the top professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the United States and worldwide. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the association provides education, information and representation to more than 21,000 members in more than 72 countries. GCSAA’s mission is to serve its members, advance their profession and enhance the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf. Visit GCSAA at www.gcsaa.org.

The Environmental Institute for Golf is the philanthropic organization of GCSAA and is a collaborative effort of the environmental and golf communities, dedicated to strengthening the compatibility of golf with the natural environment. The Institute concentrates on delivering programs and services involving research, education and outreach that communicate the best management practices of environmental stewardship on the golf course. For more on The Institute, visit www.eifg.org.